Just because a group is comprised of a guitarist/singer and a drummer doesn’t necessarily mean it’ll sound like the White Stripes — after all, the Flat Duo Jets, the Spinanes, and Bantam Rooster all created a distinct sound of their own with the same instrumentation long before Jack White gave it a try. But the Pack A.D. seem to have taken more of a lesson from the White Stripes than just forgetting the bass player — guitarist Becky Black aims for a heroic, arena-filling sound on the group’s third album, We Kill Computers, that bears some surface similarities to White’s approach, and drummer Maya Miller bashes away with an abundance of enthusiasm and little concern for rudimentary niceties. However, one important thing separates the two bands — as White looks for new ways to refine his approach, the Pack A.D. keep rocking harder each time they walk into the studio, and We Kill Computers is a full-on exercise in lean, primal rock & roll that neither asks for or offers any compromise. Black’s guitar work is like the engine of a classic Dodge, big and powerful, and the fuzzy report of her instrument gives her songs a well-defined shape and muscle that most bands couldn’t match with two guitarists. And while Miller’s drumming isn’t exactly refined, she makes a great team with Black, and her no-frills stomp clears space for a groove that may be brutal but you sure can dance to it. Together, the Pack A.D. sound fierce, focused, and as deeply committed as nearly any band out there today, and they’re not at all wrong to believe in themselves; this album lays out a hard and heavy wall of sound that should impress anyone with ears, whether owning a copy of Elephant or not. Let Black and Miller bring the noise on your stereo and don’t be surprised if you’re hooked before you know it. – Mark Deming