Napalm Records
Listening to the first few seconds of the album, which kicks off with the title track, you might think you are listening to a classic blues tinged Aerosmith live record. Myles Kennedy, whose previous solo outputs (“Year Of The Tiger” (2018) and “The Ides Of March” (2021)) were more acoustic and rootsy, has delivered a third album that could be performed as a power trio, with a more riff heavy, guitar driven sound. There is something here for hard rock, metal and blues fans, and Alter Bridge, Halestorm and Slash devotees will not be disappointed.
It is Kennedy’s heaviest and most accomplished solo record to date, and the strongest instrument within it is his commanding, skyscraping tenor voice, which soars during hard rock tracks such as «Say What You Will», «Mr. Downside», «Dead to Rights» and «Nothing More to Gain», and soothes and shimmers during the tender moments of «Behind the Veil», «How the Story Ends» and the sing-along, haunting ballad «Eternal Lullaby». His remarkable vocal performance does not distract from his talent as a guitarist. The guitar solo in the driving «Saving Face» is powerful, and the album is full of catchy riffs, rhythms and thick distorted grooves. The finale “How The Story Ends” contains a cathartic chorus, with lyrics inspired by the importance of standing up for one’s own interests and needs rather than taking a passive approach. It feels like Kennedy’s emotional emancipation. Easily a contender for 2024’s top albums of the year. (We have interviewed Myles for the next issue! Subscribe here.)
5/6 | Anne-Marie Forker
Release date: 11 October 2024