Song: "Change"
Artist: Candlebox
Album: "Alive In Seatte"
Year: 2008
"Change" was originally released as a single for Candlebox's debut self-titled album in 1993. The version I chose for my song of the week was taken from 2008's "Alive In Seattle". The song appears to be about finally ending a relationship and a sense of finally feeling free. The vocalist is no longer feeling chained down or trapped by all of the nuances of this relationship gone bad. He feels the change inside of him and that change is definitely for the better. Candlebox formed as a band back in 1990, hailing from Seattle, Washington. The band's original name was Uncle Duke, which they changed to Candlebox about a year later. In 1993, they became one of the first bands to sign to Maverick Records, which was owned by pop star Madonna. Candlebox's debut effort, "Candlebox", would go on to sell over four million copies thanks in part to the hit singles "Change", "You", "Cover Me" and perhaps their most famous song "Far Behind". The album peaked at #7 on the Billboard 200 charts. In 1994, the band earned a spot on the main stage of the Woodstock '94 Festival. 1995 saw the band release their second album, "Lucy". Behind the singles "Simple Lessons" and "Understanding", "Lucy" would eventually be certified gold. The band also contributed the song "Steel And Glass" to the album "Working Class Hero: A Tribute To John Lennon". In 1998, Candlebox released "Happy Pills". Though the album achieved only marginal success, in my opinion it features some of Candlebox's finer musical moments. As 2000 approached, Candlebox was in a bitter dispute with Maverick Records who would not let them out of their contract without completing a fourth studio album. After many arguments with the label with no resolution, the band decided to disband. Because of this, lead vocalist Kevin Martin was withheld all royalties from any Candlebox sales going back to 2001. Eventually, some issues were resolved and Martin is now receiving royalties from all Candlebox sales. In 2005, Martin fronted the band The Hiwatts but this proved to be a short lived project. In 2006, Rhino Records planned a "Best Of" compilation of Candlebox hits. This sparked a flame for the original line-up of Candlebox to do a three month North American tour to promote the record. In 2008, ten years after the release of "Happy Pills", Candlebox released "Into The Sun" through Silent Majority/ILG Records. The first single "Stand" would reach #15 on the U.S. Mainstream Rock chart. 2008 also saw the band release the live cd/dvd "Alive In Seattle". In 2010, the band performed five concerts for U.S. troops stationed in Kuwait and Iraq. In 2012, the band released their fifth album, "Love Stories & Other Musings". This album featured nine originals, five live recordings of past hits and two exclusive bonus tracks. Currently, Candlebox has been writing material for a new album with a tentative release date for sometime in 2014. Candlebox sometimes gets lumped into the grunge movement, mostly because of their origins from Seattle. Sometimes they even got bashed because they weren't grunge enough. I always looked at them as more radio friendly rock than that of the grunge bands. They definitely were not as dark as the grunge bands. I'd put them more in the category of the post-grunge bands that came out like Bush. I think as time went on, they tried to distance themselves more and more from the dreary sounds of early 90's grunge. I could see them going on tour with a 3 Doors Down more than a Pearl Jam or Alice In Chains. Not a bad thing, they just kind of got a bad rap for riding on the coattails of the Seattle scene when really, they were just their own band with their own sound.
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