Myles Kennedy – “Year of the Tiger” [Album Review]

Myles Kennedy is known for fronting Alter Bridge and collaborating with Slash on all of his albums. Kennedy is also considered by many to be one of the most talented vocalists of a generation due to his singing style which draws influence from blues, jazz and soul. However, those expecting a similar stadium rock experience from Year of the Tiger will be disappointed as Kennedy has taken a different, more acoustic path, with the majority centering around the loss of his father at a young age.

Opening strong, the title track “Year of the Tiger” is upbeat and catchy with a chorus that easily becomes stuck in your head. “Devil on the Wall”, again, is a catchy, cheery song that wouldn’t be out of place in the country charts and quite frankly is toe-tappingly catchy. “Ghost of Shangri La” maintains the country vibe, further demonstrating Kennedy’s ability to branch out from the style to which his fans are accustomed. “Turning Stones” and “Love Can Only Heal” move to a folkier song feel and, as it turns out, this is something Kennedy does extremely well. Whilst “Turning Stones” has a more optimistic tune accompanying Kennedy’s lyrics, “Love Can Only Heal” maintains a slower tempo.

All in all, Year of the Tiger is an enjoyable album. Kennedy has taken the opportunity to experiment with his music and try something different, which in this case, has paid off. If you are a fan of Kennedy’s vocal talents and have a desire to see where his songwriting has taken him in the country and folk realm, I strongly recommend Year of the Tiger.

Year of the Tiger Track Listing:

01. Year of the Tiger
02. The Great Beyond
03. Blind Faith
04. Devil on the Wall
05. Ghost of Shangri La
06. Turning Stones
07. Haunted by Design
08. Mother
09. Nothing but a Name
10. Love Can Only Heal
11. Songbird
12. One Fine Day

Run Time: 50:37
Release Date: March 9, 2018

Watch the video for the title track and single “Year Of The Tiger” here.