Musicians tend to specialize in their roles and instruments. The idea is that you pick one thing and concentrate on it until you get good at it. There are players who double on instruments, though they are usually similar, like guitar and bass, or different wind instruments. This week we have an artist who has made a considerable jump in what he does, going from an alternative rock drummer to folk-influenced singer-songwriter. It’s Christian Rudledge. And his debut album in the singer-songwriter mode is called An Inch of This New York Mile.

Christian Rutledge established his reputation as the drummer for alternative bands such as Space Merchants and Freaky Wilderness, neither of whom show much folk influence. But Rutledge put aside his drum sticks for strumming a guitar and has created a collection of a dozen lyrically articulate compositions many of which are story songs, which he performs in the context of a rather intimate folk and roots rock group, with a bit of country influence with some steel guitar here and there.

Rutledge ins a New Yorker, and many of the album’s songs are set in New York, which is a contrast to many roots rockers who tend to write about the South or West. While there are a couple of love songs, many of Rutledge’s lyrics form vignettes about characters, with some some social commentary and occasional humor thrown in, performed in an honest, thoroughly tasteful style, with Rutledge’s vocals as plainspoken as his songs.

The group in the album includes drummer Dan Reiser, who works with Roseanne Cash; bassist Rich Hammond, who has worked with Joe Jackson and Joan Osborne, and Chris Tarrow on lead guitar and embellishments like mandolin and steel guitar. They are occasionally joined by Misty Boyce on backing vocals.

Leading off is one of the more whimsical songs Jesus Bushwick, a kind of breakup song with his old neighborhood in Brooklyn. <<>>

One of the highlights of the album is a track called Coal Miner Songs a kind of New York version of a mining ballad, in this case about the crews who work underground to keep the subways running. <<>>

Another nice scene from New York comes on the song My Bodega about the owner of one of the ubiquitous small stores around city, who, in most cases are immigrants. <<>>

One of the love songs is When I Call You Crazy which brings in some classic-style country influence. <<>>

Put into a light folk context are some of the album’s most powerful lyrics. The song called Little Family Secret centers on an abusive relationship. <<>>

Another highlight of the album is A Whisper in the Distance, a protest song for social justice that is clothed in a kind of jaunty folk setting. <<>>

A song called Fundraising Drive has some of the wittiest lyrics on the album, It’s about the ubiquitous tote bags one gets from Public Radio fundraisers and other occasions, and how they can accumulate. <<>>

The album’s most poignant song is Watching You Sleep, a solo performance about a conducting a solitary vigil at a love one’s death bed. <<>>

Christian Rutledge has made a considerable musical transition from drummer for very electric alternative bands to articulate singer-songwriter. On his new album An Inch of This New York Mile, he creates some wonderful, plain-spoken songs touching an interesting variety of topics from roundabout love songs to humor to social commentary to a work song. Many of them are set in his hometown of New York, but most of them are universal. In other words, he has become a classic-style folkie, whose work is on the par of some of the best. The understated, rootsy musical setting is an excellent match for the songs, and the production by Matt Shane, who has also worked with Roseann Cash and Elvis Costello, is very tasteful.

Our grade for audio quality is close to an “A” with a clean honest sound in keeping with the album’s musical direction. Dynamic range, how the recording maintains the difference between loud and soft, and not is not great, but better than many other contemporary releases.

Goodness knows there are enough singer-songwriters around, but Christian Rutledge’s An Inch of This New York Mile, is a standout in the genre, especially for a debut, such as it is, from someone whose musical career had been in a very different direction.

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<<>> indicates audio excerpt played in produced radio review

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