SXSW Reviews

The Pack

Skateboards 2 Scrapers (Jive)

Four Berkeley teenagers hitch their skateboards to hyphy's short, yellow bus and as their "Vans" drag along the asphalt, sparks flying with the accelerated friction. Riding Young L's ostentatious production for all its worth, the Pack explores flash-in-the-pan, overtly promiscuous territory like it's going out of style. As "Ride My Bike" covers the East Bay's eternal reverence for Too $hort, "Candy" swerves into a raunchy pit of Miami bass revival. Frosty Freezed out to the max, "I'm Shinin'" doesn't just conjure thoughts of Clipse based on its song title alone. An all-out icy quiet-storm maintains its casual momentum through "Oh Go" and "Freaky Bopper" as Lil B, Lil Uno, Stunna, and Young L lean and rock with proper supplements in tow. Enhancing a remix of "Vans" with appearances by Mistah FAB and $hort Dogg, the Pack gets as much mileage out of a seven-track EP as could be expected from a quartet of bratty perverts. (Friday, March 16, Beauty Bar Patio, 12:40am)