ALBUM REVIEW: The Ides Of March – Myles Kennedy

Over the course of his career, MYLES KENNEDY has firmly established his name within the music world. With his time often spent juggling ALTER BRIDGE and SLASH AND THE CONSPIRATORS, he has become a voice we all instantly recognise and hold to a high standard. Now, the established vocalist is set to take it up another level with his second studio album, The Ides Of March.

Opening up the album, Get Along, sets the tone for the journey. This isn’t going to be anything like his first effort, Year Of The Tiger, which, appeared stripped to its bare bones. This immediately blasts out something bold, fuelled by electric energy. The comparison is that realistically, at the start of the album, you would mistake it to be an ALTER BRIDGE release. It isn’t necessarily a bad quality, it just shows how easy it is to note Kennedy‘s vocal style.

As the album continues with In Stride, and title-track The Ides Of March, this noticeable factor quickly fades away. Kennedy comes into his own, channelling his other influences, especially alongside the Southern-esque country guitar tone and slides on In Stride. Prior to this album, Kennedy has noted that country-influenced rock has played a part in his style, but it comes front and centre a little more often this time round as opposed to anytime else.

The Ides Of March bodes well as a title-track, it’s got a suitably elegant prog tone to it, and then a chorus that will most definitely make it as a fan-favourite to singalong to live. That ability to grab the audiences attention is something Kennedy has always been strong in delivering, and it is at this point where he truly grabs a hold of it. Whether it’s positive or driven by melancholy, there’s no denying this is a vocalist who has a unique gift at capturing the essence of every lyric that falls out of his mouth.

Love Rain Down is where the effect of holding onto every word becomes its most powerful on the album, alongside opener Get Along. Love Rain Down allows for a brief, emotion-invoking breather, and a reflection of the approach Kennedy took with Year Of The Tiger. It poses as an escape for listeners to sit for a moment and just feel what they need to feel.

As quickly as it started, Love Rain Down is swiftly followed suit with that country vibe yet again, just this time there’s a catchier energy. It’s refreshing to hear this much of the influence pour out onto the album, and serves as a reminder at just how talented Kennedy is to be able to suit his voice to a variety of genres. There are times on the album however that feel a bit too familiar in terms of inspiration or influence. Whether it’s trying to place your finger on where you’ve heard the melody of Moonshot‘s chorus before, or perhaps due to this album being plugged in, just how difficult it is at times to draw away from the ALTER BRIDGE vibes.

One thing is though, when you hear the notes that Kennedy hits in the closing track, Worried Mind, he could be singing absolutely anything and you wouldn’t really care. The bluesy tones that surround his vocals, accompanied by a rich solo and a thick bass, are also a credit to the musicianship that has followed the entirety of the album.

The Ides Of March may not have fulfilled every expectation, and felt at times repetitive of other works Kennedy has featured on, but the talent cannot be discredited. The album, and particular songs such as Worried Mind, remind us why he is one of rock’s finest, and most cherished vocalists. There’s a level of power and control that many vocalists can only dream of having, but for MYLES KENNEDY, he is holding it firmly in the palm of his hand.

Rating: 7/10

The Ides Of March is set for release May 14th via Napalm Records.

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