Wednesday, 13 November 2024

Myles Kennedy's 'The Art of Letting Go' - Album Review

There are few objectively better vocalists in rock currently than Myles Kennedy. The US singer, songwriter, and guitarist had something of an under-the-radar career throughout the 1990s in bands such as Citizen Swing and The Mayfield Four - but it was the launch of Alter Bridge with 2004's One Day Remains that really catapulted Kennedy to stardom. Alter Bridge became a pretty big name almost overnight, at least here in Europe, and over the past 20 years they have become one of the most important modern hard rock bands. Alter Bridge are now seven albums deep, and generally release a new one every three years, but there has been plenty else on Kennedy's plate over the years - and sometimes I wonder if he ever steps foot in his house! Alongside Alter Bridge's regular album cycle, Kennedy is the singer in Slash's solo band - and has released four albums as a part of Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators since he started touring with Slash in 2010. Whilst Slash has toured less with his solo band since re-joining Guns N' Roses in 2016, he still released two albums which have been accompanied by lengthy tours in that time, and it was recently announced that he will be recording his next album with Kennedy in 2025. Alter Bridge are also due to release a new album next year if their general three-year cycle is maintained, so Kennedy could well be having yet another busy year. With Kennedy's Alter Bridge partner-in-crime Mark Tremonti releasing and touring a solo album next year, though, as well as the recent reactivation of Creed, the band which Alter Bridge rose from the ashes of, it may be that Alter Bridge's usual cycle is broken - and the band enter something of a de facto hiatus whilst Tremonti takes care of solo and Creed duties. I am sure that Kennedy will find something to do if that is the case, though, and he has also clearly been busy this year, too, as last month he released his third solo album - his first since 2021's The Ides of March (which I reviewed here). Kennedy's previous two solo albums are quite different from each other. Known for Alter Bridge's bombastic hard-hitting sound, plus his swaggering work with Slash, Kennedy's debut solo album, Year of the Tiger (which I reviewed here) from 2018, was a real departure from the norm. A very personal concept album dealing with feelings surrounding his father's death when he was a child, Year of the Tiger found Kennedy in heartfelt singer-songwriter mode. Whilst not exactly an acoustic album, Year of the Tiger was extremely stripped down and sparse compared to Alter Bridge and, whilst it might not be an album I reach for often, it remains a strong effort. The Ides of March was much more of a rock album - although it had a raw, bluesy feel with a lot of slide guitar throughout. I enjoyed it at the time, but I have not listened to it much since. Three years on, then, The Art of Letting Go is Kennedy's third statement as a solo artist. In keeping with the past trajectory it is heavier again - meaning that each album has been heavier than the last. There is still a bit of a raw edge but, in truth, there are songs here that would not sound out of place on an Alter Bridge album.

It has less of a distinct identity, then, despite the lack of Tremonti's guitar firepower, but there is still plenty to enjoy here. The first half of the album in particular is strong but it just feels strange that there is now so little to separate Kennedy's solo work and Alter Bridge. There is little here to truly rival Alter Bridge's heaviest moments, but the warmer side of the band's sound is very much captured throughout the 10 songs here. The title track kicks things off with a crashing drum roll from Zia Uddin (The Mayfield Four) - and the riff-led hard rocker really could have found a home on any of Alter Bridge's albums. The main riff lacks the blues vibe of the last album, instead going for a barrelling hard rock pattern, whilst Uddin's drums are much punchier than before - with some prominent fast bass drum work and plenty of aggressive fills. Despite this early heaviness, the verses are a little more stripped back. Tim Tournier's bass playing comes to the fore during these slightly more organic sections, although there remains plenty of groove, whilst Kennedy does showcase some bluesy playing with a memorable lead refrain which resurfaces throughout. The chorus returns to the song's opening riff, though, and it is hard-driving and pretty anthemic - with Kennedy's strident vocal hooks to latch onto, which Alter Bridge fans will long be familiar with at this point. The benefit of going for a heavier sound, though, means that some of Kennedy's guitar soloing on the album is pretty potent - and there is some furious shredding here which differs from the bluesy phrasing of previously. Say What You Will is pretty similar, although the track opens with some fuzzy, bluesy guitar melodies which do hark back to the last album somewhat - before Uddin's hard-hitting drums kick in and the song speeds away thanks to a riff right out of the 1980s. It is a powerful riff, which is soon overlayed by some expansive lead guitar playing, and Uddin's drum sound really crashes through the speakers - but again there are strong Alter Bridge vibes throughout. This is not something that could often be said about either of Kennedy's previous solo albums - and the similarities do nag away at me despite the song being a memorable and hooky effort. The chorus is one of the album's most memorable and it is a really hard-driving effort - with the fat sound that producer Michael 'Elvis' Baskette is known for being ever-present. The solo is a little bluesier, but it still feels busy, and this is a song dominated by big riffing and an expressive chorus. Mr. Downside is a little less hard-hitting and has more of a dynamic overall feel, but there is still plenty of weight throughout. It opens in a slightly slower manner, but an expansive and cinematic guitar pattern soon takes over - whilst Uddin lays down a snappy, shuffling drum beat. The track is still pretty hard rocking, then, and the verses feature plenty of expressive vocals from Kennedy which see him singing slightly higher than usual at times. Occasional lead guitar moments add colour, and the drumming does become busier and more percussive at times, but by the time the chorus rolls around with its plentiful vocal harmonies, punchy drumming, and strident guitar patterns the album's heavier core sound is very much present.

