by GERARD DEE

“I like songs that capture a snapshot of emotion or some event,” says local singer/songwriter Rob Lutes. “And I like stuff that has some meaning.” The songs on his recently released sophomore album Middle Ground mean plenty. A combination of personal stories and imaginative songwriting, the album is a well of storytelling songs like the title track.

“The idea of the song is just trying to find a place where you’re not constantly looking at other people’s lives and things in the world that you want, and dreaming about having this and having that and basically never being satisfied about where you are.

“Life can go from these points of real joy where you have everything and everything’s perfect, and the next minute you’re totally dejected. It’s about finding the middle ground, living between elation and dejection.”

Lutes has a lot to be elated about these days. He’s sold over 2,000 copies of his debut album Gravity without a major label deal. He’s performed in festivals throughout Canada, and regularly receives orders for his albums on his Web site (www.roblutes.com) from as far away as Montana. He says this year is all about getting things done.

“I’d like to be either finished or be on the way to finishing a new record. I’d like to expand my touring schedule and I’d like to go a little further a field, maybe play more in the U.S. And I want to keep writing songs and play some more festivals in Canada.

“It’s a lot of work. But to break down some doors you’ve got to just keep plugging away.” :

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