Review: Griffin House’s Seductive Sentiments Flow with ‘The Tides’

Griffin House
The Tides
(Independent release)
4 out of 5 stars

Griffin House ranks among today’s finest singer/songwriters, and while he still operates somewhat below the radar, his talent ought not to be ignored. His career began inauspiciously enough after he landed a singing role in a high school musical. Instantly infatuated with making music, he bought his first guitar from a friend and turned down a budding golf scholarship at Ohio University in order to enroll at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. From that point on, he focused on teaching himself to play guitar and writing songs.

Upland, his debut album released in 2003, attracted the attention of indie label Nettwerk Records and soon thereafter, House was reaping even greater rewards, including substantial critical kudos and an appearance on “CBS Sunday Morning.”

House’s current release, a five-song EP titled The Tides, might seem a modest effort at first, but its brevity in no way indicates any slack in terms of quality or consistency. Opening track “Once Upon a Time in Ballard Town” takes flight as a rugged, reflective narrative, not unlike something the late Gordon Lightfoot might have purveyed in his prime. House’s music is, after all, imbued with pure folk finesse, a sound that’s precious and postured all at the same time. The distance and devotion expressed in the song “Miss You” makes the music all the more affecting. It’s a touching and tender song about remorse and regret in the wake of a failed relationship.

That sense of longing and desire rolls over into the track that follows, “Dead Set On You,” a Dylanesque diatribe flush with desire and determination. House picks up the pace and makes clear he won’t be deterred in the pursuit of the object of his affection. The solid-yet-stoic pacing of “Show You the World Through My Eyes” finds a melodic middle ground, and while House has yet to complete his conquest, there’s ample optimism that his efforts will prevail. It’s something of a relief then when the closing track, “Lifeline,” shares a sense of salvation, courtesy of a soulmate who soothes his spirit and satisfies his soul.

I was sick of being tired / I was tired of being sick / I had a wall around 10 feet thick / Nothing was working / Nothing ever helped / But then you saw me in a way I couldn’t see myself / It feels good to be happy again / It feels good to finally find a friend / You’re my lifeline, he declares with obvious gratitude. Ultimately, it’s obvious that those are the sentiments House is happiest to share.

Photo by Ethan James