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Well it's here, Incubus have spent ages since their 2002 album Morning View (and a hefty amount of time not touring either) to work on their new album - A Crow Left Of The Murder. it was released on Monday but I've waited till now to comment so that more peoplw will have heard it and I have had time for a decent listen.
Upon a first listen, I was mortified - this isn't Incubus! Or at least not Incubus as we know them...the tightly crafted beats and awesomely heavy riffs of Make Yourself and to a lesser extent Morning View are gone. With the removal of Dirk Lance from the band, it seems all their drive and passion to make really energetic tracks is gone. The new bassist, Ben Kenney, is hardly a replacement for Dirk and although a competent player, it seems that that without a strong partner the drums have languished into rock-beat territory and Mike (guitar) is left fending for himself.
Whats most striking about this album is its resemblance to alot of other albums recently out - Something rather odd considering the band has always been refreshingly non-corporate. Unfortunately Crow is verging in the punk/indie territory, with pacey rock beats and Boyd often venturing into Muse-style falsetto vocals.
Einziger's guitar work is as always interesting to listen to and at times inspired - however still lacking. The sparseness of verse sections is still top notch and easily on par with previous work but songs lack any sense of dynamics or real progression.
This album is certainly not a bad album - any Incubus fan like myself will have already bought it, been initially disappointed, and then have discovered the 4 or 5 awesome tracks on there. The others range between average and poor - if you're looking for the heavier side of Incubus that is. People just happy with the angelic vocals of Boyd and crazy riffs of Einziger will be satisfied - just don't expect any funk breakdowns or hardcore mosh-riffs. You'll be found wanting.
Upon a first listen, I was mortified - this isn't Incubus! Or at least not Incubus as we know them...the tightly crafted beats and awesomely heavy riffs of Make Yourself and to a lesser extent Morning View are gone. With the removal of Dirk Lance from the band, it seems all their drive and passion to make really energetic tracks is gone. The new bassist, Ben Kenney, is hardly a replacement for Dirk and although a competent player, it seems that that without a strong partner the drums have languished into rock-beat territory and Mike (guitar) is left fending for himself.
Whats most striking about this album is its resemblance to alot of other albums recently out - Something rather odd considering the band has always been refreshingly non-corporate. Unfortunately Crow is verging in the punk/indie territory, with pacey rock beats and Boyd often venturing into Muse-style falsetto vocals.
Einziger's guitar work is as always interesting to listen to and at times inspired - however still lacking. The sparseness of verse sections is still top notch and easily on par with previous work but songs lack any sense of dynamics or real progression.
This album is certainly not a bad album - any Incubus fan like myself will have already bought it, been initially disappointed, and then have discovered the 4 or 5 awesome tracks on there. The others range between average and poor - if you're looking for the heavier side of Incubus that is. People just happy with the angelic vocals of Boyd and crazy riffs of Einziger will be satisfied - just don't expect any funk breakdowns or hardcore mosh-riffs. You'll be found wanting.
Incubus aren't bad, but seem a bit repetitive. I really liked Are You in but that Privelidge song is irritating beyond belief. The new song ain't bad.
Flea was also in the Big Lebowski, as a German.
Flea was also in the Big Lebowski, as a German.
Their oddity comes from the fact that they are all completely self-taught - leading to some awesome self-stylisation. This album is definitely growing on me.
Incubus are odd. Make extremely catchy songs, yet aren't really all that brilliant.
I had included `Enjoy Incubus´, but that still only made it 6 (I completely forgot about `When Incubus Attacks´, you see).
I still wouldn't count them as "proper" albums, though. After all, unlike Fungus Amongus-to-A Crow Left of Murder, these "one-off's" are just a compliation of older and acoustic tracks, with only one-or-two 'new' ones.
However, you can't really blame them for looking at it partialy-blind. After all, what do they really know about this "new" band (...that's been together since 1991!)??
Incase you're interested, it's Brandon Boyd's...28th Birthday on Sunday (15th), and, apparently, he was envolved in a major car-accident shortly after having recorded `Drive´ (ironicaly!). He's also got a younger brother who's in a band with Mike's younger siblings (`Audiovent´ - ?) and he's the son of actor Chuck Boyd ("Reporter" in Predator II).
