When Candlebox released their self-titled debut album in the summer of 1993, the scene was flooded with bands trying to be Nirvana, Pearl Jam, or Soundgarden. But Candlebox stood out because they were different. While Kevin Martin, lead singer and songwriter of the group, hailed from Seattle, the sound that he and Candlebox created was urgent, melodic, and even bright — in contrast to dark and shadowy grunge. And both music fans and radio took notice. The band’s massive single “Far Behind,” along with songs like “Change” and “You,” became ubiquitous hits and were heard everywhere in 1993 and beyond. Today, Candlebox’s first album, certified quadruple platinum, stands as one of the defining records of the Nineties and, to mark its 30th anniversary…Kevin and Candlebox are calling it quits. But they’re not going quietly. Candlebox are capping off their influential career with The Long Goodbye, a brand-new album (out August 2023 via Round Hill Records) that finds the group taking stock of evolving maturity, fleeting time, and lasting love, all while kicking a lot of ass. Lead single “Punks” is a cautionary message to young bands that they won’t be the hot new thing forever. Charging forward with a slashing guitar riff and rapid-fire drums, Kevin howls about quick-burning success and vacuous trends. On the moody, atmospheric “Elegante,” Kevin dives headlong into creative wordplay, rhyming the song title with the poet Dante, as producer Don Miggs and the band — guitarists Brian Quinn and Island Styles, bassist Adam Kury, and drummer BJ Kerwin — mimic a synth-pop vibe with guitars and drums. Ultimately, The Long Goodbye is a statement record, a document of a band that somehow survived an era that tragically proved too seductive for some of their peers to remain not only successful, but relevant.

Side A:
1 What Do You Need Ft. Mona
2 Who You Are
3 Punks

Side B:
1 Elegante
2 Hourglass
3 Maze

Side C:
1 Ugly
2 Foxy
3 Running With The Stars

Side D:
1 Nails On A Chalkboard
2 Cellphone Jesus
3 I Should Be Happy