Romantica

Penned by an immigrant Irishman, it may appear the only thing "America" about Romantica's hit record is the soil on which Ben Kyle is singing. But the references to Ireland are placed firmly in the rich musical traditions of American country and folk music. America is a journey across "the pond" and across the country. It contemplates life, love and death, portraying the classic elements of life in charming retrospection.  

Kyle's lush and airy vocals set the tone for this atmospheric record, which is at times breezy, at others haunting. Featuring mariachi horns on a tex-mex train, "The National Side" chronicles the transplanting of Kyle's family from the green shores of Ireland to North America. As the song lets on, Kyle's mother played on the Irish national field hockey team and his father was a medical doctor until they moved to the United States as missionaries in 1994.

More in the timbre of Elliot Smith or Iron & Wine, "Drink the Night Away" chronicles the life of a high school team through their glory to the untimely death of one of their young heroes. "Ixcatan" crosses a wedding day celebration with outlaw violence in haunting yet sublimely beautiful tones.  The gravity of Kyle's voice hovering upon the weightlessness of soaring steel guitar creates a tension that beautifully mirrors the story.

Recorded in a studio built by the band and almost entirely through a single microphone and pre-amp, America is covered with the fingerprints of American artists like Gram Parsons, Ryan Adams, Bruce Springsteen, and Iron and Wine, as well as a few from across the pond such as Damien Rice, Nick Drake and Van Morrison.