It's surprising what a little reading on IMDb can tell you. :)
Also, Red Hot Chili Peppers' Anthony Kiedis [I always though there was an `l´ in there...?] was an actor ("Tone") in Point Break, and Flea does little-kiddy voices in the Rugrats and stuff! :D
I still wouldn't count them as "proper" albums, though. After all, unlike Fungus Amongus-to-A Crow Left of Murder, these "one-off's" are just a compliation of older and acoustic tracks, with only one-or-two 'new' ones.
However, you can't really blame them for looking at it partialy-blind. After all, what do they really know about this "new" band (...that's been together since 1991!)??
Incase you're interested, it's Brandon Boyd's...28th Birthday on Sunday (15th), and, apparently, he was envolved in a major car-accident shortly after having recorded `Drive´ (ironicaly!). He's also got a younger brother who's in a band with Mike's younger siblings (`Audiovent´ - ?) and he's the son of actor Chuck Boyd ("Reporter" in Predator II).
It's surprising what a little reading on IMDb can tell you. :)
Also, Red Hot Chili Peppers' Anthony Kiedis [I always though there was an `l´ in there...?] was an actor ("Tone") in Point Break, and Flea does little-kiddy voices in the Rugrats and stuff! :D
well there's been...
Fungus Amongus
Enjoy Incubus
Science
Make Yourself
When Incubus Attacks
Morning View
A Crow Left Of The Murder
so that's 7. dunno about counting Enjoy Incubus and When Incubus Attacks but the clever boffins at TOTP must have just checked out the incubus-online website.
Fungus Amongus
Enjoy Incubus
Science
Make Yourself
When Incubus Attacks
Morning View
A Crow Left Of The Murder
so that's 7. dunno about counting Enjoy Incubus and When Incubus Attacks but the clever boffins at TOTP must have just checked out the incubus-online website.
Paradox: wrote:
> Stupid album name though.
not really.
> Stupid album name though.
not really.
Heh. Morning View was released THREE-years-ago, back in 2001 (not '02).
As a big incubus fan, however, I still haven't got this album yet. I haven't been expecting anything `big´ or `special´ after the way their last album went (and, how the music industry itself goes today), and Megalomaniac (althought I think it's "alright") hasn't really done much to change that.
Fungus Amongus, S.C.I.E.N.C.E. and Make Yourself are 3 albums they will ever be able to better - especially without Dirk Lance, now. That's just something we'll have to accept. Morning View was never gonna do it, and, it didn't.
Like all bands at this stage in their careers, incubus have grown away from their "roots", and, as much as they may like to be able to still `do what they want´ with their music, that just isn't happening anymore (perhaps, because, like all bands at this stage, they've realised there's a lot of money to be made...??)
Did you see them perform Megalomaniac on Top of the Pops last-Friday?
I, like many "incu-fans", hate to see them submitted to so-much publicity and crap - but, Brandon Boyd didn't look too happy at the end of it, either. The song ends, and, instead or saying a "Thank you, guys!" like he normally would, he just looked REALLY P'd-off with what he'd just done.
Now, maybe this is down to some new "image" the band have been asked to set of themselves by their record lable, or, perhaps he's just had a bad day... However, that gave me the impression he's non-too-happy with this new direction the band are taking.
Whatever... I'll be sure to pick-up `A Crow Left of Murder´ within the next 2-weeks - you can bet on it. :)
I just think we could be very close to `The End´ for Incubus, with this as one of their last - if not THE last - albums they release.
(Oh, and how do those Muppets at Top of the Pops work this out to be the 7th album they've relased, when clearly, it's only No.5 - or, even, only 6th, including `Enjoy Incubus´?!)
As a big incubus fan, however, I still haven't got this album yet. I haven't been expecting anything `big´ or `special´ after the way their last album went (and, how the music industry itself goes today), and Megalomaniac (althought I think it's "alright") hasn't really done much to change that.
Fungus Amongus, S.C.I.E.N.C.E. and Make Yourself are 3 albums they will ever be able to better - especially without Dirk Lance, now. That's just something we'll have to accept. Morning View was never gonna do it, and, it didn't.
