I was very excited to hear that Candlebox had reunited to record “Into the Sun”, their fourth studio release. Though hailing from Seattle and breaking during the advent of grunge, Candlebox really is more straight-up rock and roll than anything else. Moreover, their records have gotten increasingly melodic with the exception of the strange misstep that was their sophomore record (“Lucy”).
“Into the Sun” gracefully picks up where the excellent “Happy Pills” left off ten (!) years ago. Kevin Martin (also of the Hiwatts) still sounds fantastic; he sings his heart out on the rockers and infuses the ballads with a good dose of soul. The record starts off with two angry and blistering rock tracks, “Stand” and “Bitches Brewin’”, written and performed in the style that made their monstrous debut so popular. The band showcases their talents for rock balladry more than ever with outstanding works such as “Surrendering”, “Miss You, and “Breathe Me In”, which capture some of the finer moments from “Happy Pills” like “Sometimes” and “It’s Alright”. The title track is a brilliant, dark opus that delivers a huge hook in the chorus and leaves you with a cool change up in the coda.
The reunion works and I hope we do not have to wait another decade for more from Candlebox. Kevin Martin is channeling some Robert Plant at times, the musicianship and production are top-notch, and lyrics are generally of high quality.
iPOD-worthy: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 10, 12
Candlebox on MySpace. Official site.
Check out the music video for “Stand”:
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