Matter + Spirit The Candles

Steeped in the evocative, open-road Americana of bands like Gin Blossoms and Whiskeytown, New York City-based alt-rockers the Candles formed in 2009 around frontman Josh Lattanzi. A veteran singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist with a long résumé of collaborations under his belt, including Albert Hammond, Jr., the Lemonheads, and Ben Kweller, Lattanzi was raised on a steady diet of Grateful Dead, Big Star, and Neil Young. The Candles' debut long-player, Between the Sounds, arrived in 2010 on The End Records. The group's sophomore outing, La Candelaria, followed in 2013. In addition to promoting their own records, the Candles showed their versatility acting as both opener and backing band for acts like Alberta Cross, Cory Chisel and the Wandering Sons, and Norah Jones. Jones returned the collaborative favor with a guest vocal on their third album, 2016's impressive Matter + Spirit. ~ James Christopher Monger