Incubus burst onto the popular music scene nearly two years ago with its third album, "Make Yourself." Because of its timing, the band was unfairly categorized into the trend of the time, the whole nu-metal/rap-metal movement. This is very perplexing, considering the band has never rapped, though it does have a DJ, and is hardly heavy enough to even be considered metal at all.
The first single from that album, the power chord-driven "Pardon Me," was met with a mediocre response from fans and sparse radio airplay. As a bit of an accident, Incubus recorded an acoustic version of the song, which was blown up all over the place, and ended up becoming a single in itself. The two following singles, "Stellar" and "Drive," followed the trend of turning down the volume and slowing it down a bit. Due to the success of these songs, "Make Yourself" went multi-platinum. Band members also developed a reputation for being the emotional, sensitive guys of metal.
Incubus' new album, "Morning View," picks up right where "Make Yourself"left off. The opening track, "Nice to Know You," could have fit right in on the last album. It starts out heavy, then gets melodic during the verses and pre-chorus, and then loud and powerful again for the chorus. After this and the next track, the even heavier "Circles," you would think that you might be in for a full album of power chords, funky bass riffs and DJ scratches. And if this is what you expect, you will be gravely disappointed.
On the next track, the album's first single "Wish You Were Here" (completely unrelated to the Pink Floyd song of the same name), the band decides to turn down the amps and pick up acoustic guitars. It's a sign of things to come. This song conjures images of beaches and star-lit skies and shows us the sensitive boys of Incubus are back for good. It is perhaps the album's strongest track and opens the door for the rest of the album.
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"Just a Phase" slows it down another notch with more acoustic guitars, DJ scratching effects that create a spacy atmosphere and even a string section that adds an extra layer of warmth to the song. "11 AM" shows that singer Brandon Boyd isn't afraid to show his sensitive side with lyrics like, "Forgive my indecision, I am only a man." And in the down-tempo "Mexico" we don't hear the faintest sound of bass, drums or a DJ, only Boyd and Michael Einziger strumming on his acoustic guitar. Boyd stretches into his vocal range to hit some obligatory sensitive-guy high notes in this one.
The power returns in "Blood on the Ground." The song plays on the fast-slow-fast element they know so well but changes it up a little as the verses build in aggression towards the chorus. Other heavier songs, however, like "Have You Ever" and "Under My Umbrella," seem almost out of place, stuck randomly in between more emotional, slower songs.
"Echo," another of the album's strongest songs, summons memories of "Stellar" with a more Middle Eastern feel to it. It's very melodic throughout both the verses and chorus and never has to delve into power-chord territory to let us feel the emotion.
"Morning View" is an album of a group growing up and moving away from its roots. Incubus hasn't quite figured it all out yet, as there are still a few songs that are basically filler, but from start to finish it's a much stronger album than "Make Yourself." The band members have found what works for them and have done it well, seldom venturing into new territory.
The album's crown jewel is its final track, "Aqueous Transmission," which is possibly a sign of things to come for the band. It is completely different than the rest of the album and uses a mandolin, a woodwinds section and strings, which combine seamlessly to give it an oriental feel. The song is also the album's most emotional - it's the perfect way to end.
The members of Incubus have further established themselves as the sensitive guys of metal with this album, and maybe next time around they will be able to shed the metal label completely. They are maturing and becoming a stronger band as they grow older and wiser.
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