Kyle LaLone Make My Own Way
This is a roots-rock endeavor by an artist who invests his skills in guitar-driven tunes that bridge classic country with gritty heartland rock. There are 9 tunes on Make My Own Way (Dropped June 12/Independent/34:36) produced & performed by Kyle LaLone (electric guitar), who shapes his brand of music with a nod toward personal stories about gratitude, societal struggles, & self-discovery.
Hailing from Watertown, NY, he started his career as a New York City session guitarist & then on to L.A. With his latest foray, he wanted to go the route of less is more. The title track, “Make My Own Way,” will remind rock aficionados of Neil Young’s “Ohio.” But Kyle reconstitutes the piece to fit his own absorbing & formidable performance. It works. It helps that Kyle has a distinctive voice (he doesn’t sound like Neil) that fleshes out his songs adroitly. His showcase does follow a Neil Young & Crazy Horse type path. The sound is there; the groove’s tight, & Kyle has a clever application that makes this music even more vivid.
The majority of song titles suggest clichés are at work in the machinery, but Kyle doesn’t employ daily jargon too often, despite some slipping by in his lyrics. A more creative (& harder) approach lyrically would’ve made the songs even more absorbing.
“Another Man’s Shoes” inhabits this realm, but Kyle’s voice & music save the song with his rural tone & inventive application of the words. Lyrics are a craft & require skill & originality that can be a hard sell in the music business. I like Kyle’s style – his voice, his vibrancy. The songs have flavor, but many of the harder issue tunes are sung in generalizations.
There’s plenty of instrumental fire, but the themes are general & some songs could be fleshed out more. “A Change Is Coming” is a good subject, but what’s the change? Kyle says the walls are falling down…he hears the crashing sound. What walls? “Won’t Take This Lying Down” is more forceful, but for what specifically? The song doesn’t focus on a list of issues, complaints. “Stand Back Up” is more optimistic with nice jangly ‘60s guitars. However, these songs aren’t designed as radically as a Phil Ochs or Joan Baez song.
Kyle has a tuneful throat with an appeal to be an undefinable original. His voice is friendly, his tonality is sensible, & his intentions are good. He’s not an angry young man.
Highlights – “Make My Own Way,” “Another Man’s Shoes,” “Stand Back Up,” & “Grateful.”
Musicians – Brian Whelan (bgv), Adam Arcos (bass) & Matt Lesser (drums/percussion).
CD @ Amazon & https://kylelalonemusic.com/
Song Premiere: https://americanahighways.org/2026/04/14/song-premiere-kyle-lalone-make-my-own-way/