Myles Kennedy ‘The Ides of March’ — Album Review
One of Kennedy’s most moving, poignant, and touching releases to date.
‘The Ides of March’ is the second solo album released by Myles Kennedy, following 2018s ‘Year of the Tiger’. Both albums serve as a break for the hard rock and heavy metal sound that Kennedy is known for, taking a more blues based approach. Each musical entity that Kennedy has been apart of, from Alter Bridge, Slash and his solo efforts, is very unique and distinct to itself, yet still un-mistakenly Myles Kennedy. One of Kennedy’s greatest musical advantages is his diversity, and that is very prominent on his new record.
Where ‘Year of the Tiger’ was a more acoustic based record, ‘the Ides of March’ plays with a larger range of sounds and ideas, while also adopting a more electric sound. There are still acoustic elements scattered throughout the album, such as the title track, but it takes us on a much more diverse adventure sonically. Where the album is technically classed as blues, there is a whole range of genres that Kennedy plays with. Acoustic ballads, bluesy jams, loud rockers, sometimes all present in the same song.
Its these musical elements that place the album slightly higher for me in comparison to his last record. However, it is rather hard to compare them, as they both take very different directions sonically and lyrically. The first is quieter and more personal, whereas the second is louder and more critical, so it depends what you are looking for. ‘Year of the Tiger’ deals with themes of loss and tragedy and comes from a very personal place, as Kennedy writes from his own experiences growing up without his father, living in Christian scientist household. ‘The Ides of March’ however, deals with Kennedy’s thoughts and opinions on the past year, living in a post pandemic world.
‘The Ides of March’ was presented with a difficult challenge, one which must have been hard to overcome. Kennedy himself claimed he wanted to discuss the events of 2020, but in a more subtle and general way, as he didn’t want to explore these themes without dating them to the period. Thankfully this is one of the album’s greatest achievements. Kennedy does a very good job in creating a topical and critical album that deals with todays issues while still keeping it relatively timeless. Songs like ‘Get Along’, ‘In Stride’, ‘Love Rain Down’ can be related to the pandemic and the conflicts between people, but still keeps a general and subtle under tone. These are songs that can be relevant to almost all periods, yet still clearly topical in regards current events.
The entire album serves as a thoughtful perspective piece on the world today, and how people have been treating each other. Kennedy tackles with these ideas from an unbias point of view, never taking sides or creating a political statement, like many others could have done. Instead he sings from the perspective of a man who is simply saddened by what he has seen, and hopes for a better future for everybody. Kennedy’s lyrics, as usual, are very intelligent and moving, satirizing yet hopeful, particularly in the title track.
From; “Some say the end is nigh, That no one will get out alive, Some Say it’s written in the stars”, to; “But I believe there is a way, I still Believe it’s not too late, Don’t let us fall apart — Remember who we are, Remember what we’re meant to be”.
Kennedy’s vocals are also incredibly powerful and moving. He demonstrates his incredible diversity, from high souring vocal lines, to quiet and beautiful melodies. ‘Sifting Through the Fire’ demonstrates his loud epic vocal prowess, ‘In Stride’ creates a catchy singalong rocker, while ‘Worried Mind’ and the title track serve as quiet and beautiful tear jerkers.
The music is very much the same. Definitely blues based but with a whole range of genres thrown into the mix. Tracks like ‘Get Along’, ‘In Stride’, and ‘Worried Mind’ are pure blues, with Kennedy’s jazzy guitar style very prominent. He delivers some incredible bluesy Clapton style guitar solos, as well as jazzy hypnotic chord progressions.
‘Get Along’ is more straight blues. As an opening track it grabs you right away with it’s catchy riff and Kennedy’s hypnotic and slightly ominous chanting. Along with a groovy chord progression and aggressive guitar solo, it’s a strong opening that sets up the rest of album very well. The melody is also incredibly catchy, with a strong critical message aimed towards everybody. As the title suggests, Kennedy sings about the divide and hatred between people, due to politics, the pandemic, racism, the list is endless.
“I thought we left this shit behind, There I said it — You’re either ignorant or blind — There I said it — Don’t tell me I don’t belong, Don’t insist your right I’m wrong, The answer in the end was never black or white”.
