Myles Kennedy’s career could have been defined as successful simply by virtue of the fact he was hand-selected by the iconic Slash to front Slash’s solo band before his triumphant to touring with Guns n’ Roses. Slash went so far as to include Kennedy in his band’s name - Slash featuring Myles Kennedy & the Conspirators - a nod to Kennedy’s integral role in the outfit. This, in itself, speaks volumes about Myles Kennedy’s talents. However, his achievements with Slash were just one part of his musical legacy.
Kennedy rose to stardom as vocalist of alt-rockers Alter Bridge, with whom he released seven studio albums and toured the world since 2003. Headlined by Blackbird and AB III, Alter Bridge became one of the best rock hard bands, as Kennedy and guitarist Mark Tremonti (originally of Creed fame) catapulted the band to the forefront of the genre.
Myles Kennedy performing at The Paramount in Huntington, New York with Alter Bridge in 2023.
Despite decades of critical success, Kennedy ambitiously supplemented his Alter Bridge and Slash careers with solo material, releasing Year of the Tiger in 2018 and The Ides of March in 2021. Both records sonically resembled AB far more than the material penned by Slash.
Kennedy released his third solo LP - The Art of Letting Go - on Napalm Records in October 2024. Like its predecessors, Kennedy wrote all songs, which again resemble material he and Tremonti crafted for AB and visit similar lyrical subject matter. The riffing and clean passages could have been found on any AB record, and many of the songs could be mistaken for Alter Bridge material aside from the often-unique Tremonti guitar licks and solos.
As the album title suggests, the songs explore an array of emotions through predominantly driving anthems. The record also showcases some of Kennedy’s best and deepest lyrics, which is telling because he is renowned for his song writing acumen. At 10 songs and 46 minutes, it also resembles the duration of an AB album.
The first six tracks are straight-ahead rockers. The first verse of the album-opening title track leads with these words: “Just take a breath and close your eyes. Just be like water and decide, [h]ow you’ll ride the wave this time.” It’s not quite the caliber of album opener as Alter Bridge classics “Writing on the Wall” or “Cry of Achilles” (few hard rock or metal songs released this century are), but it’s very well done. Later during "The Art of Letting Go," Myles implores the listener “Let it roll. Letting Go. Letting go.”
Despite its title, track seven “Miss You When You’re Gone” is not a ballad but, rather, a melodic song in the vein of AB anthems “Ghosts of Days Gone By” and “Open Your Eyes.” The first song showcasing a “softer” tone is “Eternal Lullaby”, in which Kennedy assures “You’ll carry on…to an aching melody, that will survive.”
“Nothing to Gain” is the first song that remotely resembles Slash material, but then “Dead to Rights” returns to the AB vibe. The appropriately titled closer “How the Story Ends” is the most ominous song on the album, with Myles singing “one last warning, one last sin, why are you folding, with both of us knowing, how the story ends.”
In sum, The Art of Letting Go is a worthy addition to Kennedy's extensive catalogue of memorable hard rock releases.
Rating: 7/10
Myles Kennedy is embarking on an international solo tour in support of the album, starting in Europe in late-2024 and then returning to the United States for a winter 2025 tour during which he will play across the country virtually every night for approximately five weeks. The complete tour itinerary and links to purchase tickets can be found at https://myleskennedy.com/.
New York City heavy metal fan & Attorney. Perpetually at shows.
5 favorite bands: Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Black Sabbath, Metallica, and Fates Warning.
Bills, Yankees, Islanders, and Knicks fan.
