Thus, we have songs like the title-track, Mr Downside and Saving Face, all of which might conceivably have become Alter Bridge songs had the mood and timing been different. The latter sees Myles at his huge-chested best, planting sparkling vocal peaks over thunderous and eloquent guitar work; all his own. In Say What You Will, there are even subtle reminders of Alter Bridge classic Metalingus within the framework’s rumbling tumult and tension.
Above all, this is a mature album, one in which its creator assesses his place in the world and resolves to make the best of it. ‘What’s done is done, so let it be / Let solace come through melody,’ he emotes in Eternal Lullaby, an exquisite ballad that invites repeat plays.
There’s wisdom here that comes from being a successful artist in his 50s. Miss You When You’re Gone might be about a broken relationship but could just as easily be about a teenage daughter leaving for university. Significantly, this is music that has the power to speak to you as an individual. It soothes as much as it rocks – and rest assured, it rocks harder than any previous Myles Kennedy solo album.
Verdict: 4/5
For fans of: Those Damn Crows, Halestorm, Evergrey
The Art Of Letting Go is released on October 11 via Napalm