Review: Pludo 1 - Pludo
By Luke Robinson
I spent many years in Chicago, getting covered in spilled Hamms’ and having panic attacks at crowded basement shows that worshipped dog shit three-chord garage bands. On the bright side, I had the opportunity of being introduced to - and sharing some amazing musical experiences with - the members of the band Pludo. The brainchild of guitarist/drummer Max Petot, Pludo draws influence from 90’s indie in the vein of Built to Spill, Weezer, and Pinback. On Pludo 1, their debut record, the band offers numerous highlights with stand-out song writing.
“Wet Roach” starts the album with a melancholy, scuzzy power-chord riff. Immediately, you take notice of the chemistry between guitarists Anthony Santoro and Max Petot, as their leads harmonize while weaving in-and-out. Bassist/singer Keifer Douglas performs smoothly and passionately, offering incredibly sassy lyrics that seem to describe a manipulative friendship. Second track “DG Nightmare” initially sounds a bit too similar to Weezer’s “Undone - The Sweater Song,” but picks up quickly when Douglas wails on the vocals with sticky melodies. The slinking, sliding leads provide a unique, alt-country edge, but after the bridge, the song shifts almost into groove metal territory. All the while, the production is extremely warm and wonderful, adding a necessary edge.
Album highlight “Bottle” is an absolute ripper, with a super slinky riff that’s ear-candy. The gorgeous chords lead into cascading, elongated riffs towards the track end, where the vocals shimmer with beauty atop the crashing guitars surrounding them. “Not Yet (That’ll Do)” provides a rough harshness amidst descending chord progressions. The beast of this track awakens during the bridge, with delay chords reminiscent of Oceansize’s “Music for a Nurse.” The following guitar solo sends the listener to elevator jazz territory, leading into a bossanova arrangement in 7/4. It becomes apparent on this track that the progressive and jazz influences are what distinguish Pludo from their scene contemporaries.
The cool down moments on the record succeed to varying degrees. Somber Pinback-esque arpeggios introduce “Crime Dog,” a mellow tune with piano and xylophone hits that builds into a emo-tinged twinkling explosion. It’s again reminiscent of Blue Album-era Weezer, but tastefully done. “Stuff” is the most quaint song on the record, where the uber-gentle oddly fit over a twisting-and-turning chord progression. It offers a well-crafted Elliot Smith vibe and demonstrates some masterful pop songwriting. However, “Beer Drawer” is one of the track’s on the record that lacks anything engaging, as the chord progressions, soundplay and lyrics don’t have the same emotional quality displayed elsewhere on the album.
The best song of the record could very well be its closer. Although “Radio Shitty” wears its Radiohead influence on its sleeve, the odd-ball jazz fascination continues from where “Not Yet” leaves off. Weird octave guitars and synths create a lush environment, carefully building in dynamics as it slowly becomes more overdriven and noisy. It ultimately delivers the heaviest point on the album, as the interplay explodes into a headbanging sliding chord riff that ends in a funky outro that closes the album on a refined note.
While not the most innovative of records, Pludo 1 is an incredibly well-crafted and performed debut record, providing a noteworthy combination of 90s indie and unconventional prog-jazz applications. This album is catchy throughout, from the vocal melodies to the guitar interplay. As they continue to evolve, it would be wise for Pludo to challenge themselves with weirder sonic textures and upping the jazz/progressive sections. It was during these moments where it became apparent something special is bubbling underneath the surface of the genre Pludo currently resides in.
