Pelo is a pretty versatile word. According to my old college Spanish textbook, it translates as follows:

pelo - n. 1. hair, coat of animal, down, fiber 2. hair trigger 3. triffle, nap, color of a horse 4. hairpiece, toupee

In the case of the Aluminum Group's fourth release, I'd wager the rug definition is the most apt. They're both kitschy, questionable and suggest a lifestyle that's usually the butt of jokes. But the vain man who dons a toupee is convinced it looks great, no matter how weighty the evidence to the contrary. It's the sort of affected sophistication that the Aluminum Group has raised to an art form. But it begs the question: "Just why exactly?"

Pelo finds the influences of brothers John and Frank Navin firmly in place, if not their caliber of songwriting. The Aluminum Group sound is evident in every track, every lyric, every nuance. This shit is as smooth as a Bacharach's ass. It's a soundtrack to a '70s made-for-TV movie, but a damn fine one. A quality one-- something like Brian's Song or Sybil rather than that Boy in the Plastic Bubble tripe.

Some of the first few tracks are a little more daring than previous efforts by the Navins. Though not quite worthy of the adjective "experimental," they're definitely a departure for the group, working in sampled noise and dancier beats on the opener, "Pussycat." But Pelo settles into its form-fitting, comfy oeuvre soon enough. The too-rich bass in "If You've Got a Lover, You've Got Life" gets the groove going early and is among the highlights of the disc.

But ultimately, Pelo is a triumph of average-- a zero-sum game. The few noteworthy tracks are negated by the bombs. For every standout, rare as they are, there are embarrassing nadirs like "Tom of Finland (An Homage)." Nobody had any business wasting perfectly good studio time ensuring this turkey made it onto the plastic. But maybe I assume too much. Perhaps the intended "homage" was slap-in-the-face sarcastic-- so intentionally bad that Tom has rolled over in his grave with an embarrassed grimace.

Equally weak is the clumsily-titled "Good-Bye Goldfish, Hi Piranha," a song that dramatically builds only to crescendo with the brief, impotent lyric: "I took advantage of your honor/ In the cellophane/ What looks like one thing/ You bought cocaine but got flour." This is part of the problem with Pelo; the bad stuff is ultimately more memorable than the good.

Say what you will about the Aluminum Group, they certainly are earnest. Whether or not they're misguided is irrelevant. Just as there's no sense in arguing religion or politics at the dinner table, one gets the sense that any persuasions attempting to get the Aluminum Group to see the error of their ways would be at least equally futile. Their resolve even makes me doubt myself. Perhaps rock will wane and disappear, leaving odd niche bands like the Aluminum Group vindicated. Vindicated, but very, very alone.

-John Dark