Album Review: Kyle Barnet, Joke Into The Night

On Kyle Barnet’s Joke Into The Night, the jokes vary from storytelling peppered with misdirects and observational jokes, to pure premise/setup and punchlines. Kyle’s delivery, a mix of the staccato edge of Mitch Hedberg and the musicality of Pauly Shore, really forces the listeners to lean in and get taken along for the ride.

This is Kyle’s second album in three years, an impressive feat and a sign of his commitment to the art of stand up. Although not a major shift in style or content from his earlier album Baby Bird, (for example, Weezer comes up in both albums), Joke Into The Night delivers new, interesting and relatable jokes about old apartments, masculinity, online surveys, and breakups.

Kyle’s penchant to deliver punchlines like a personal secret he can’t help but spill leaves listeners with a sense of how dynamic his live performances must be. If you’re in the Halifax area, go check him out.

Joke into the Night was released January 12, 2024.
Listen to it here.