Shine a candle

My expectations are never too high when a band that once was famous reunites to form a new album 10 years later. That being said, I had unreachable expectations for the ’90s band Candlebox and nearly sprayed my shorts when they released a single back in May. I love Into the Sun and I don’t have a lot of good reasons why, other than nostalgia.

Into the Sun is one of those albums that you listen to and think “Hey that doesn’t sound half-bad, in fact it’s pretty good,” then it gets lost in your iTunes/LimeWire download history or somewhere in your car. But maybe that’s what Into the Sun is good for, a quick good listen if anything at all. I can’t give Candlebox a bad review; these songs deserve the respect I feel they aren’t getting from Billboard, Pitchfork, the radio, etc.

The most interesting and unexpected track on the album is by far “Breathe Me In.” The low-pitched piano, electric guitar and drum beat makes me consider “Breathe Me In” as Candlebox’s version of Zeppelin’s “No Quarter.”

So far “Miss You” has been by one of the most popular songs on iTunes, but I feel like nearly every song could equally be the hit single because none of them sound too alike.

“Lover Come Back to Me” was produced very well and should also be recognized for it’s classic ’90s sound that complements Kevin Martin’s voice.

The weaker songs on the album are too fast-paced and try to be more than they are like “Stand” and “Bitches Brewin (Amended).” The slower, rock ballads are the ones that score big on this album; sped up songs with over-the-top guitars usually don’t cut it in my book.

My best explanation to why nobody is bouncing off the walls like they ought to for Candlebox is because it has been a decade since their last release. And people have grown accustomed to the way new rock music sounds like these days.

It’s kind of like how no one cares to notice The Rolling Stone’s 2005 album Shine a Light, until they’re told Martin Scorsese finally got down on his knees to produce it.

Where’s the love for Candlebox Scorsese? Fear not Candlebox, even if you have long lost your original grunge rock fanbase in Seattle years ago, somebody still loves you. They gave us “Far Behind” for Christ sakes.