Ritt Momney: Not Around

Jack Rutter, the young musical mastermind from Utah, came out with a new single this February. Rutter has changed the game by taking an approach to combine different genres to change the course of indie music. Right before the chaos of 2020, he had a breakthrough playing with Dayglow, but two days into the tour, it was canceled due to the pandemic. After Jack blew up on the viral app “Tik Tok” this summer with a cover of “Put Your Records On,” he not only wanted to recognize the original artist Corinne Bailey but pay tribute to her and her genius. Rutter was playing locally at places like Kilby Court, where many bands such as Death Cab for Cutie started, and now he is on the national playing field.

Ritt Momney used to be a full band, but now it is just Rutter; he explained in an interview that he wants his message in all aspects of his music, so for now he is staying solo. Being a solo act with rotating band members for convenience and sound.

Looking at the music he has produced chronologically we see a sad indie vibe from the first album “Her and All My Friends,” but then an uptick in pop with the “Put Your Records on,” cover. In a Billboard article, Jack said after the downer of the tour was canceled he wanted to make something happy for his listeners. This kind of vibe brings all people to the table because this is how gen-z functions, pulling together different genres and opening up to a broader audience.

In the single release of “Not Around”, we see both subtle and vicious waves of growth. Going from your classic small local band who gets good local gigs and gains some traction to an overnight “Tik Tok” sensation can change a lot for a twenty-one-year-old. “Not Around,” describes some of the troubles of fame and somehow makes it relatable for your average non-sensational person.

This song weaves between plains of both indie pop and soft rock with a guitar outro that tops it all off. With a lot of music in this genre, it can start to become very mundane and repetitive, so to see a contemporary young inventive artist infusing the genre with life from different genres changes how intriguing the song is for the listener. Rutter’s lyrical genius explores fame, how it effects his relationships, and how he is reluctantly changing.

The song has a sort of imbalance to it that leaves you wanting more. The front half is lyrically heavy, and the second half is ultimately music-based with the main focus being a guitar. As the lyrics start to fade out, he talks about how he isn’t anything without her around and needs her as his voice fades out and the guitar’s heavy strums come in.

Now going into the lyrics more explicitly, starting with the verse “I picked you up from the airport your smile didn’t feel the same, asked you a question then watched as you shot it down like a plane and I’m not being too dramatic I’m the one who bought your flight,” (Genius 2020). This shows the early struggles of dating someone who is gaining traction. The lyrics are giving the raw emotions of uncertainty and confusion of seeing his significant other for the first time in a while. Using the metaphor of being shot down like a plane while he is in an airport is great lyricism not only in its irony but the simultaneous portrayal of the immediate awkwardness of not knowing what to say next.

This song doesn’t have a repetitive chorus; it has one set of lyrics and goes through them once, which I find unique. Is it because he thinks he got the message across? Or the message hurt enough the first time? The last lines before the guitar outro is, “But when you’re not around I turn into something I’m not lost or found I’m neither, I’m nothing when you’re not around there’s not much to say hear me yelling out loud my love went away hear me shout,” (Genius 2020). I think the way this song is set up and how this line leads into the instrumental outro and the last line saying “hear me shout” really shows that he is speaking through the instruments as well. Listening to the outro as the lyrics start to slow down more instruments begin to creep in and the drums come in and as he says “shout” the drums go hard. It goes from an acoustic guitar to an electric. The guitar and drums begin to take over the entirety of the sound you’re thinking about and are working together; then we hear some sort of auto-tuned lyrical just going along with the guitar as they hit the last few notes and fade out quickly.

I appreciate the honesty that comes around with this song, I think as you seem up and comers, you see a lot of change because of label pressure, but I feel as if Ritt Momney is falling more into place with their vibe. In an interview with Billboard he decided to sign with Disruptor/Columbia Records because “They’re going to help me if I need help with stuff and with the songs I’m working on — and if I don’t want their help, then they’re going to stay out of my way,” (Glicksman 2020).

If you’re looking for your not the run-of-the-mill indie band, you’ve found your home! Ritt Momney is the perfect blend of indie, rock, and a hint of pop that can get you in your feels or maybe think a little harder. This single points out the intricacy of Jack Rutter as well as his honesty. I think we will see a lot more of Jack Rutter. This one-man band is going places, and his authenticity will take them far on that journey.