Three years after Kennedy’s debut solo record ‘Year of the Tiger’ comes his second full-length solo album, ‘The Ides Of March’ out on May 14th. It is, shall we say, an ‘interesting mix,’ taking in as it does Rock, Blues, Soul and even a touch of Country. all of course featuring front and center that remarkable voice. Sound like something for you? Well let’s dive in!
As Kennedy says in the press release: “I wanted to make sure the record was diverse,” he explains. “I’m a music geek. I’m a fan. When you’re known for playing a specific genre of music, you don’t always have the opportunity to show your affinity for other styles. That’s the beauty of making solo records. It’s your moment to step out and take chances. I count my lucky stars that I’ve had the good fortune to make records and tour the world with so many talented musicians. With that said, the artist in me still needs to explore.”
Well he certainly has here, and while the album is certainly more forceful and noticeably louder than the largely acoustic debut, and showcases a good variety of material it somehow manages to still feel cohesive.
So “As the world slipped into lockdown at the onset of the Global Pandemic, Myles simply “marched down to Guitar Center, picked up a brand-new Universal Audio interface, went back home, and just started working.” He grabbed his guitar, wrote his heart out, and recorded demos at his home studio in Spokane, WA. After four months of demoing, he hopped in the car with his rhythm section, drummer Zia Uddin and bassist Tim Tournier and they drove over 3,000 miles to Studio Barbarosa in Orlando in order to record with longtime producer Michael “Elvis” Baskette. “To get together with Elvis and his crew was actually a nice break,” he smiles. “It was like rock ‘n’ roll summer camp.”
We start with the wonderfully upbeat guitar-soaked intro and unity lyric of ‘Get Along’ which sets things up nicely before the softer edge of the insistent melodies of ‘A Thousand Words’ and the of huge groove of the Blues riffed, guitar-packed ‘In Stride.’ It’s an impressive initial throwdown to an album of quality with some wonderful twists and turns.
One of the biggest songs here is the title track ‘The Ides of March’ which clocks in at over seven minutes and whose melody came to Myles in a dream. “The first half serves as a warning. It paints a sonic picture of a very dark dystopian future. The second half breaks from the bleak outlook to remind us that we can do better if we remember who we are and what we’re meant to be as a society.” It begins with some nice acoustic work before dancing into a framework that will have you thinking of everything from Tom Jones ‘Delilah’ to vintage Wings as it reaches out for a ‘Live and Let Die’ feel had that song been touched by Bowie and augmented by Carlos Santana. It’s a great listen.
Deeper in ‘Wake Me When It’s Over’ is a nice quirky slice of poppy fun; and rubs up alongside the Country textures of ‘Love Rain Down’ a picked acoustic that really hits the spot; whilst the slide and party feel of ‘Tell Me Like it is’ replete with handclaps add to the variety before the slow and soulful bluesy ‘Moonshot’ leaves us with just three.
‘Wanderlust Begins’ adds another stripped back shot of blue sky before ‘Sifting Through the Fire’ hits you with an unexpected Allmans-like vibe, both are very cool indeed and closer ‘Worried Mind’ a slow Blues, closes proceedings nicely: part lullaby, part warning – rounding out a well realised second solo album beautifully. Lyrically raw, sonically adventurous, and thoroughly compelling, this is a helluva album.
8 / 10
