Kevin Martin Possibility Of Being CD

Candlebox was a chart smash during grunge's mid-'90s reign, and frontman Kevin Martin was partly the reason why. He was an intense performer, and vocally he was tough, raw, and convincing. Five years after his band released Happy Pills, Martin resurfaced with a slick, mature album without his Candlebox mates. The Possibility of Being marks the solo debut for him and his band, the Hiwatts, and the signature edge that made his previous band so popular is sharp and ready. This album is confident, showcasing Martin's natural talent as a singer and as a songwriter while he speaks to the kids of Generation Y and beyond ("Amedia"). His lyrics yearn to identify with their personal struggles with social conformity ("Restless") and isolation ("Enemy"). Martin also spouts off at the industry with a sultry, glammed-up rock cut ("Telepathic Rock & Roll"). He screams like Steven Tyler and it works; however, the overall rock vibe sauntering on The Possibility of Being doesn't exactly break away sonically from Martin's work with Candlebox. Their ambition to make a strict rock record is true, but The Possibility of Being falls in between Creed's and Live's rock & roll furor, post-Throwing Copper. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it's already been done. ~ MacKenzie Wilson

As frontman of his first band Candlebox, Kevin Martin sold over 5 million records. The group catapulted him to the top of the modern-rock ranks spawning the mega-hits "Far Behind" and "You". Headlining arena tours and the critically acclaimed albums, 1995's Lucy and 1998's Happy Pills followed. Now, Martin has stepped into a new realm by recording his first solo album "The Possibility of Being." "The Possibility Of Being" is a solo album...and it isn't. Martin had several songwriting collaborators: Hole guitarist Eric Erlandson, onetime Rob Rule guitarist/Candlebox touring guitarist Robbie Allen, Colin Duchin, Bottlefly's Colin Lizzard, Mark Arnell and Danny Martin. The album resonates with that distinct band-y feel. But the project is very much Martin's: He co-wrote and arranged all 11 tracks. In fact, he co-produced them, along with Candlebox producer Kelly Gray. Martin says, "I told Kelly, "These are the songs I have. This is the direction I'm going. These are the melodies I want. This is how big I want it to sound, because this is how I feel right now, full of angst, aggression, emotion, and compassion."The "Possibility Of Being" is pure, uncut rock 'n' roll in the truest sense of the term. But it's a textured collection, and Martin makes clear that each song is attacked and caressed in a different way, so the lyrics and the voice are what really cohere the album. "Lyrics and melody have always been important to me," says Martin. "That's one of the best ways I communicate."Consider the lyric, "If I could decide on what I've decided/If I could confide in whom I've confided/If I could believe in all I believe in/We deny it all/There's no trust inside," from the album's first single, "If We Could." "The song moves like a wave. It surges in, crashes, and then pulls back," Martin says. "The song is about readjusted beliefs. It deals with humanity, being humane to one another. Asking yourself, "What am I doing here? What is life all about for me?"Martin spent the better part of two years writing the songs that would become "The Possibility of Being." The album comes complete with instant young lover's evergreens like "Walk Away" and "The Lovers" and rock anthems such as "Telepathic Rock & Roll," which pays homage to many of Martin's heroes; "Enemy," a cut that opens with Peter Fonda saying "What we need is a real uprising" into a melee of judgmental ridicule; and "Identify" which recalls Martin's punk-rock roots.

Kevin Martin And The HiWatts: Kevin Martin, Colin Duchin, Robbie Allen.

Personnel: Dean Butterworth (vocals); Peter Fonda (spoken vocals); Damon Johnson, Robbie Allen, Kelleye Grey (background vocals).

Audio Mixers: Kelleye Grey; Rick Parashar.

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