Mitch Ryder remains an enigma to me. At the time I’m writing
this, I’ve reviewed two of Ryder’s albums, and have see-sawed
between declaring them absolute trash and significant improvements.
Smart Ass, Ryder’s 1982 release, meets those worlds half-way
– though the sodomy images off
How I Spent My Vacation are thankfully left in the past.
(Sorry, Mitch, but one doesn’t just wash away such a mental image
easily.)
On one hand, Ryder’s stripped-down production of this disc
(which he explains on J-Bird Records’s web site was due to limited
funds) hampers his ability to get his musical point across – yet at
times this sparse sound works to the music’s advantage. Some of
these tracks are almost immediately forgettable, yet others are
ones you won’t forget for a while. If it sounds like I’m creating
paradoxes, then you are beginning to understand
Smart Ass, an album which is a paradox in and of itself.
On the one hand, there’s some material on this disc which shows
just how talented a songwriter Ryder is and how much of an
influence he could have been on the music scene had people in the
States been willing to listen back then. “One Room World” is a
lovely yet disturbing ode to the horror we all eventually face –
namely, growing old – and the possibility of having to face that
horror alone. “Hands High” could well be seen as autobiographical,
documenting Ryder’s return to the musical scene after a
self-imposed hiatus back in the ’70s and how he wants to enjoy the
experience this time. “Berlin” could well have been a foretelling
of the eventual fall of the Berlin Wall, and is a song that cries
out against violence which tears people (who are otherwise similar
in many ways) apart.
Yet there is material on
Smart Ass which seems to counteract the good intentions of
Ryder. “Hot House” and “You Better Stop It” do sound like they were
victims of a budget crunch, having neither the solid songwriting
nor the musical crispness to them that would otherwise make them
potential stand-outs on this disc. Either drummer Al Wotton played
like he was doing a “Space Invaders” imitation, or the impression
of sparse trap work is because he wasn’t turned high up enough in
the mix.
Smart Ass is a relatively short listen and does highlight
some very solid work from Ryder. But it also showed his weaknesses,
and those tracks should be approached with some sense of caution.
Still, it’s worthwhile to check out, if only to hear what the voice
behind “Devil With The Blue Dress On” was tackling in the early
’80s.
