Off The Record

Above all else, punk is known for its message: the lyrics are often politically charged, the musicians often outspoken, and the music often intense, quick, and stripped down of embellishment so as not to interfere with the overall message. The anti-establishment mindset and do-it-yourself ethic showcased in punk music has been a consistency since the genre's inception, pioneered by acts such as the Ramones, the Clash, and the Sex Pistols in the mid-'70s. By the '90s, a fusion genre emerged: pop punk, which marries the fast punk tempos and guitars with the more melodic elements of power-pop. This new movement, brought to mainstream attention by acts such as Green Day, the Offspring, and Blink-182, has never fully left the public eye.

In the early 2000s, Ludo arrived on the scene. Fronted by singer and guitarist Andrew Volpe, the St. Louis-based band recorded their eponymously titled debut album in 2004, after playing together for only three weeks; after extensive touring and exposure in the indie and alternative music scenes, Ludo returned to the studio and recorded the EP Broken Bride. In 2007, the band cut a multi-album deal with Island Records.

In 2008, Ludo released its most recent studio effort, You're Awful, I Love You, which has, thus far, broken furthest into mainstream airwaves. The album title comes from a line off of lead single "Love Me Dead," which, at its peak, hit the number eight spot on Billboard's Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart. The pop-punk quintet is slowly making a name for itself; "Love Me Dead" was featured in a promo for the fifth season of the popular television show House, and Ludo has played the festival circuit, including appearances in Lollapalooza and Warped Tour. Ludo has also performed on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

Among the factors that separate Ludo from their contemporaries is the heavy use of synthesizer - a lead instrument in most of the band's tracks. Singer Andrew Volpe also boasts a powerful and harmonic voice, unique to the band. Above all else, though, Ludo's music is fun. While punk tends to deal with more serious issues, pop-punk is more relaxed, an ethic which has seeped through the band's craft.

Ludo's music is fast-paced and fun, its lyrics often flaunting a twisted type of romance. Ludo is definitely a band for fans of pop and alternative to keep on their radars.