Lenny Kaye Announces First Solo Album ‘Goin’ Local’ at 79

Lenny Kaye has spent decades defining the contours of rock and roll from just off center stage. As the foundational guitarist in the Patti Smith Group and the curator of the seminal ‘Nuggets’ compilation, his influence is archival and performative. At 79, he is finally stepping forward with his first proper solo album, ‘Goin’ Local,’ set for release July 17 on Yep Roc.

In a statement, Kaye positioned the record as a new chapter. “I feel like I’m a new artist,” he said. “I think this album will surprise those who think they know me from what I’ve done previously.” The claim is intriguing given his deep history, suggesting a personal excavation rather than a victory lap.

The title track, shared as the first single, offers an initial clue. It carries a wiry, conversational guitar line that recalls the interlocking rhythms of New York contemporaries like Television more than the explosive poetry of his work with Smith. It’s a nervy, melodic piece of rock that feels both seasoned and immediate.

The album’s cast points to a broad musical palette. Contributions come from Patti Smith herself, avant-garde pianist Matthew Shipp, Railroad Earth’s Tim Carbone, The Jayhawks’ John Jackson, and multi-instrumentalist David Mansfield, known for his work with Bob Dylan and T-Bone Burnett. This list suggests a record that may weave together Kaye’s punk heartland with folk, jazz, and American roots music.

‘Goin’ Local’ arrives alongside touring plans with Dave Alvin and Jimmie Dale Gilmore, placing Kaye firmly within a continuum of songwriters who treat rock and roll as a folk tradition. After a lifetime of shaping the narrative from the sidelines, his debut solo move is less a late arrival and more a focused transmission from a key source.