“Comingback”by Parcels

Playful, carefree vibes have been a hard commodity to come by in the past two years, let alone a steady acoustic rock melody worth giving a second glance, but in the new video for Parcels’ “Comingback,” both are found in quite liberal doses. Parcels seem to be intent on delivering us something light and easygoing in this all-new release, and while the imagery takes some from the American surreal pop scene, the harmony it winds up coupled with makes will leave anyone in love with the originality this Aussie act has going for them in more ways than one. 

URL: https://www.parcelsmusic.com/

“Comingback” has a soft lead vocal that feels somewhat dwarfed by the instrumental luster on a couple of occasions between the start and finish lines here, but I wouldn’t swap it out for anything. There’s something really special about a fragile component amidst such a sterling backdrop, defining the core narrative of this song without having to flex nearly as much muscle as the other elements of the music are. It’s provocative, contrasting, and most definitely the punkiest part of this single when studying its foundations from a purely aesthetical point of view. There’s more to Parcels than meets the ear, and that’s quite evident in this track. 

The strings are quite brittle when the chorus comes into play, ironically recoiling from the monstrous size we find them in early on in the mix, but this modulation also helps to further the sentiments of the lyrics without our singer having to overstate any of the verses. I feel like this single was built from the ground up rather than around a specific instrumental concept over another, the latter of which has been uncomfortably common among a lot of the indie outfits that I’ve been reviewing through the past two years of pandemic pop. 

Rhythmically, “Comingback” is kind of pushy, but I think it needs to be to feel as bouncy and boisterous as it does in this instance. After all, Parcels aren’t trying to repel us with an outrageous groove – they want us swinging to something big and bold but within reason, which, to some extent, can be said for the way they approach the poetic sensibilities of the lyrics as well. They’re a thoughtful group of rock n’ rollers, and that feature on its own is going to go a long way towards establishing their sound as a must-listen on the American side of the Pacific sooner or later. 

Parcels are the full-package indie pop/rock band in my opinion, and I don’t need to hear a shred of their material outside of “Comingback” to feel confident saying as much this September. There’s still a lot of room for them to come into their own with regards to physicality, but as a group of melody makers, I think they could be called one of the more intriguing units in the Melbourne scene at the moment. It’s a busy underground circuit they’re in, but this is the sort of stylishness that will bring them a lot of mainstream love before they know what to do with it. 

Mindy McCall