A video of ALTER BRIDGE vocalist Myles Kennedy discussing his new solo single, “In Stride”, and performing it live for the first time at the legendary Fox Theater in Spokane, Washington can be seen just below this article. The track is taken from Kennedy’s sophomore solo album, “The Ides Of March”, which will be released on May 14 via Napalm Records.
During his time at home due to all touring being canceled, Myles created the framework for the song ideas that would make up “The Ides Of March”. He then called up his cohorts from his “Year Of The Tiger” debut — longtime friend and drummer Zia Uddin and bassist/manager Tim Tournier — and the three musicians drove to Florida to record the album with longtime producer Michael “Elvis” Baskette.
From the slide guitar riffs of the album opener “Get Along” to the pensive blues style of closer “Worried Mind”, it is clear that Myles has crafted a formidable follow up to his debut solo album. While “Year Of The Tiger” was more of an acoustic exploration through Myles’s mind, “The Ides Of March” finds him strapping on his electric guitar and pushing himself as a guitarist/songwriter. Tracks like “A Thousand Words”, “Wake Me When It’s Over” and “Moonshot” showcase the diverse musical arrangements that have garnered Myles fans globally across all of his projects. The epic “The Ides Of March” clocks in at over seven minutes, and Myles, Tim and Zia showcase their musical chops on the track.
The first single, “In Stride”, opens with Myles showcasing his slide playing before delivering a lyrical message to “take it all in stride.” The video for “In Stride” marks a return by Stefano Bertelli (who created the recent “Native Son” video for ALTER BRIDGE) and shows an animated Myles as he takes the end of the world in stride.
“Chill out. That pretty much sums it up,” explains Myles about the single. “The lyric paints a picture of a survivalist preparing for an impending zombie apocalypse. It was inspired by the first wave of lockdowns as everyone was buying vast amounts of toilet paper and supplies. I started to ask myself if it might be wise to try and gain some perspective and not overreact… keep calm and carry on.”
“The Ides Of March” track listing:
01. Get Along
02. A Thousand Words
03. In Stride
04. The Ides Of March
05. Wake Me When It’s Over
06. Love Rain Down
07. Tell It Like It Is
08. Moonshot
09. Wanderlust Begins
10. Sifting Through The Fire
11. Worried Mind
