James Palko is a founding member of Pretty Rude, an indie-rock group based in Brooklyn, New York. The outfit’s debut album, Ripe, is out May 16 via SideOneDummy Records. The LP finds Palko collaborating with fellow musician Matt Cook across a succinct collection of eight songs which defy easy categorization while leaning heavily into terrain some will label power pop. Influenced by a variety of sources, ranging from the latter novels of Herman Melville to the poetry of Billy Collins, Ripe is an especially auspicious debut.
In this conversation, Palko discusses his life as a recording engineer, how his late exposure to cutting-edge technology influenced the choices he makes in the studio, his love of The Beatles, and what he was thinking about as he turned to one of the greatest figures in American literature as a starting point for songwriting.
Host/Producer: Jedd Beaudoin
Digital Producers: Karlee Cooper, Beth Golay, Hugo Phan
Theme Music: Torin Andersen
