SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MYLES KENNEDY – THE ART OF LETTING GO

MYLES KENNEDY
THE ART OF LETTING GO
NAPALM RECORDS

For his third solo outing, Myles Kennedy has returned with The Art Of Letting Go. The album follows 2021’s The Ides Of March, Slash Featuring Myles Kennedy And The Conspirators’ 4 in 2022, and Alter Bridge’s Pawns & Kings, released that same year. The Art Of Letting Go is a strong addition to Kennedy’s vast body of work and marks a slightly heavier style than heard on his previous solo albums.

Opening with the title track, the listener is hit by a twangy blues riff, accented by pounding shots that lead into an unrelenting riff. In many respects, “The Art Of Letting Go” is the perfect introduction to Kennedy’s newest sound – one that seems equally inspired by his work with Slash as it is by Alter Bridge.

There is a distinct attempt to bring the blues into a heavier musical context, and Kennedy succeeds in doing so in a meaningful way. Rather than simply cranking the distortion over a blues progression, “The Art Of Letting Go” is a guitar-driven song that sees blues licks weave around riffs in a way that feels fresh and exciting. Beyond this, Kennedy takes a solo that leans more into the use of melody while playing with a spacious soundscape, demonstrating a further commitment to bridging the blues and modern hard rock.

Without a moment of weakness, The Art Of Letting Go is a 10-track album that allows Kennedy to soar as a songwriter and performer. Perhaps even more so than ever before, Kennedy establishes himself as the unsung guitar hero that he is. Look no further than “Behind The Veil”, a song that opens like a ballad, with a cleanly plucked and arpeggiated guitar alongside clean, melodic vocals. Before the song erupts into something far more hard-hitting by the two-minute mark, which showcases the deeper and unpredictable approach to songwriting, Kennedy performs some of the greatest guitar lines of his career. To double down on this, the song features a flurry of ripping lead lines and a jaw-dropping solo reminiscent of the style of Carlos Santana. In every regard, “Behind The Veil” is a masterpiece. Additional highlights include the driving “Saving Face”, the haunting balladry of “Eternal Lullaby”, and the grungy album closer, “How The Story Ends”.

The Art Of Letting Go sees Kennedy attempt to reconcile the blues and metal in a manner that does justice to both influences. In such, The Art Of Letting Go further demonstrates Kennedy’s abilities as an exceptional vocalist, songwriter, and guitarist, the latter of which is especially apparent now more than ever before. Ultimately, Kennedy delivers a strong third album that continues to establish him as a leading force in modern rock.

SPILL FEATURE: THE ART OF LETTING GO – A CONVERSATION WITH MYLES KENNEDY

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