Kyle Carey
Album: North Star
Label: Americelta
Tracks: 12
Website: http://www.kyleannecarey.com

One of the problems I have with albums that I really get into is forgetting to put pen to paper and consequently a review may appear slightly later than anticipated. It's not that I'm trying to keep the artist/release a closely guarded secret for my own personal pleasure, like you can with a picture or photograph, more that I can't always detach myself enough from the music to jot down notes, whilst listening to it, so apologies for the delay in getting this review out.

When people talk about fusion music, Americelta, rarely, if ever gets mentioned, that may be because they share a common root, but both found their own directions, stories changed and muted and unlike with the excellent Transatlantic Ballads series, "North Star" reminds us that the music changed and mutated as well as the lyrics and that there are opportunities to bring those two threads back together, something that Kyle Carey does with a real relish.

Carey is an artist with a troubadour heart, taking in both the US and Canadian highways and airways, before those airways brought her to the roads and lanes of Ireland and Scotland, absorbing influences and lessons along the way, sharing time with other musicians that had travelled different routes to similar destinations.

A lot of those musicians Dirk Powell, Katie McNally, Josienne Clarke & Ben Walker, Catriona McKay and Chris Stout, amongst others make appearances on the album and that mix of musicians from both sides of the pond is what helps bring a distinction to Kyle's delightful vocals and arrangements. It brings in instruments and combinations that you may not expect, songs sung in Gaelic featuring Appalachian mountain dulcimer and songs about Casey Jones with a Scots edge.

Carey's distinctive vocals, provide a strong bridging point as they seem to effortless unite sound and style, something that can be summed up in her heartfelt cover of "Across The Great Divide". Whilst this might not sound as fusion as some combinations of traditional music styles from around the world, there is a lot here that is not only delightful on the ear, it's also highly entertaining and makes you think. "North Star" definitely reflects that troubadour heart and draws on its power.

Neil King