Kyle Motsinger’s ‘Any Way I Want It To’ is a must-listen!

12th April 2021 Bryce Quartz

From start to finish, listening to Kyle Motsinger’s Any Way I Want It To was a journey of absolute greatness!

The intro song, “An Overture,” starts the album off with an excellent instrumental build that leads directly into the title track “Any Way I Want It To” almost seamlessly. “Any Way I Want It To” combines a theatrical piano, a steady kick, and modern pop elements to create the perfect environment for Kyle’s genius lyrical direction and beautiful vocal delivery. This is a go-to song on the album that captures Kyle’s vocal nuances and musical individuality very well.

“Whenever” is a powerhouse song that gives us an unforgettable emotional vocal delivery and catchy vocal melodies throughout the entire track. The catchy chorus of this song combined with the vocal layers, the synth, and the bridge make this a song to remember.

The next song genuinely took me back in time. “Love on Each Other” has the perfect 80s dance club vibe. The chorus in this song is quite addicting, with easy to sing along with vocal melodies. I also absolutely ADORE the lyrics about love in the song. It’s encouraging, bright, and fun to dance to. This is definitely one of the songs we look forward to seeing live.

Track five brings us more theatrical vibes, and we’re here for it. Kyle delivers us fun lyrics with a soft vibrato throughout almost every vocal melody in the song. The relatable lyrics make this a perfect song to sing on the way to work to by yourself. I have a strong feeling we will all be raising our glasses and belting this song live along with our friends and Kyle.

“Parallel Universe” is one of the most beautiful songs on the album. With a phenomenal vocal delivery and the storytelling in the lyrics, this song speaks for itself in the first sixty seconds. The layered harmonies throughout the song take the cake for me.

“No Shame” is a major highlight from Kyle’s album. A body-positive anthem for all those hairy men out there who have experienced body shaming in their life. The instrumental takes us to the disco floor, and Kyle’s vocal melodies ride that wave flawlessly. Melody Betts’ emotional vocals in the background bring the heat even more. This song is sure to shake out any of that shame we as bears and cubs have experienced throughout our lives. It’s definitely a MUST LISTEN!

Track eight brings the intimacy, and honestly, we’re obsessed. A gay love song about sex with another male lead singer?! I seriously cannot get enough of how Kyle and Corey Tut sing back and forth to each on this track so intimately. This song will definitely make you feel like you’re floating in the air.

“Costumes” brings us a personal and raw side of Kyle. He’s assisted with backup vocals by Kat Liz Kramer, who brings more emotional nuance to the track. The song’s melancholic tones are matched well with the clever storytelling of the song. Expressing who you are on the inside is the key element of this song, bringing me to tears by the end of the track.

Oh, you thought Kyle was done playing with our emotions? WRONG. “The Upside Down” brings us more emotional lyrics and vocal tones. I personally love the creative sounds used in the instrumental to build the soundscape of the song, because it almost feels like we’re walking around in The Upside Down from Netflix’s Stranger Things. (by the way, Kyle, we love the clever wordplay reference to the show!) ) Eerie, yet addicting, I will definitely be coming back to this track.

Track 11 is properly titled “Laugh or Cry,” bringing us back to reality. I love this lighthearted fun track, because it brings us a fact about life: sometimes, you either laugh you cry. If we’re being honest, isn’t it better to laugh? As Kyle eloquently puts it, “you have to laugh, or you’ll cry!”

“Believe What You Want” delivers a warming acoustic guitar and a wonderful lyrical experience. Kyle discusses dealing with people who refuse to believe in facts and the truth. This is relatable, cause we’ve all been there with somebody going around in never ending circles. This song kind of captures that feeling of frustration, but it honestly feels cathartic.

“Sirens” brings us a powerful piano and strong vocal delivery from Kyle. The song feels very personal, as Kyle tells a story. It’s definitely an entire experience on it’s own, taking us to a different world through the vocal melodies, the delivery, the instrumental, and harmonies.

The album ends with “Dance This Out,” where Kyle starts the song very emotional, feeling as if he’s yearning for something. As the song builds, the instrumental switches, and the chorus sweeps us away making us want to dance away any pain we have. This inspiring song was a perfect closing track to the album, and a must-listen!

I spoke to Kyle recently, and asked him some questions about this release.

Bryce Quartz: Describe your release in 3 sentences.

Kyle Motsinger: Any Way I Want It To is my mission statement. I write theatrical pop music that blurs genres and features diverse subject matter. I hope this album is joyful, inspirational, and helps you feel your feels.

BQ: What was your favorite part about making this album?

KM: I started taking the reigns more on production and my friend and fellow singer/songwriter Corey Tut helped me create a sound that was more pop than my first album. When the pandemic hit, I continued to work on my own and added five songs to the album.

BQ: What was the hardest part making this album?

KM: An album is unfortunately very expensive for an independent artist. I hate the stress of money on making art.

BQ: Was this release cathartic for you?

KM: It became very cathartic last spring when we all had to stay in our apartments for safety. It was me and my piano. It changed the course of the second half of the album.

BQ: What keeps you motivated?

KM: I’ve had some very lovely fans share how my music makes them feel. Knowing it can affect people positively is what keeps me going. It lets me know I’m headed in the right direction.

BQ: What can we expect next from you?

KM: I’ve been really getting into vintage clothing of the 60’s and 70’s. I’ve been sort of bored with today’s clothes. It’s inspired me to write an new song called “Retro” that’s a celebration of the clothes of yesterday! That should be out by summer! I’m also excited to announce a show on June 6th and Club Cumming in NYC and shows in July during Bear Week in Provincetown at Tin Pan Alley!