Christoher Sluka goes by the simplified moniker of Sluka, and “Saving It All,” his latest single, is a big, rock ballad. It’s also a memorable, emotional piece of music.
The track moves to a relatively slow, measured rhythm. It finds Sluka thinking and singing thoughtfully. His voice moves easily between a low and higher register. Although the track includes upfront, steady percussion, it also works a strings section in and out of its mix.
It could be a romantic song. Sluka’s lyrics aren’t especially clear. Whatever the case, Sluka sings its words with a decidedly theatrical tone. A little like the way Meatloaf used to do it. It’s ung like someone that wants to reach the people at the very back of the theater or arena.
Sluka draws upon varied life experiences to create his songs. He’s a pilot who started his own flight school and also started two of his own coffee shops. His music career has taken him to Europe and Japan, where he found commercial success. He also played the clubs in New York City, including CBGBs, where he mastered his live chops.
Although he looks like a rock & roller, his song sounds soft, like it could have fit in with the soft rock movement of the ‘70s. So, just what is “Saving It All” about? What is he ‘saving,’ and what is Sluka saving it for? Is he, for instance, saving the good stuff for a rainy day when he’ll need it? Sluka keeps his answer somewhat of a secret. Or could this be an environmental lyric? Is he crying out for mankind to save the planet? After all, there are plenty of nature references in the song. He also sings about watching the world from outer space. Perhaps he’s taking an outsider’s view of the troubled world we live in and finding good reasons to save it from itself.
Whatever his motive, Sluka’s song creates a lasting mood. It’s both a hopeful and an off-putting mood. He wounds positive, but concerned, as we all do. The world is a troubled place, but it’s all we’ve got. As a pilot, Sluka has a unique perspective. He may not find himself “watching the world from outer space,” as he sings here, but he does see the world from high above it while flying planes. He gets a good view of its vastness and beauty in a way that few of us have experienced it.
Official Website: http://www.sluka.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Slukaband
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/SlukaMusic/
Sluka is a unique artist that has carved out his own path. He’s played the music business game in the past, but one gets the impression he is playing only by his rules now. Is this a rock single? Or is it a slice of pop? That’s difficult to say. What one can say, however, is it’s oddly special. You won’t listen to this song without feeling something. And at the end of the day, isn’t this what music is all about? It’s meant to touch a nerve or bring out an emotion. “Saving It All” is one you’ll want to enjoy and then save for later to enjoy it again and again.
-Dan MacIntosh
