Ria, Mike Grutka’s third CD, offers a glimpse into the writing life of this Saratoga Springs NY singer/songwriter. The twelve songs on this album, all Grutka originals, range from love songs to rock ballads about ambition to songs that chronicle self-discovery.
Though the CD indicates that Grutka tours with a band consisting of Josh Radigan, Greg Nash, Mike Steiner, and Steve Barmash, there are no band credits on the liner notes. From the quality of the backup, however, it appears Grutka used digital and electronic sources combined with his guitar. He has recorded and produced everything himself and even does his own vocal backup. This has allowed Grutka the freedom and the responsibility to create a sound that represents his unique musical intention. There’s no one else to praise or blame about this album. It rests on Grutka’s merits alone.
The songs are radio friendly, though often lyrically obscure. It is mainly the way Grutka has arranged and produced each song that has created a listenable sound. It falls flat, however, in “The Sea” where the vocals are obscured by the synthesized melody, the loud drum track, and even the electric guitar, which may or may not be digital. It’s a shame because the song really tries to say something. Unfortunately, the lyrics themselves are disjointed and don’t complete the thought the song is aiming for.
This is a problem with a lot of songwriters/poets. There is an assumption that if you put pleasant sounding words together, they will make some spiritual or intellectual sense. The title track, “Lifetime (Ria),” which happens to end this CD, is just that, a string of words and phrases to a beat. Oddly, it works in a haunting sort of way, yet still the meaning is deeply buried.
Grutka, however, can write a seminal thought as “Goodbye” attests. It’s a simple song that has a heart-tugging melody, superbly delivered by Grutka’s vocal style. The production is restrained, though there is a lot going on for the ear to hear. It is mainly the simplicity of the vocals and the guitar that make the song stand out. Very nicely done.
“Actress” is another gem on this album. It’s upbeat, yet with an inner melancholy woven into the lyrics. “Everything” also is another peppy tune with darker undertones. Here, again, Grutka uses a lot of single line phrases that aren’t necessarily completed thoughts, but for some reason, they work. It’s as if the mind completes the gestalt of the thought in spite of the sparse lyric. In contrast, “Same Thing” has a Beatlesque feel while it points to a sort of spinning, non-movement of a life.
Ria starts slow but hits its stride in the middle. Despite its lack of lyrical polish, the album works, mostly because it creates a mood that is infectious. It will be interesting to see what Mike Grutka does with his next album, which is waiting in the wings for release.
Review by Janie Franz