Like all bands at this stage in their careers, incubus have grown away from their "roots", and, as much as they may like to be able to still `do what they want´ with their music, that just isn't happening anymore (perhaps, because, like all bands at this stage, they've realised there's a lot of money to be made...??)
Did you see them perform Megalomaniac on Top of the Pops last-Friday?
I, like many "incu-fans", hate to see them submitted to so-much publicity and crap - but, Brandon Boyd didn't look too happy at the end of it, either. The song ends, and, instead or saying a "Thank you, guys!" like he normally would, he just looked REALLY P'd-off with what he'd just done.
Now, maybe this is down to some new "image" the band have been asked to set of themselves by their record lable, or, perhaps he's just had a bad day... However, that gave me the impression he's non-too-happy with this new direction the band are taking.
Whatever... I'll be sure to pick-up `A Crow Left of Murder´ within the next 2-weeks - you can bet on it. :)
I just think we could be very close to `The End´ for Incubus, with this as one of their last - if not THE last - albums they release.
(Oh, and how do those Muppets at Top of the Pops work this out to be the 7th album they've relased, when clearly, it's only No.5 - or, even, only 6th, including `Enjoy Incubus´?!)
Stupid album name though.
Well it's here, Incubus have spent ages since their 2002 album Morning View (and a hefty amount of time not touring either) to work on their new album - A Crow Left Of The Murder. it was released on Monday but I've waited till now to comment so that more peoplw will have heard it and I have had time for a decent listen.
Upon a first listen, I was mortified - this isn't Incubus! Or at least not Incubus as we know them...the tightly crafted beats and awesomely heavy riffs of Make Yourself and to a lesser extent Morning View are gone. With the removal of Dirk Lance from the band, it seems all their drive and passion to make really energetic tracks is gone. The new bassist, Ben Kenney, is hardly a replacement for Dirk and although a competent player, it seems that that without a strong partner the drums have languished into rock-beat territory and Mike (guitar) is left fending for himself.
Whats most striking about this album is its resemblance to alot of other albums recently out - Something rather odd considering the band has always been refreshingly non-corporate. Unfortunately Crow is verging in the punk/indie territory, with pacey rock beats and Boyd often venturing into Muse-style falsetto vocals.
Einziger's guitar work is as always interesting to listen to and at times inspired - however still lacking. The sparseness of verse sections is still top notch and easily on par with previous work but songs lack any sense of dynamics or real progression.
This album is certainly not a bad album - any Incubus fan like myself will have already bought it, been initially disappointed, and then have discovered the 4 or 5 awesome tracks on there. The others range between average and poor - if you're looking for the heavier side of Incubus that is. People just happy with the angelic vocals of Boyd and crazy riffs of Einziger will be satisfied - just don't expect any funk breakdowns or hardcore mosh-riffs. You'll be found wanting.
Upon a first listen, I was mortified - this isn't Incubus! Or at least not Incubus as we know them...the tightly crafted beats and awesomely heavy riffs of Make Yourself and to a lesser extent Morning View are gone. With the removal of Dirk Lance from the band, it seems all their drive and passion to make really energetic tracks is gone. The new bassist, Ben Kenney, is hardly a replacement for Dirk and although a competent player, it seems that that without a strong partner the drums have languished into rock-beat territory and Mike (guitar) is left fending for himself.
Whats most striking about this album is its resemblance to alot of other albums recently out - Something rather odd considering the band has always been refreshingly non-corporate. Unfortunately Crow is verging in the punk/indie territory, with pacey rock beats and Boyd often venturing into Muse-style falsetto vocals.
Einziger's guitar work is as always interesting to listen to and at times inspired - however still lacking. The sparseness of verse sections is still top notch and easily on par with previous work but songs lack any sense of dynamics or real progression.
This album is certainly not a bad album - any Incubus fan like myself will have already bought it, been initially disappointed, and then have discovered the 4 or 5 awesome tracks on there. The others range between average and poor - if you're looking for the heavier side of Incubus that is. People just happy with the angelic vocals of Boyd and crazy riffs of Einziger will be satisfied - just don't expect any funk breakdowns or hardcore mosh-riffs. You'll be found wanting.