MUSIC

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MUSIC | NEW RELEASE “STILL IN STRIDE,” CONTINUED...

After a few days of getting his head around Take that opening song “Get Along” as a case what was happening, and with no idea just how in point. It was written in March 2020 as Kennelong the pandemic would last, Kennedy settled dy reflected on the Rodney King police brutality into a routine of waking up at the same time every case of the early 1990s, with King’s famous plea day, exercising, meditating and then picking up his for everyone to “just get along” working its way guitar. It was a rhythm to life that seemed strange into Kennedy’s chorus. Kennedy starts the song to a guy who works as hard as anyone in rock remembering “the moment the gavel brought the between his two bands and solo career, and yet it’s fires and rage” of the Los Angeles riots, when a lifestyle he says he’s “really grown to embrace.” the cops who beat King were acquitted. Just a

“The year prior [to the shutdown] I had been couple of months after Kennedy wrote the song, either on the road or in the studio for over 300 the country again burst into protests after George days, so I was starting to get a little bit burnt. Floyd’s murder by a police officer. The schedule is just relentless,” Kennedy says. “I remember those days well, and it really “[The break] came at an interesting time for me, did have a profound effect on me. It really broke just because I was kind of ready to power down my heart to see how that went down,” Kennedy for a little bit.” says of the King case and ensuing violence. “I

While Kennedy’s songs can delve into some went back to that set of emotions and started to of humanity’s darker impulses, he’s inclined to write about that, but trying to paint with a broad look at a situation like the abrupt end of that Al- enough stroke to have it be fitting for where we ter Bridge tour and are as human beings the forced stretch in this day and age. at home “from a “A cynic could positive standpoint, look at that phrase instead of the obvi- and be like, ‘Oh, ous negatives.” why can’t we just get

That positivity along? It just seems manifested in the so simple.’ But the opportunity to hun- innocent side of me ker down and work longs for that so on a ton of songs, much.” many of which “Get Along” ended up on The is far from the Ides of March, and only song on The many of them re- Ides of March when flecting on this very Kennedy’s innate specific moment optimism comes the world is sharing through. The upbeat due to a mysteri- “In Stride” encourous disease. When ages listeners to keep you spend so much Kennedy’s second solo album reintroduces his guitar skills to listeners. a little perspective time on tour, having during troubled months on end to times. The title track write is a blessing for someone as driven to create is an epic Zeppelin-esque tale that musically came as Kennedy. to Kennedy in a dream, and lyrically starts as

“It has allowed me to do what I love really a warning of a dark future before its latter half more than anything, just write nonstop,” Ken- assures listeners that “cool heads prevail in times nedy says. “At the end of the day, that’s the part of change.” Another song, “A Thousand Words,” of the process I enjoy the most. I love playing suggests that “in times like these, we must live live, don’t get me wrong—I love that rapport with and learn.” the fans and being on stage and seeing people Listening to the album as a whole, and particand hearing the songs sung back to us. But I re- ularly zeroing in on Kennedy’s lyrics through his ally do love that creative process.” layers of stinging guitar leads and slippery slide-

The unexpected window of time let Kennedy guitar work, you get a thematically consistent set write for basically six straight months, day in and of songs that can be downright inspiring. day out, before he piled in a car with his drum- “A lot of the dialogue [in the songs] is to me, mer buddy Zia Uddin and bassist Tim Tournier to remind myself a lot of times,” Kennedy says. and drove all the way to Florida to record The “I never want to come across as preachy. That’s Ides of March. always my fear as a songwriter, and I have no intention of doing that. But because of the way I’m

Kennedy’s Year of the Tiger wasn’t just hard-wired, and because I’ve always needed to be different from the new one in its overall reminded of certain things, I find that having the sonic approach; lyrically, that album’s opportunity to write songs is cathartic for me. It’s deeply personal look at the childhood loss of brought so much healing to my own life.” Kennedy’s father has given way on The Ides of No doubt many of Kennedy’s fans feel the March to a series of songs with an expansive view same about his music. n of the world. Knowing most of them were written during the pandemic undoubtedly lends to Myles Kennedy’s The Ides of March is released reading those lyrics a certain way, but Kennedy’s Friday, May 14. Visit myleskennedy.com for skills as both a songwriter and lyricist assure the more information and clips of him performsongs will remain relevant beyond this particular ing some new songs solo at Spokane’s Fox moment in time. Theater.

VISUAL ARTS FOR THE BIRDS

It’s all about birds — and the man who loved them so — in the MAC’s summer marquee exhibit on the life and work of John James Audubon. The name Audubon has long been intertwined with everything bird-related, and his seminal work The Birds of America, published as a series between 1827 and 1839, is considered one of the finest naturalist collections ever made. The anthology combined Audubon’s love of art and ornithology into a grand project to document all of the bird species in North America. Audubon discovered 25 new species along the way, and his iconic, highly detailed color paintings of birds are famously recognizable among bird, nature and art enthusiasts. For this summer exhibit on loan from the John James Audubon State Park Museum in Henderson, Kentucky, visitors can see original prints, paintings, manuscripts and personal possessions of the famous bird documentarian. — CHEY SCOTT

American Original: The Life and Work of John James Audubon • Sat, May 15 through Sun, Sept. 19; open Tue-Sun from 10 am-5 pm • $5-$12 • Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture • 2316 W. First Ave. • northwestmuseum.org • 456-3931

WORDS A GIRL’S WORLD

Being a girl in the modern world (or at any point in human history, for that matter), is hard. I know; I’ve been there. So have countless others, like award-winning writer and author Melissa Febos (left). For her latest and already bestselling book Girlhood, Febos collects her own personal experiences growing up female to illuminate the myriad perceptions girls are taught to accept as simply a natural part of being born to the female sex. In Girlhood, Febos blends investigative reporting, memoir and scholarship to present a compelling “anthem for women” that examines how girls and women are molded by society to deny and ignore their own feelings and let others’ expectations confine them. During a virtual visit to Spokane to promote Girlhood, Febos discusses her writing process and the real-life inspiration for it with local author Kate Lebo (right). — CHEY SCOTT

VISUAL ARTS A GRAND REOPENING

2020 was pretty much awful for every arts organization, and Emerge gallery and learning space in Coeur d’Alene had an extra dose of terrible to contend with. Even before the pandemic came along, a fire that destroyed many of their neighbors forced Emerge from their home while staying clear, thankfully, of much of the artwork inside. Now, more than a year later, Emerge is ready to fully reopen at its new home with a celebration Friday evening. You can tour the new space, taking in studios available for artists as well as a show of ceramics and printmaking by artists Maya Rumsey and Reinaldo Gil Zambrano. There will be music and drinks, of course, and the opportunity to raise a toast to one of the Inland Northwest’s vital arts institutions. Here’s to new beginnings! — DAN NAILEN