Ten Kills the Pack Unveils New Song Seven Years in the Making; Listen to “Theo” Out Now! 

Today, the Canadian indie-folk outfit Ten Kills the Pack unveils a breathtaking piece of music that has been years in the making. Seven years to be exact. A lifelong admirer of the consummate artist, Vincent Van Gogh, songwriter Sean Sroka was forever changed by a book of letters between the painter and his brother, “Theo.” Inspired by the writings, Sroka embodies the tortured soul of the artist who opens his inner most thoughts to a blood relative. Quivering solo vocal builds to an angelic climax carried by sullen acoustics and a lush bed of keyboards. It’s a poetic illustration of every artist’s journey told through an incredibly gifted songwriter.  Listen to “Theo” on all digital retailers (here).

Sroka tells Variance Magazine,“Overall, I’m just happy for this one to be out because it was just so laborious and something I really strived for and wanted to feel totally opposite to that. This was a brand-new exercise in writing for me because it’s someone’s biography. Someone else’s life. Their journey; read, re-read, noted, then rewritten by myself a few times to fit into a few minutes, and then translated poetically. It’s completely factual but it also needs to artistically represent and coincide with the work of this person, using writing tricks as tools the way one would use charcoal, a palette knife or a brush, all while still presenting its narrative. I’m proud of it and will also never do it again haha.

I think there are a lot of clever moments that have come out of this for me but mainly, the story just feels personal and one I know many, many, many artists parallel to as well. It’s hard, it’s tough, we’re scared we won’t succeed and we’re thankful for the people around us who think that we might.”

New singles, “Theo,” “Still Up Late,” “Curbside Panic Attack” and “Honestly, Fuck You” come from Ten Kill the Pack’s new project Thank You For Trying: ACT I. Co-produced with Marcus Paquin (The Weather Station, The National, Arcade Fire). The forthcoming release is due out September 16th via Nettwerk.

Listen & Share “Theo” Here:

https://tenkillsthepack.ffm.to/theo

ABOUT TEN KILLS THE PACK:

Canadian Sean Sroka is the kind of self-deprecating singer-songwriter that pens his fears in a way that blends a punk rock ethos with the calm and kindness of folk. The frontman for indie outfit Ten Kills the Pack has become known for his confessional-style lyricism that explores the rough edges of the human condition.

Sroka approaches his life as a musician with a raw passion and sincere attitude that stems from his DIY days cutting his teeth in the music scene of his hometown Toronto or playing in his sludgy punk band around the city. His independence guided the 2019 full-length Force Majeure that zeroed in on the hustle and bustle of city life, a solitary, self-described “guy with guitar” effort recorded in apartments across Toronto. While follow-up Life, Death & Afterwards (2021), expanded his scope to focus on the cerebral and philosophical.

Now, with a more direct and unvarnished backdrop, Sroka scales the next level, developing a pack of homegrown demos into a symphonic whole colored by resonant harmonies, moonstruck keys, and gritty energy that juxtaposes the pretty and intricate details. Ten Kills the Pack unveils the new project Thank You For Trying: ACT I.

TEN KILLS THE PACK IN THE PRESS…

“…poetic observations… poignant songcraft… with Sroka’s vocals gliding above the warm instrumentation. It all builds to a powerful emotive high as the layers of guitar enlace with bursts of trumpets, bringing the track to a climactic finish.”

– Under the Radar

“…poignant, heartfelt, nostalgic, and relatable to all as the artist puts sparse, but vivid words to a familiar struggle for satisfaction, happiness, and contentment…”

-Atwood Magazine

“Sroka has established Ten Kills the Pack as a leading voice in modern folk music.”

–Exclaim!

“…exquisite… beautifully crafted…”

–Indie88

Track List:

1. Curbside Panic Attack

2. Still Up Late

3. Theo

4. (Interlude: An Uncommon Commitment to Uncertainty)

5. Love Wouldn’t Take Me Back

6. (Interlude: Quiet Cars)

7. Honestly, Fuck You

8. Impossibly Incredibly