Candlebox releases final studio album + The Long Goodbye Tour
Multi-platinum selling Seattle rock band Candlebox – whose power anthems “Far Behind,” “You,” and “Cover Me” off their 1993 debut, self-titled album exploded onto the charts – has officially revealed the details for their final studio album, The Long Goodbye, due out Friday, August 25th via Round Hill Records, and released the album’s first single “Punks.” The new track 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, front man and songwriter Kevin Martin howls about quick-burning success and vacuous trends. Listen to “Punks” on DSPs and watch the official music video. The Long Goodbye, Candlebox’s eighth studio album, is now available to pre-order/pre-save here. All digital pre-saves will include an instant download of “Punks.”
“Candlebox weren’t the punks that paved the road for all these other bands that came along, but the statement is that music has always been there, and nobody’s really doing anything differently,” shares Martin. “You think that you’re invincible and you try to grab all those things that come along with being in a rock band and touring the world. But inevitably, you’re left with yourself, and if you don’t have something within yourself that can keep you grounded, what are you doing it for?”
Celebrating 30 years of success, Candlebox is capping off their long and influential career with The Long Goodbye. The new 10-track collection, produced by Don Miggs, finds the group taking stock of evolving maturity, fleeting time, and lasting love, all while kicking a lot of ass. In addition to the hard-rocking lead single “Punks,” The Long Goodbye includes the sneering statement of independence “What Do You Need,” co-written by Nick Brown of the alt-rock band Mona, who also appears on the track, and the moody, atmospheric “Elegante,” where Kevin dives headlong into creative wordplay as Miggs and the band mimic a synth-pop vibe with guitars and drums. Elsewhere is the acoustic “Maze” and “Cellphone Jesus,” where Kevin allows some of his worldview to seep in as he searches for a sign from above for a damaged society. Full track listing for The Long Goodbye below.
Candlebox is currently on the road on their farewell tour, crossing the country until early fall with fellow rockers 3 Doors Down as direct support on their massive Away From The Sun amphitheater tour in addition to various headlining shows. See below for full list of upcoming tour dates. Visit their website for all details and to purchase tickets.
The Long Goodbye is ultimately 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. And after Candlebox wraps it all up at the end of the year, the hits will still live on, along with a legacy that serves to inspire the young punks who come after them.
The Long Goodbye Tracklist:
1. Punks
2. What Do You Need ft. Mona
3. Elegante
4. I Should Be Happy
5. Nails On A Chalkboard
6. Ugly
7. Maze
8. Cellphone Jesus
9. Foxy
10. Hourglass
Candlebox US Tour Dates w/ 3 Doors Down:
8/11/23: Southaven, MS @ BankPlus Amphitheater at Snowden Grove +
8/12/23: Sedalia, MO @ Missouri State Fairgrounds Grandstand +
8/13/23: St. Louis, MO @ Del Mar Hall ^
8/16/23: Orange Beach, AL @ The Wharf Amphitheater +
8/18 /23: Nashville, TN @ Ascend Amphitheater +
8/19/23: Atlanta, GA @ Cadence Bank Amphitheatre at Chastain Park +
8/23/23: New Orleans, LA @ Champions Square +
8/25/23: Virginia Beach, VA @ Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater +
8/26/23: Raleigh, NC @ Red Hat Amphitheater +
8/29/23: Richmond, VA @ The National ^
8/30/23: Simpsonville, SC @ CCNB Amphitheatre at Heritage Park +
9/1/23: Charleston, SC @ Credit One Stadium +
9/2/23: Charlotte, NC @ Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre +
9/6/23: Kansas City, MO @ Starlight Theatre +
9/7/23: Tulsa, OK @ River Spirit Casino Resort ^
9/8/23: Little Rock, AR @ Simmons Bank Arena +
9/9/23: Brandon, MS @ Brandon Amphitheater +
9/13/23: Jacksonville, FL @ Daily’s Place Amphitheater +
9/15/23: Tampa, FL @ MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre +
9/16/23: Boca Raton, FL @ Mizner Park Amphitheater +
9/20/23: Austin, TX @ Moody Amphitheater +
9/22/23: Dallas, TX @ The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory +
9/23/23: Houston, TX @ Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land +
10/14/23: Santiago, Chile @ Milenia 2023 *
10/21/23: Cherokee, NC @ Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort +
^ indicates headlining show
+ indicates dates with 3 Doors Down
* indicates festival date
About Candlebox:
Emerging from Seattle’s burgeoning mid-’90s grunge scene, Candlebox quickly found mainstream success with their deep, lyrically-driven melodies and big radio hooks, as evidenced by their massive hits “Far Behind,” “You,” and “Cover Me” that propelled their self-titled debut album, a defining record of the decade, to sell more than 4 million copies worldwide. Their follow-up album, Lucy, earned a platinum certification and solidified Candlebox as a tour de force in the thriving alt-rock scene. While the commercial success of the first album played a pivotal role in the band’s trajectory to the top, it was their raw and unapologetically honest live performances that ultimately solidified their place among Seattle’s elite. In 1998, Candlebox released Happy Pills, which would be their last album before going on hiatus from 2000 to 2006. In 2008, the band reformed and released their fourth album, Into The Sun, and hit the road for the first time in 10 years, touring extensively and releasing Alive In Seattle, a live album that included tracks from every era of their career. 2016 marked the triumphant return of Candlebox with the release of Disappearing In Airports, a more classic rock-tinged album hailed by many critics and fans as their best work in years. Singles “Vexatious” and “Supernova” drove the album to debut at #9 on the Billboard Charts and spurred multiple US and international tours, including major festival appearances at Carolina Rebellion, Welcome To Rockville, and Lollapalooza Chile. While these iconic rockers have been blazing full-steam since, releasing their album, Wolves, in 2021, and recently issuing a live, acoustic album, Live at The Neptune, Kevin and Candlebox are calling it quits in 2023, but they’re not going quietly.
Line-up:
Kevin Martin (lead vocals)
Adam Kury (bass)
Brian Quinn (guitar)
Island Styles (guitar)
BJ Kerwin (drums)
