Bandcamp [Release date 01.09.25]

Gaelic Americana – that’s what this artist plays. Never heard of it? No neither had I, and although it could be a bit of a gimmick, it’s actually not. It’s a vocation for this artist, who spent her first seven years in the Alaskan Bush, living with her mother and father in Yup’ik native communities, until they relocated to New Hampshire.

Somewhere in early adolescence Kyle got a calling from her ancestory to study Gaelic language and music, and on a Fulbright Fellowship grant (an American cultural exchange program), she went to Nova Scotia to study Scottish Gaelic song and traditional music. In 2009-10 she then travelled to Sabhai Mor Ostaig on the Isle Of Skye to learn Scottish Gaelic language and music and became a fluent Gaelic speaker. Now that is a vocation not just a desire, and that lust for traditional Gaelic is all over her music, but of course being a New Hampshire lass it is fused with American roots.

In 2011 she released her first album Monegah, 2014 her second, North Star, and 2018 her third The Art Of Forgetting. And now in 2015 after receiving crowd funding she has managed to produce her fourth album The Last Bough.

The Bough contains ten tracks, and is quite a musical and personal journey, taking in Gaelic (obviously) with Latha Bha An Ridire Ag Ol, Nach Muladach, Muladach Duine Leis Fhein and Ba I u o h o. The latter being a song she sang to her much cherished hard fought for son, before he took his afternoon nap. Although a traditional song Kyle added some of her own lyrics to it so it was more a personal song for her son, and then she got producer Kai Welch to weave some of her sons ultrasound heartbeat into the song – it don’t get more natural than that.

On first listening I was reminded of Emmylou Harris, particularly The Wrecking Ball, never more evident than in the last song Amour’s Mystique., a song inspired by an old fashioned mechanical fortune telling machine which was prominent in her childhood. The previous song, For Your Journey is a favourite of mine, with some early Tom Waits style ivory tinkling. I cant find who the piano player is, so I assuming it is Kyle, but I could be wrong. Whoever it is, it is a wonderful piece of playing. Like wise on Edens grief there is some great weaving of accordion and fiddle and I don’t know who played the accordion, which is also evident on Via Del Campo, and adds well to the international flavour of the whole album.

With Via Del Campo, she enters Jaques Brel territory, or, to be more precise Fabrizio De Andre territory. with a delightful Italian song about an old street in Genoa on which ladies of the night plied their trade. From Italy to Ireland with the next song The Sere Wind, which Kyle wrote about an Irishwoman with post partum depression who drowned her newborn because she thought the fairies had swapped her child with a changeling.

Kyle has delicate shimmering voice with precise enunciation, making very easy listening and draws out an empathy with the listener to her tales. She is complimented on this album by the following musicians – Ruth Moody – backing vocals, Anthony Da Costa – guitar, Christian Sedelmeyer – fiddle, Jamie Dick – Percussion, Sam Howard – upright bass, Mike McGoldrick – whistle and flute, and Scotland’s own James Graham on Gaelic backing vocals. All the musicians are so in tune with Kyle’s music, an example would be on the title track where she sings – “the north wind blown cold on the dice”, and the flautist blows a tiny flurry, so fast but like a little chill up your spine. The whole album is peppered with instances like this.

The album was written over a three year period, during the pandemic, her pregnancy, and building and living in a tiny house on wheels. You can feel the love, isolation, and the panoramic journey her life has taken her on throughout this deeply personal and vibrant album. Gaelic Americana? Absolutely, but way beyond. ****

Review by Andy Sharrocks

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions,

Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio

David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 7 December 2025.

UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). First broadcast on 25 November 2025

How to Listen Live?

Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)

Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.

More information and links at our radio website where you can listen live or listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com

Power Plays w/c 1 December 2025

We feature all the artists selected in this sequence in 2025.

Featured Albums w/c 1 December 2025

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003 – 2025 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003 – 2025 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003 – 2025 (Singer Songwriter)

Our occasional Newsletter signposts latest additions to the website(s). We also include a selection of recent top albums, based on GRTR! reviewer ratings. The newsletter is sent out a few times a year.

If you’d like to register to receive this occasional mailing please complete the form:

If using a smartphone/tablet please tap here or re-orientate your device

(Note that this registration is separate from site registration which allows you to leave comments and receive daily emails about new content. If you wish to register for this – in addition or separately – please click or tap here – for more information – the form is at the foot of each page. Please read our privacy policy when opting-in to receive emails.