Songs from a Lonely Room (2005)
The Lonely Room / Right Here Right Now / Moon Love / Diamonds and Pearls
/ I'm Your Man / The Church of the Holy Spook / Why Me Lord? / Ik Ben God
/ Back in the 'Lonely' Room
Roland
Luttik is a veteran of the Dutch music scene, has been around for two decades,
playing bass with The Jack of Hearts, Drippin' Honey and a string of other
projects, as well as backing several artists with whom he played hundreds
and hundreds of gigs. Like many others who've had and seen their share of
rock 'n' roll on the road, Luttik believes that less can be more and by result,
Songs from a Lonely Room is the kind of one man-project that ensures
the message gets across properly. From the Leonard Cohen-pun of the title,
the unsettling art cover (that electrical wire looks like a rope, indeed)
and the Moai statues that inhabit the booklet, Luttik wants you to know there's
no excess here, no superfluity, no pretensions, not a wasted note. There's
also an actual Cohen-cover here - a suitably monochrome "I'm Your Man" - and
as could be expected, it's as minimal as they come. In fact: apart from the
reprise of the title track, during which he's backed by a symphonic brass
band (and to great effect), there's nothing but skeleton songs here. Vocals,
bass, guitar and the occasional keyboards, mostly played by Luttik himself.
What he seems to express above everything else is that he's a fan of roots
music in all its incarnations, as the album is infused with the spirit of
folk, C&W, blues and themes ranging from solitude to religion, mortality,
etc. By putting three covers on the album, Luttik also admits he's a fan of
a wide range of artists, even more when you realize his heavily-accented interpretation
of Kris Kristofferson's "Why Me Lord?" is more influenced by Johnny Cash's
version (on the first American-album) than the original. Cash is also probably
where he picked up the idea to cover U2, as his "Moon Love" is too obviously
based on that band's classic ballad "One" - especially during the intro and
the opening lines of the verses that follow an almost identical phrasing.
In fact, I'd rather hear songs like "Diamonds and Pearls" and "The Lonely
Room": modest, quietly executed songs with a great power of expression. Especially
the opening song is characterised by a callused, weary sincerity that can
only be rendered credible in the hands of someone who's had his share of ups
and downs, loves and losses. Luttik's playing is hardly baffling, but that's
not what these songs are asking for; the arrangements are simple yet tasteful,
giving the music an honest and brooding quality. Even though most of the songs
here could be filed under "late night ponderings," the album's best song is
the up-tempo "Ik Ben God" (that's Dutch for "I Am God"), which combines the
thoughtful wordplay of Thé Lau of The Scene wrapped up in the propulsive guitar
playing of Billy Bragg. As such, it turns into a recognisable quest for meaning,
passion and that missing part we all crave. Songs from a Lonely Room
is not exactly the kind of song-oriented album you might be looking for if
you're a sucker for all these densely packed, happenin', over-produced releases
that have such high hopes and aspirations. What it does offer however,
is a collection of heartfelt, no-nonsense songs that could be of interest
to anyone who recognizes the artist's struggle to give meaning to what he
experiences and sees around him - and finally presents it with unassuming
class.
Read album reviews of similar or related artists: