KevinMar*n-vocalsDaveKrusen–drumsMikeLeslie–lead/rhythmguitarBrianQuinn–lead/rhythmguitarAdamKury–bass

Inastoriedrock‘n’rollcareerofmul4-pla4numalbumsand4meless,ubiquitousradiosmashes,Candlebox’ssixthstudioalbum,DisappearingInAirports,findstherenownedlineupinfusedwithanewenergyandopenness.“IwanttotakeCandleboxintoanewworld,andthisrecordisverydifferent,verydiverseforus,”saysbandfounderandfrontmanKevinMar4n.“It’saboutgrowthandpushingthebandinthedirec4onforanewaudience.”Withsongsrangingfromthepissedandurgent“God’sGiJ”totheedgyuneaseof“I’veGotaGun”totheamorousrompof“Supernova,”DisappearingInAirportsisaboldmusicalstatementfromarevitalizedband.TheamicabledepartureoforiginalmembersScoNMercadoandPeterKleNallowedCandleboxtheopportunitytoshakethingsup,andthatnewfoundenergyandimpetusisevidentinthedozentracksonDisappearingInAirports.GuitaristsMikeLeslieandBrianQuinnbringfreshnesstotheband’smegahitslike“FarBehind”and“You,”aswellasdifferentanglestothenewmaterial.“Theyhavea‘Wow,I’mplayingthissongthatIgrewuponandIlovethistune!’kindofpuppydoglovetoit,”laughsMar4n.“Mike’sgotsomuchB.B.Kinginhisstyle,ofbluesit’sinsane,andspontaneitytohisplayingandsongwri4ngthat’senrichingtome.”WhileBrianhasametalandclassicrockside,healsoboastsabigbluesinfluence“andisanincredibleslideplayer.MikeandBrianplayen4relydifferentlybutitfitssowell.”

DisappearingInAirportsReleasedate:April22PavementEntertainment,distributedbyMRI/Sony-RED

Thebandformedin1991,wentquadruplepla4numwiththeir1993self-4tleddebutonMadonna’sMaverickRecords,andreleasedtwomoreacclaimedandtop-sellingalbums(1995’sLucyand1998’sHappyPills)beforegoingonahiatusin2000.Candleboxregroupedwitha2006tour,thenputoutIntotheSunin2008,followedby2012’sLoveStories&OtherMusings.ForDisappearinginAirports,thebandworkedwithproducersCarsonSlovakandGrantMcFarland(AugustBurnsRed,Everclear,RiversofNihl),cufngtherecordatThinkLoudStudiosinYork,Pennsylvania.Post-LoveStories,Mar4nworkedupaboutsevensongs,butasplitwiththeirrecordlabelpostponedrecording.SowithanewdealwithPavementEntertainmentinplaceandrenewedcrea4vity,Candleboxcompletedandfinishedfoursongsinaday,wroteacouplemoreinthestudio,thenrevisitedandreworkedpreviouslyunfinishedsongsthatfitintothedirec4onDisappearinginAirportswasheading.“Thegreatthingisthattheyallreallybecamesongswhenwewereabandinthestudio,becauseit’saverycollabora4verecord,whichI’mveryhappyabout,”Mar4nsays.“Itwasverytogetherandcrea4ve,andagainthat’swhatMikeandBrianwereabletobringtotherecord--thatspontaneityandthatyoung,excitedenergy.”ForMar4n,thesongsflowedeasily:“Idon’tlaboratall,it’snotinme;notthattherearen’tgreatbandsthatworkintensivelyoverbrilliantsongs,butIfindformethatini4allywhatpopsoutiswhatI’mlookingfor.Ifit’snotopeningitselfuptomeandallowingittobeseenbyme,Ijustwon’tbothertobeatitup.”Songslikethefirsttracktoradio,theleJ-of-center“Vexa4ous”(aMar4n-createdword)hooksyouinimmediatewiththedrumsandirresis4blechorus.ItisMar4nathiseditorialbest–poignant,lyricaldrivingthemessageoftheperilsofadigitally-connectedyetemo4onallydisconnectedworldinapowerfulrocksong.“Vexa4ous”isaboutthisemo4onallydes4tute,socialnetworking-obsessedsocietywelivein.Peoplecomeoffasinsecure,yets4llsoen4tledwithunlimitedbraggingrights,”saysMar4n.“Whetherit’sapopstarfeudingsenselesslywithanotherpopstar,orthegirlsandboyswhocan’thelpbuttotake50differentselfiesinunderaminuteandmisseverythingthat’shappeningaroundthem,wecan’tescapeit.It’severywhereandit’sdestroyingus.Da4ngapps,bitchingapps,secretsharingapps,appsappsapps—theyalloperateoutsideofanyrealorauthen4chumanconnec4on.Noonecareswhatanyoneelsethinksorfeels.It’sallme,me,meand,ifyouaskme,it’sfuckingsad.”

Speakingcelebrityfeuding,thereisonesongwhereMar4ntakesapublicfiguretotask.“God’sGiJ”wasinspiredbyKanyeWest.“It’satotalslapathim.Whendoessomeonesay‘Youactuallyaren’tthatgood?’Somehowtheworldjustseemstokeepblowingsmokeuphisass.”Anothercontroversialsubjectis“I’veGotAGun,”“inspiredbytheconstantsmallmindednessofpeoplewhothinkyou’retryingtotaketheirgunsawayfromthem.Ifyouknowanythingaboutmeasaperson,youknowthatI’mhighlypoli4cal;youknowthatI’mafirmbelieverinpeople’srights100%andIdon’tbelievethatanyoneshouldtakeyourgunsfromyou.I’msayingisguncontrolisanissueandthesemassshoo4ngsneedtostopandthat’stheapproachofthesong.”Musically,DisappearinginAirportsisasheadyasitislyrically.Andvisually:thealbumcoverisbyanar4st-friendofMar4n’s,ScoNFisher,whopassedawayduringthealbumprocess.“Ihadaskedhimpainttheartworkforthealbum,andthepain4nghedidforusis4tled“DisappearingInAirports,”hencethealbum4tle.Thepain4ngrepresentedthesongsthathe’dhearfromouralbum,soit’sreallyaboutwhathisemo4onswerehowthesongshadaffectedhim,sothat’showitrepresentstherecord.”“Supernova”isalove(sex!)songforMar4n’swifeandit’scontrastedwith“AliveatLast,”which“isaboutthatlastbreath,aboutthepeoplewhoarestruggling,whetherit’swithterminalcancerorsomethingthat’sdestroyingthem.It’saliNlebitexisten4al.”Mar4nfoundthecrea4veprocessverytherapeu4cthisgo-round;withouttwooriginalmembers,hesays,“therewasmorefreedomformetoexpressmyself.”Thatsaid,itwasn’talwayseasy,butthat’swhatgivesDisappearinginAirportssomuchofitspower.“I’msayingalotofthingsthatI’veneversaidbefore,andthat’sliNlebitofachallengeforme.IremembertellingCarsonthatIwasn’tcomfortablesingingsomethings,buthesaid,‘That’sgood,beuncomfortable.’”Ul4mately,whileDisappearingInAirportsisclearlyCandlebox,Mar4nobservesthattherecord,comparedtoitspredecessoris“bankedrightturn;Idon’tthinkit’s90degreesbutwearetakingchances.You’vegottopushyourselfoutsideofthatcomfortzone.Youhavetodothatasamusician,orinanycrea4veelementofyourlife,”Mar4nbelieves.“That’swhatwedidwiththisrecord,andIknewtheseguyswouldgowithmeandwouldtakemewhereIwantedtogomusically.Wecanreachasfaraswewant.”1/15