After forming in 1970, the following year the London-based Pluto released this, their debut, a solid album of progressive blues and hard rock, which is now arguably the rarest record on PYE subsidiary Dawn Records.
Although lacking any all-out monster/ killer cuts, it's well executed and features appealing bursts of fuzz guitar alongside some wild soloing, and thankfully none of the tracks are particularly drawn out and it's a relatively jam-free zone. The repetitive groove and simplistic riffing of Down And Out is actually one of its more memorable moments, but it's tougher rockers such as Stealing My Thunder, Crossfire and the garage-vibed Road To Glory where Pluto sound strongest.
Apparently it was commercial producer/songwriter John Macleod's first experience of producing a hard rock band, and he attempted to clean up and polish the band’s natural sound. This is perhaps evident on Rag A Bone Joe, which has backing vocals from the Brotherhood Of Man. A poppier track, (obviously aimed at radio), at odds with most of the album, it was released as a single and flopped. It makes you wonder why big labels signed bands like this, as they clearly didn't know how to market them and had little faith in their creative worth.
Pluto released one further single the following year, titled I Really Want It, which was arguably their finest moment. Apparently the band split in 1973 due to various frustrations.
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