MYLES KENNEDY Says His Upcoming 'The Art Of Letting Go' Solo Album Is More Of A 'Riff-Based Record' Than Previous LPs

In a new interview with the I-Rock 93.5 radio station, Myles Kennedy — known for his work with rockers ALTER BRIDGE and SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS — spoke about his upcoming third solo album, "The Art Of Letting Go". The LP marks the return of Myles, backed by his band comprised of Zia Uddin on drums and Tim Tournier on bass. The album is scheduled for release via longtime label home Napalm Records on October 11, 2024, and is available for pre-order in multiple configurations.

Regarding the lyrical themes covered on "The Art Of Letting Go", Myles told I-Rock 93.5: "The first two solo records were, they were kind of concept records. The first, 'Year Of The Tiger' [2018], was a record kind of dealing with the loss of my father as a child. And then the second record, 'The Ides Of March' [2021], was dealing with kind of the state of the world about three years ago. But with this record, I wanted it to be a collection of songs and with a narrative that shifted from song to song. I really like that, because then for one thing there were a handful of tunes I had sitting around for a few years that just didn't have a home and didn't fit the storyline. So I was, like, 'Oh, I can pull that now and use that in this batch of tunes.' But it also just made it so that… I feel like because it's more of a riff-based record, it's more about the intensity of the music. I didn't feel like it lived or died as much by the narrative of the lyric. So it's really about just making a compelling riff and a good vocal melody first and then filling in the blanks with the words. But with that said, I never phone it. I'm not the guy who's like… I hear these stories about really good songwriters who are, like, 'Yeah, he sat in his truck for 20 minutes before he had to cut the vocal and wrote the lyrics.' I'm, like, I'm not that guy. I will obsess and rewrite and re-edit. 'Cause I have to know that if I'm gonna sing and I'm going to go tour it that I'm believing it night after night that it's honest. And I'm happy with the cadence and the rhymes and it's not just a bunch of hoo ha ha."

From the opening guitar riff of the title track "The Art Of Letting Go" to the haunting melody of album closer "How The Story Ends", Myles Kennedy is back with a collection of songs that is sure to cater to old and new fans alike. Songs like "Mr. Downside", "Miss You When You're Gone" and "Saving Face" showcase the memorable storytelling that has become synonymous throughout all of Myles's projects. The debut single — currently impacting radio around the globe — is the upbeat rocker "Say What You Will". The song is now available via all DSPs.

The "Say What You Will" music video was directed by Gordy De St Jeor (MAMMOTH WVH) and tells the story of a bullied and timid student who breaks out of her shell with the help of a teacher, janitor and lunch person portrayed by Kennedy, Uddin and Tournier in the school talent show.

The track listing for "The Art Of Letting Go" is:

01. The Art Of Letting Go
02. Say What You Will
03. Mr. Downside
04. Miss You When You're Gone
05. Behind The Veil
06. Saving Face
07. Eternal Lullaby
08. Nothing More To Gain
09. Dead To Rights
10. How The Story Ends

To celebrate the release of "The Art Of Letting Go", Myles Kennedy and his trio will be hitting the road in support of the new album. A six-date U.K. run with support from Devin Townsend recently went on sale for November and December. Twenty more newly announced dates are being added to "The Art Of Letting Go" tour 2024 all across Europe starting in October. The additional European dates will feature support from BLACK RIVER DELTA and CARDINAL BLACK. The band will also be bringing the tour to North America with dates set for January and February 2025. The 2025 dates will feature special guest Tim Montana.

As a prolific songwriter, powerhouse vocalist, and proficient guitar player, Kennedy tunes into the rhythm of his surroundings and goes with the flow. Fronting ALTER BRIDGE, his soaring vocals, open-hearted lyrics, and airtight riffs have fueled the group's global impact as a gold-certified, arena-filling force of nature over two decades-plus. On the microphone for SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS, his towering range has consistently stunned audiences since 2010. Becoming a celebrated collaborator, he's the rare presence just as comfortable on a track with DISTURBED, HALESTORM and SEVENDUST as he is with GOV'T MULE and Darryl "DMC" McDaniels. It's why he's generated over one billion cumulative streams, earned gold and platinum certifications worldwide, uplifted countless fans, and Kerrang! christened him "one of rock's finest vocalists." It's also why he's carved out his own lane. 2021 saw him deliver his acclaimed sophomore opus, "The Ides Of March". It impressively notched a total of four No. 1 debuts across three countries, toppling the Billboard U.S. Top Current Hard Music chart, the U.K. Official Rock & Metal chart and Official Independent Album chart, and Canada's Hard Music Albums chart. Beyond generating 10 million-plus streams, it incited unanimous critical applause from American Songwriter, Guitar.com, Loudwire, Guitar World and more. RIFF hailed it as "a fantastic and must-listen record," while Classic Rock magazine awarded it "4.5 out of 5 stars," going on to attest, "'The Ides Of March' confirms Myles Kennedy as a musical powerhouse."

Photo credit: Chuck Brueckmann