Candy Cigarettes was recorded over two years with the primary Leon III touring ensemble, and was produced by Mark Nevers (Silver Jews, Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy). The band weaves together a rich tapestry of psychedelic exploration, dark pedal steel-laced country and big, anthemic rock.
Leon III is fronted by Andy Stepanian, the creative force behind Howler Brothers, and Mason Brent, the band has quietly cultivated the same kind of authentic, grassroots devotion that transformed the Austin apparel brand into a cultural phenomenon. Like Howler Brothers, Leon III isn't chasing cultural relevance; it's earning it, one listener at a time.
The first sampling of Candy Cigarettes is “Invisible Ink,” out now on DSPs. “Invisible Ink” lumbers in with a slow and lazy groove that recalls JJ Cale. But, about 3/4 of the way through the track, it bursts into one of Leon III’s best-ever bridges with Stepanian crying “don’t break the needle, please don’t take my drugs away.” It’s an earworm and a moment ripe to be revisited.
Candy Cigarettes is full of discoverable moments and needles hidden in the haystack of its layered production. There’s a lot to find. But, there’s also an accessibility and plenty of big sing-along moments that make it perhaps Leon III’s most focused and cohesive effort to date.
About Leon III:
Someone once dubbed Leon III a “southern Pink Floyd.” That’s fair enough - mostly due to the fact that their albums are built for repeated, deep listens and sequenced to reveal themselves over time. But Brent’s lead guitar is more Jimmy Page than Gilmour, prone to unruly dissonance, feedback and, sometimes, unhinged shredding. And Stepanian’s songwriting is more personal, a jigsaw puzzle filled with rich turns of phrase touching on envy, faith, longing, rising up and crashing down.
Leon III’s sound has evolved and sharpened since their 2018 eponymous debut. The first three releases included a rotating cast of players including some megas from the indie world like William Tyler and Matt Pence (Centro-matic, Jason Isbell). But, Leon III has steadily solidified their recording and live show line up over the years and it shows.
This band knows each other well and the result is a spectrum of sound ranging from nuanced and quiet to mind mending. Although there’s psychedelia here, there’s no trace of the aimless wandering or mumbo jumbo sometimes associated with that genre. And, despite some country leanings here and there, the record eschews the cliches and well-worn paths of some of today’s Americana.
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