The Art of Letting Go - (2022)
After a four-year hiatus spent scoring films, the 2022 release of The Art of Letting Go marks a triumphant, visceral return to the rock genre. Inspired by the dark, synth-laden atmosphere of Gary Numan’s Intruder—an album that eventually led to a personal nod of approval from Numan himself—this 16-track powerhouse seamlessly fuses cinematic grandeur with raw, unfiltered rock-and-roll grit.
The Art of Letting Go is a conceptual masterclass in human duality. It is an honest, unapologetic look at the miles in the rearview mirror, exploring the friction between the wild highs of youth and the sobering, inevitable gravity
of time, mortality, and grief.
The album opens with a burst of high-octane nostalgia and rock swagger. Tracks like "There Was A Time," "Shake It Down," and the heavy, pulse-pounding lust of "Rattle Them Bones" serve as a celebration of the classic rock lifestyle—sweaty bars, cheap hotels, loud guitars, and untamed adrenaline. But the record quickly shifts gears into darker, more introspective territory. The crushing weight of isolation anchors "Lockdown," while the hypnotic, Absinthe-induced haze of "Sea of Green" acts as a psychedelic bridge into the album’s deeper emotional core.
As the tracklist progresses, the "art of letting go" transforms from a title into a profound philosophy. The album features sweeping, story-driven epics like
"The Redemption of Elisha Cooper," a gripping Wild West tale of trauma and fiery vengeance, alongside high-concept dark comedy like "Rumble at the Renfest."
Yet, the true heartbeat of the album lies in its most vulnerable moments:
"Living Life in the Shadows" offers a heartbreakingly tender look at watching a loved one lose their physical sight, navigating the quiet tragedy of fading worlds.
"Let You Go," originally composed as a cinematic piece, serves as the emotional anchor of the record. Dedicated to the artist's grandmother—who was able to hear the song before her passing, and for whom it was played at her funeral—the track uses the delicate imagery of a butterfly to capture the excruciating beauty of saying a final goodbye.
"Built to Last" confronts the brutal reality of our own fragile biology, acting as a stark reminder of our temporary stay on earth.
The album reaches its bittersweet crescendo with "Much Obliged, Adios to You." Captured in a single, breathless take at 2:00 AM during a raging snowstorm—written to honor the sudden passing of the artist’s father-in-law—the track strips away the rock-and-roll bombast for a quiet, cowboy-style farewell on the open range. It is the perfect, poignant punctuation mark to a record entirely dedicated to the beauty, pain, and ultimate necessity of moving on.
Part rock-doc, part cinematic experience, The Art of Letting Go is a fiercely honest portrait of survival, memory, and the peace found in finally laying your burdens down.