Customer Reviews

Lucy

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

First off, Candlebox were one of the most under-rated bands in the 90's. And this is one of the best albums of the 90's. Unjustly labeled post-grunge, Candlebox definately have their own distinct sound.

Now on to the album. The first track, Simple Lessons is rockin' and reminiscent of their debut but that's where the similarities stop. This is an album you have to listen to all the way through a couple times to appreciate it, but when you do it is definately worth it. My favorite song is Butterfly. It is one of the most beautiful songs I've ever head. That song has to have the most breathtaking chorus I've ever heard. The Reprise version is similarly great and a little more trippy. Other great rock songs include Drowned, Best Friend, and It's Amazing. Some mellower, but equally enjoyable songs include Lucy, Become (To Tell), and Vulgar Before Me. If you like their debut because of Kevin Martin's voice, you won't be disappointed. He sounds better than ever.

At a time when grunge was certainly in decline, and hard rock/heavy metal acts like Korn, Pantera, etc, were growing in popularity, Candlebox was unfairly neglected by radio, music lovers, and MTV. Despite the hugely successful self titled release two years prior, lucy was discarded by everybody as soon as it was released. And it was their finest work.

Many people complain that Candlebox didn't have a "defined" sound, which was perfectly reflected in lucy. I disagree with those people who see a dramatic shift between the band's first and second albums, but I suppose that is mainly subjective. Lyrically, lucy is simple; Kevin Martin chooses rhyming over substance in many songs, which is fine for the time period when everything was so serious and bleak. I don't see the overall bleakness of lucy like others, although uplifting is not a word one would use for the album or the band itself.

Musically, lucy is defined by the standouts: Simple Lessons, Understanding, and Butterfly (Reprise). Not the radio friendly music the self titled release contained, musically lucy is more "in your face" and raw. Combined with Martin's emotional yet simple lyrics, lucy is a powerful album. Unfortunately the emotion and power was lost on a generation of confused music listeners and has fallen into oblivion. But this is definitely an album worth buying if you're a fan of the first Candlebox album, Our Lady Peace, or Seven Mary Three.

This album is great in the form that it's mellow; a nice change. I thought this album sucked until I actually listened to it. Kevin Martin is by far the best lyricist out of the 90's. The best songs on this album are"Simple Lessons," "Drowned," "Lucy," and "Vulgar Before Me." If anyone thinks Candlebox have lost their edge, they're wrong!! In the words of Peter Klett:"We can be mellow, but we can also rip their faces off."

Candlebox unfortunately is one of those groups that continue to make excellent music after achieving success, but people almost refuse to embrace it. This almost always happens when the band decides to venture into a wider eray of sound. No one likes change, especially not in music. Its really sad that if a band wants to change with the weather of there life they are crucified. Lucy shows a bit more of an introspective, and more melodic-funky Candlebox. I'm sure many ignorant metal heads in the stew of gnashing teeth hate this album. Especially in comparison to the hard edged first album. But I take both of these albums to heart. This album finds you being compelled more emotionally while still riding the groove of thumping bass and crunching guitar. Yes, its a more subdued album. But music goes with emotion, and this is just how they felt at the time. Congrats guys, do what you love, despite your popularity, just do what you love. Because there are many of us who also love it.

I won't agree with the reviews that call this "bad music" -- however, it is very sullen and wistful. It doesn't convey a mood you want to put yourself in very often, and I think that's part of why this album seems less popular than thier others, and the singles from it have faded from radio airplay.

I think tracks #5 "Become (To Tell)" and #8 "Bothered" to me are the standouts. Crunchy, locomotive hard rock, with heavy 1970s-style distortion that you just don't hear musicians attempt much anymore. Get that air guitar out when you play these!

But overall, it's an album for fans that want to spend time investigating Candlebox... It takes effort to like this CD.

This is not a review of the original release of this album but rather the remaster.
I'm posting this review because I searched high and low but could not find a single comparison between the original and remastered versions.
I'd hate to say this but the remaster adds hardly anything new to the album. The volume is actually a tad *quieter* than the original. The only difference you can hear is an extremely minor boost of the bass/low-end.
To summarize, don't bother with the remaster as it's just a waste of money.

This album nearly spelled the end of this 90s style metal outfit, though it's hard to see why. They still make hooky, radio friendly hard rock in the style of Alice In Chains or Soundgarden, and there is no real change in style or tone from their well respected debut. Maybe the label just printed too many copies or maybe their day had passed, rap metal a seems to have sucked up all the teenage rebellion boys not worshiping Snoop Doggy Dog Dog Dog. Fans will not be disappointed. All the tracks are fine, I especially liked `Simple Lessons' `Become (To Tell) and `Drowned'.

This, much like all of Candlebox's CDs is great. Although this is their most different album, it's still good. The lyrics, music, everything just comes together really well. Candlebox is my favorite band, they are awesome.

Lucy is nothing like the Debut from Candlebox. It is a "slow burn", one of those albums that slowly grows on you. It will not knock you on your butt the first time you hear it but when given the chance, Lucy find it's way in to your Cd player much more often than you'd expect. Songs like "Lucy", "It's Amazing", and "Vulgar Before Me" are some of the best Candlebox has ever written!

Lucy was, quite simply, Candlebox's best effort. While the band was never able to capture a signature sound, the various mixtures they created on here were pretty enjoyable.

Lyrically and vocally, this was Kevin Martin's best album. While "Vulgar Before Me" and "Best Friend" (which I'm assuming is something of a joke song written for his dog) are somewhat weak, the rest of the album shows Martin at the pinnicle of his ability with Candlebox. While he's no Maynard James Keenan lyrically, he's far better than the uninspired, high school angst poetry filling the airwaves today. Vocally, he sounds like a combination of Chris Robinson and Vince Neil but in a way that actually sounds good.

The guitar work of Peter Klett is a bit of a mixed bag in this one. On the one hand, his overall melodic and harmonic structures are better than those in the self-titled album, but his solos aren't as strong. Ultimately, though, it seems as if his shift in priorities tightened up the majority of the songs.

Bardi Martin's playing got a bit better with this one, but Scott Mercado is still barely adequate.

For the album itself, "Simple Lessons" is a better beginning than "Don't You" was, but I feel it's a bit overrated. "Drowning" and "Lucy" both show off the band's ability to make sound straight ahead rock songs. "Best Friend" is a hell of a tribute to man's best friend. My favorite song on the album would have to be "Become (To Tell)." It is as about as close to pure grunge as Candlebox ever ventured. It's very well done. Finally, "Butterfly" and its reprise seem to be Candlebox's "Silent Lucidity." Compared to everything else they've done, those two songs are epic in scope and showcase the band's more artistic side.

While this album won't blow you away, it is a good effort by a band whose sound is rooted more in the 70's and 80's than in the grunge scene of the 90's. I recommend it.