Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared on the Ann Arbor District Library’s Pulp blog.
After a tumultuous period, Kyle Rasche prefers to pause and reflect.
The singer-songwriter and guitarist ponders heartbreak and growth after experiencing many life changes on Take It Easy.
“These songs were born in a period,” said Rasche, who performs as Kyle Joe, about his latest indie-folk album.
“There was a lot of heartbreak, and there was a lot of really beautiful love, too. And then as the writing went on, I started leaning into more of the lessons I was learning along the way and trying to make the music represent those moments instead of just the heartbreak.”
In those vulnerable moments, Rasche rediscovers himself and his sense of purpose across seven tracks. Collectively, they demonstrate the resiliency that comes from weathering a divorce, loving yourself, and finding kindred spirits.
“I hope more than anything that people hear the hope,” said Rasche, who hails from Alto, a small town about 20 miles southeast of Grand Rapids. “It can get pretty dark … but there’s some light in there.”
On Take It Easy, Rasche explores those light and dark elements through honest lyrics, soft vocals, and emotive folk instrumentation.
“I think, that our job as songwriters, is to put something out that other people can grasp,” he said. “It’s not [just] about my story, but it might be about our [collective] experiences and set of circumstances.”
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