B-Side Guys

Few songs capture the peculiar purgatory of the working musician with such immediate clarity as Pretty Rude’s “Call Me, Ishmael.” As the opening statement from their debut album “Ripe,” the track establishes intellectual ambition alongside emotional accessibility—transforming occupational anxiety into three minutes of propulsive indie rock.

The composition announces its literary foundations immediately through its title—referencing the iconic opening line of Melville’s “Moby Dick.” This bookish framework extends throughout, with frontman James Palko incorporating allusions to Plato’s Cave and Captain Ahab within the first verse. Yet these references never feel pretentious, instead serving as familiar touchpoints grounding universal economic anxieties.

Musically, Pretty Rude demonstrates clear understanding of their influences while transcending mere homage. Palko cites the guitar tone from Weezer’s “In The Garage” as inspiration, and indeed the track captures that particular blend of fuzz and clarity—though as he notes, the result leans toward the more synth-infused approach of The Rentals. This tonal quality creates perfect tension against lyrics examining the precarious financial existence most musicians endure.

What gives “Call Me, Ishmael” particular resonance is its exploration of creative compromise. When Palko sings “When it’s a 40 hour week, Plato why you gotta chain me to the wall?” he articulates the fundamental dilemma facing artists in capitalist economies—the soul-crushing stability of conventional employment versus the financially perilous pursuit of artistic fulfillment. The chorus reinforces this through its conversational structure, with external voices demanding conformity (“You better toughen up”) while the narrator questions his choices (“I must be out of my mind”).

The production—self-produced by the band and mixed by Jake Sinclair (who helmed Weezer’s White Album)—strikes perfect balance between polish and rawness. Each instrumental element occupies distinct sonic territory while contributing to collective emotional impact. The ritardando Palko specifically mentions creates dramatic conclusion that enhances the song’s thematic exploration of time’s relentless pressure.

For a band born during pandemic isolation as Palko’s “online theoretical project,” Pretty Rude demonstrates remarkable cohesion. The collaboration with bandmate Matt Cook has clearly transformed solitary expression into something more dynamically communal without sacrificing personal perspective. This tension between individual vision and collective execution mirrors the song’s central examination of compromise.

In transforming the daily existential crisis of the working musician into literary-infused indie rock, Pretty Rude has created something both intellectually stimulating and emotionally direct. “Call Me, Ishmael” serves as compelling introduction to a band unafraid to reference both Melville and Weezer in service of authentic expression—suggesting their debut album “Ripe” might indeed live up to its ambitious 37-minute, literature-spanning promise.