Kyle Sparkman's "How Does It Feel" Riffs on the Trials of Change
Kyle Sparkman, a Philly-based guitarist and singer-songwriter, manages to ebb and flow between indie, soul, and funk on his latest single, “How Does It Feel.” Tracked by Ryan Forsyth and mastered by Ryan Schwabe, this sweet heartbreaker, which features another local songstress in the harmonies, Emily Drinker, takes the listener through that sometimes-tumultuous journey of letting go of one thing and moving on to the next.
This song seems to take shape in three acts: an opening verse with heavy lyrical emphasis, an emphatic and atmospheric bridge that dips in and out of the hook, and an ending breakdown. Sparkman shines with delicate guitar riffs in a John Mayer (circa The Search for Everything) or Tom Misch-esque way. The guitar is clearly the driving force behind this - and most of - Sparkman’s work. Backed by a driving, complimentary bass line thanks to Muscle Tough bass player Jonathan Coleman, (who also plays alongside projects like Trap Rabbit and the McGuire Zwang Duo), there’s a sneaky sense of fullness to this song.
With echoing vocals paired by a relatively simple opening guitar line, Sparkman takes turns letting the lyrics and soundscape shine. Each has their determined moments, and the ambient, jazz-infused chords underlaid against Sparkman’s crooning tone make for the perfectly unsuspecting transition into the intensely solo-heavy second half of the song. Echoes are traded for fuzz and synthetic vibrato, almost to the point where it starts to feel like a different song. This is where Sparkman is the most comfortable, and it shows. When compared to Sparkman’s previous releases, it appears to be the most structured and reigned in. Where his other songs lean more into psychedelic funk sounds, “How Does It Feel” is just a straight-up indie jazz vibe. It doesn’t go off the wall, but it also doesn’t play things totally safe. Sparkman found a platable balance between his typical sound and something a little more niche.
You can stream “How Does It Feel” below, and catch Kyle at Center City’s Leda & The Swan on Friday, March 13th.