Three tracks in we are treated to the first single, the delightful ‘In Stride’ one of the strongest tracks on the album. More blues rock, ‘In Stride’ proves itself to be the most catchy and upbeat track on the entire album. Taking a more cynical route, ‘In Stride’, much like ‘Get Along’, does exactly what it says on the package. Taking the all of the issues with a pinch of salt, stepping back and not letting the world’s worries rattle you. If anything, this is the one positive track on the album, telling the listener to simply take a step back and take it all in stride. With a rocking slide guitar riff and infectiously catchy chorus, ‘In Stride’ is a stand out track, one with a very amusing, topical and relatable music video. I recommend you give it a watch.
‘In Stride’ is then followed by arguably the strongest track on the entire album, that being ‘The Ides of March’ itself. A song that takes inspiration from the William Shakespeare play ‘Julius Caesar’, ‘The Ides of March’ summarizes all of the themes and ideas that the album represents. It is a track that is somber, critical, passionate and optimistic. Kennedy delivers some of the strongest singing on the album, ranging from slow whispers and dark melodies to powerful sustained high notes. It has everything that you expect from Myles Kennedy, and as usual his strong vocal prowess is matched only by his musical arrangements.
Much like the lyrical content, ‘The Ides of March’ summarizes the range of musical styles and genres across the album. beginning with a beautiful acoustic intro leading into a blues rock riff, only to slow down into another jazzy groove. On paper this mix of different styles and genres would come across as crowded and overly complicated, but Kennedy finds a way blend them together seamlessly. The track also features his strongest solo on the album. Starting with a Latino Carlos Santana feel, before erupting into a soulful blues melody, it truly comes together incredibly. Each element adds another layer to this musical epic, before brining back down to an acoustic outro, coming to a full circle.
‘Love Rain Down’ is a softer acoustic ballad, more a kin to ‘Year of the Tiger’. It is distinctly blues, but again takes a more acoustic route. Kennedy performs one the most touching and beautifully written tracks on the entire album. Dealing with Kennedy’s depression throughout the pandemic, how isolation has had an impact on the world, and how everybody seems to be isolating themselves from each other, both physically and mentally.
“There is a craving that’ll never come to pass, There is a hunger that will never cease to last. There is an aching that lies deep within my soul, For the promise that someday I’ll be whole.”
‘Moonshot’, ‘Wanderlust Begins’ and ‘Sifting Through the Fire’ all compliment each other superbly. Each track captures the listener with hypnotic vocal performances and memorizing guitar playing. Particularly ‘Sifting Through the Fire’ as it features some of the most breath taking singing Kennedy has every produced. Each song seems to balance themselves delicately between rock and blues, blending genres perfectly. ‘Moonshot’ taking a more country blues approach while ‘Wanderlust Begins’ trails into a more acoustic direction.
‘Worried Mind’, the final original track, also mixes rock with blues, acoustic and electric. Much like ‘The Ides of March’ it acts as a overall summary on Kennedy’s thoughts and worries on the world around him. It works well as a closing song, though it is not quite as impressive as the title track. However, the album does bring it back, closing with a demo version of ‘The Ides of March’. This is a nice callback, and clever way to close the album. It perfectly sums up everything that the album has been trying say and accomplish. The demo is simply a live version of the track in the studio. It is nice to hear a more real slowed down version of the song, though it isn’t as strong or as powerful as the main recording. That being said, it’s an intelligent way to bring the album full circle and present its primal thoughts in a new refreshing way.
Overall, I struggle to find issues with this album, as I believe there isn’t a single weak track. For me the standouts are ‘Get Along’, ‘In Stride’, ‘Love Rain Down’, ‘Worried Mind’ and of course the near eight minute epic that is the title track. The production, thanks to long time Kennedy producer Mike ‘Elvis’ Baskette, is perfect. The entire band for that matter do an incredible job backing Kennedy and building up the songs themselves. Kennedy’s vocals are as strong as they have ever been, and in my opinion, this album presents some of the greatest guitar performances of Kennedy’s entire career. This album serves as a testament to Myles Kennedy’s song writing abilities, and proves his strength as both a vocalist and a guitar player, something he doesn’t get nearly enough credit for. One can only wonder where he goes from here, as each release seems to be able to either stand up to or surpass the last. Whatever he has in store for the future I certainly cannot wait to see and hear it.
Track Listing:
1) Get Along
2) A Thousand Words
3) In Stride
4) The Ides of March
5) Wake Me When its Over
6) Love Rain Down
7) Tell it Like it is
8) Moonshot
9) Wanderlust Begins
10) Sifting Through the Fire
11) Worried Mind
12) The Ides of March (Demo)