Vonnie Kyle, Camp Crush, Shy Honeys

That’s the question the residents of Portland were asking as they all emerged from their quarantines after the long, disquieting era of the pandemic. As venues reopened and the music scene began to rebuild itself in 2021, a new voice was being heard amongst the members of a longtime familial community. With this voice came a bold and distinguished sound that had been brewing in a decrepit-garage-turned-studio for a couple of years.

No, Vonnie Kyle didn’t just appear out of thin air, as it had seemed to those in her new milieu. Over the years, the lyrically confessional, alternative pop-rock artist had quietly released a few EPs and demos. Her following mostly resided in her two previous home bases - Minneapolis, MN and Santa Fe, NM. Prior to the pandemic, Kyle spent much of her time on the road as a touring solo artist, selling burned CDs out of a suitcase. In March 2020, as the pandemic arrived and she prepared to relocate to Portland, the decision to shift her focus from constant touring was made for her; it was time to make a new record.

Imperfect Parts was an apt title for the songwriter’s first full-length album. The process from which it was constructed was anything but perfect. Notes were exchanged between Kyle and her production team from different sides of the country. Parts were tracked remotely. Schedules were clumsily coordinated. What was originally meant to be a month-long process became that of nearly two years. All of that work paid off over the course of several months as Kyle began to release singles and music videos leading up to the record’s release. 

Her debut single, The Brink of Breaking Down, was an explosive rollout of her musical artistry. Forcible vocals and layered guitars reminiscent of My Chemical Romance, with a discernible nod to 90s rock established Kyle as not just a skilled singer-songwriter, but a commanding rock performer with undeniable staying power. She had arrived and she had peoples’ attention.