The Down Lizzo:
After a FIVE YEAR hiatus, alternative rock / funk metal / nu metal band Incubus are BACK! That’s right! Incubus! Y’know, the guys who wrote “Drive†back when we were all in highschool and then released a slew of critically and commercially successful albums?
Hello? (Is this thing on…?)
Sick Tracks
They’re all pretty sick if you’re talking about the traditional interpretation of the word, like that pale kid at school with the dark circles under his eyes who looked like he might ralph at any given moment. Oh wait, I think I’m confusing my life with the Simpsons…
Where was I? Oh yeah, new Incubus album review (*sigh).
Look, it’s not a bad album, it’s just a little limp noodley and lacking the oompf that made their previous albums great.
“Promises, Promises†is a really likeable song, totally non-threatening, radio-friendly and reminiscent of “Southern Girl†from A Crow Left Of The Murder. The dominant instrument on the track is the piano played by DJ Kilmore (the dude who used to rock the decks in previous incarnations of this band).
“Isadore†is also a solid track, carefully written and arranged it’s hard to fault it except it’s basically the same chord progression from “Talk Shows On Mute†(also from A Crow Left Of The Murder), only picked instead of strummed and frontman Brandon Boyd’s vocal melody is also strikingly similar.
The album changes pace abruptly near the end, like the band has suddenly woken up from a nice afternoon nap and remembered they’re fucking Incubus dude!
Halfway through “In The Company Of Wolves†things take an awesome turn for the darker and the mood of the album changes from happy-go-lucky summer picnic to, quick get the kids in the car! An asylum escapee is coming at us with a weird grin and a threatening erection.
“Switchblade†follows soon after, a throw-back to the powerful album that was Light Grenades and right after that, “Adolescents†(the first single off the album) kicks in to remind us that there was a time when this band used to rock out, unashamedly, and they were great at it.
Should You Give A Shit?
I guess so, I’m not sure. It could be that this album is a “growerâ€, it’s certainly gotten better with every listen that I’ve given it, but like I said at the beginning, it’s very tame for Incubus which I found disappointing.
Just take it for what it is, a collection of mostly easy-breezy, mature and thoughtful songs and you’ll probably enjoy it. I just don’t feel like I’m ready to get this old yet, but maybe once I have children of my own and I’m looking for something to put them to sleep to, I’ll revaluate my opinion of If Not Now, When?
Here’s “Patience, Patience†in the meantime.
Final verdict: 6/10
-ST
