Candlebox

It’s a journey that began in 1991 in Seattle, where Candlebox formed, and soon thereafter incited a record label bidding war in Los Angeles. The lineup went quadruple-platinum with their 1993 self-titled debut on Madonna’s Maverick Records and released two more acclaimed albums (1995’s Lucy and 1998’s Happy Pills). The singles “Far Behind,” “You” and “Cover Me,” became ubiquitous fan and radio favorites. But after nearly a decade of hard road work, the band went on hiatus in 2000. Candlebox then regrouped with a 2006 tour, putting out Into the Sun in 2008, followed by 2012’s Love Stories & Other Musings.

Throw out any preconceived notions you may have about who Candlebox is. Wolves, the band’s seventh album which debuted at #7 on the Billboard Chart, is rife with brutal lyrical honesty and songs that run the gamut from dirty rock stompers to timeless, radio-ready pop-rock tunes. Wolves captures the live energy of a band embracing all its influences and coalescing them down into the most potent form. “These are songs that I love that the band loved. We didn't stop ourselves from recording anything if we dug it; we allowed each song to dictate to us what it needed musically, instrumentally,” explains singer Kevin Martin. Wolves is a modern rock album that also contains “that really sparkly acoustic, Radiohead kind of dreamy guitar and ethereal stuff; we pulled from everything that inspired us, from Neil Young to brand-new bands.”

Candlebox teased the upcoming LP in August 2020, releasing Wolves’ energized “Let Me Down Easy,” an aggro, blues-based rocker with a booming bass and edgy guitar riffing. The cut was co-written with old Seattle pal Peter Cornell, Chris Cornell’s older brother. As for the vibe: Martin knew he “wanted that song to feel and sound like Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.”

The first official single from Wolves is “All Down Hill From Here,” co-written with Christopher Thorne of Blind Melon, another old friend of Martin’s. In the frank autobiographical tune, Martin sings, “Spent half of my life in a rock and roll band … They say ‘the harder they come, the harder they fall’ / Well I hit it pretty hard babe, still reelin’ from it all /And I made it to the peak babe, but it’s all downhill from here now.”

The chemistry Candlebox conjured playing live in the studio is undeniable and electric. And Martin couldn’t be happier with the outcome. “It can be challenging to be an artist who has enjoyed great success, and then down the line, still has great fans, but never really achieves that great success again,” Martin observes, echoing the lyrical story of “All Down Hill From Here.” “A lot of our friends in bands are in that position now. It’s a story I think a lot of people can relate to, not only musicians. “But,” he concludes, referencing the Wolves’ tune “Don’t Count Me Out,” “like the boxer who's on his last legs, he still has an opportunity. You really can’t count anyone out.”