Album Review: Slash Feat Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators - Living The Dream

Instead of putting his feet up after participating in the mega-grossing Guns N' Roses reunion jaunt, axeman Slash reconvenes his titular outfit.

Slash's cohorts, including Alter Bridge's powerhouse vocalist Myles Kennedy, appeared more comfortable in their own skin on 2014's World On Fire, despite said LP being plagued by too many songs and a bloated runtime. Much of the fat has been trimmed here, resulting in a dozen rockers that should hit all the bullet points that fans of the top-hatted one desire.

Driving Rain's funky, Aerosmith-inflected riffage reinforces that Slash's influences haven't evolved too far. The anthemic Lost Inside The Girl's extended lead break is one of the more inspired efforts of his solo career and My Antidote offers a blistering solo. Elsewhere, Todd Kerns' punchy bass lines are afforded space to breathe while the singer's chemistry with his band leader flourishes further. Kennedy ably delivers the mobile phone-waving ballad The One You Loved Is Gone, and also holds his own during Mind Your Manners' rollicking, bluesy swagger. His melodies often soar with conviction, but he also exhibits a crucial knack for not getting in the way of the songs.

There's nothing new here, but if you embraced the era of rock before the style splintered off into countless factions and sub-genres, Living The Dream should get the job done.