The Kyle Sowashes return with Start Making Sense, a raw and witty burst of Midwest indie rock that turns chaos, loss, and twenty years of grit into perhaps their most honest record yet.
After twenty years in the trenches of Midwest indie rock, the Kyle Sowashes sound sharper, funnier, and more human than ever. The Columbus band’s new album, Start Making Sense, finds frontman Kyle Sowash turning frustration into fuel, crafting thirteen songs that feel equal parts confession, rally cry, and inside joke. It’s the sound of a lifer looking around and trying, against the odds, to keep faith in the world.
Recorded in fits and starts between loss, lockdowns, and lineup changes, the album reflects both the grit and the grace that have defined the band since day one. Tracks like “Song for Joey Kramer” and “How Could You Not See It” buzz with a nervy immediacy, guitars sparking around lyrics that walk the line between exhaustion and hope. Longtime bandmates Dan Bandman, Justin Hemminger, and Nick La Russo give the record a muscular backbone that keeps its ragged energy focused and alive.
Critics have praised Start Making Sense for its heart and humor. The Fire Note called it “a fuzzed-out, riff-heavy reminder that sincerity still rocks,” while others hailed it as “a raw, melodic triumph” and “a record that laughs through the heartbreak.”
There’s no reinvention here, just evolution. Start Making Sense doesn’t tidy up the chaos but rather, it stares straight at it, smiling crookedly, guitar in hand. For The Kyle Sowashes, that’s exactly what making sense sounds like.