Miss You When Your Gone is less heavy again, and the track goes for a moodier and slightly jangly overall feel - but it is very much typical of Kennedy's songwriting. Again, though, there are hints of Alter Bridge to be found throughout the song - especially slightly more warm and organic songs like Peace Is Broken and other similar tracks. I think perhaps the main issue is Baskette's production. He is a hit and miss producer for me, and is certainly guilty at times of just making everything too loud, but the overall production of this album is good - with a punchy and clear sound. The issue is, though, that he has just made the album sound like Alter Bridge tone-wise - which was not the case previously. Despite this, though, the song is still strong. The chorus is another of the album's best overall and it really showcases Kennedy as a singer. There is less riffing and guitar-led moments here, with the instruments largely just backing the vocals, but the melodies are so typical of Kennedy's hard rock style and the chorus soars in that earnest way that Alter Bridge have found so much success with over the years. Behind the Veil is much more of a departure, though, and it slows things down quite significantly. It opens with some delicate and slightly bluesy guitar melodies from Kennedy - over which he soon starts to sing in a much more downbeat manner than he has on the album up to this point. The song's opening section is something of a hark back to Year of the Tiger, then, albeit with a brighter overall guitar sound, and it is a welcome change of pace. As the song moves along, though, it does grow in stature and rock harder. Uddin soon starts to add some percussive drums and the song becomes a rocker - but, crucially, it never really feels like Alter Bridge. There are shades of the blues rock of The Ides of March as the song progresses, but in truth it is something different entirely really - with the rhythm section generally driving everything and Kennedy adding off-kilter colour with strange leads and chords whilst singing. His guitar solo feels a bit leftfield, too, and the song overall is a good mix of delicate passages and primal harder rock patterns which differ from the norm. Saving Face is another rocker, but this time there are stronger harks back to The Ides of March. The opening riff is pretty bluesy thanks to a satisfying amount of fuzz and the verses which follow are similar - with a strong bass presence and a more organic guitar tone. Between these two sections, though, is a pretty metallic passage which is typical of the album's earlier sound - and this harder section later forms the basis of the song's chorus. As such, then, the song is a mix of bluesier moments and more anthemic hard rock riffing - with Kennedy delivering some of his classic nasal snarls during the chorus. Eternal Lullaby, unsurprisingly, is a ballad - and it opens with a hypnotic and slow-burning drum pattern over which Kennedy adds some atmospheric chords and gentle vocals. The song has a bigger sound than Year of the Tiger thanks to the production choices made this time, but the ballad shares similarities with that album style-wise - and it is nice to hear Kennedy tone it down a little and deliver something much more emotional. He sings songs like this so well and his voice is full of warmth here, as jangly guitar chords and the rumble of the bass create a strong backing for him. It does feel a bit more intense as it moves along, but it never really rocks out - instead feeling somewhat more cinematic.

Nothing More to Gain returns to heavier territory, with a pretty snappy opening riff which is backed by the occasional drum roll - before the drums kick in properly to provide something of a metallic shuffling groove which transforms the overall vibe of the riff completely. The riff is pretty hard-hitting overall, but the pogoing rhythm gives the song a different feel when compared to the other heavier tracks on the album - so it stands out quite considerably. I quite like the overall feel, though, and there is an infectious, headbanging groove mixed with something of a pop punk vibe - which is not Kennedy's usual style. In truth, the difference is not as stark as I am perhaps making it sound - the rhythms throughout the song are just not the typical hard rock drive that the album generally relies on, so there are limited Alter Bridge comparisons which can be made this time. Despite this infectious rhythm, though, the chorus is not as hooky as it could be vocally - and there is a quieter breakdown-type section later on which features warm chords and calmer vocals. The song is a bit of an odd mix, then, but it does work somewhat. Dead to Rights is much heavier and it returns to the tougher sounds of the early parts of the album - with a very metallic riff and overall groove which would certainly not have sounded out of place with Alter Bridge. Some of the riffing here shows that working with Tremonti over the years has rubbed off on Kennedy quite a lot - as there are juddering patterns which are very much out of Tremonti's riff handbook. If I had heard this song without knowing who it was by, I would have just assumed that it was a new Alter Bridge song - and it might be the song here which is closest to Alter Bridge in style. Given the numerous comparisons I have made throughout this review already, then, that is saying something - and everything just feels much more metallic than most of the other songs here. The only thing which sounds different from Alter Bridge's core sound is the lengthy slide guitar solo, which harks back to The Ides of March somewhat. The album then comes to a close with How the Story Ends, another somewhat slower and more organic piece which opens with some clean guitar melodies and subtle percussion - over which Kennedy soon adds his warm vocals. Despite a bit of a heavier chorus, which has some very Alter Bridge-esque heroic vocal melodies, much of the song is very much rooted in The Ides of March. There are plenty of bluesier touches here and there is generally an organic feel despite the tougher chorus. There are a few different sounds, too, with some subtle Eastern-tinged melodies sitting behind some the verses - but generally this is a bluesier rock song with some organic guitar playing and a few heavier riffs. It is a bit on the longer side, too, with a more expansive and emotive guitar solo - as well as a riffy instrumental section which builds on some of the riffs elsewhere in the song, turning them into something knottier. The dynamic song works well as an album closer due to its length and more expansive sound - and it ends the album on a high. Overall, I like The Art of Letting Go. It is a strong album that has grown on me since first hearing it - but I cannot get past the similarities between it and Alter Bridge's core sound. The more interesting pieces here remind me more of Kennedy's other solo albums, but perhaps the stronger songs melodically are those which sound like Alter Bridge. It seems strange that Kennedy would make an album which sounds so close to his main band - and this is not something he has done before.

The album was released on 11th October 2024 via Napalm Records. Below is Kennedy's promotional video for Say What You Will.

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