The moment that Incubus first came onto my radar was when I happened to channel surf into their video for the song “Pardon Me,” as it was playing on MTV. For whatever reason, that song just pulled me in and I found myself scouring the local music stores for anything and everything that Incubus had released.
It was a momentary fascination that I’ve never regretted.
Since that idle moment of flipping through channels on my television, a few years have passed. Thankfully, instead of doing the typical “let’s wait 3-4 years between albums” that many bands seem to favor, incubus have been consistently putting out good music.
Since Make Yourself, the album that “Pardon Me” came from, they’ve put out Morning View, A Crow Left of Murder, and their new album, Light Grenades. That’s a respectable bunch of albums right there, I’ll have you know.
Instead of simply keeping to the formula that got them into the mainstream notice, Incubus have had the fortune of being comprised of guys that are stubbornly being true to themselves. They don’t want to put out cookie-cutter albums that all sound alike.
They’ve grown and matured on each record, you see. How many current bands are even given the chance to mature and make their way through what looks to be a long career of making music, these days? How many bands even have the talent to mature like that?
Not many mainstream ones, that’s for sure.
Light Grenades, which is spinning in my stereo as I type this, took me a few listens to get into. I like that. Music should occasionally frustrate and challenge ME to keep up with IT, instead of the other way around. In a way, it is as if Incubus is challenging me to mature along with their music.
Article comments
1 - Joe
This is probably the least informative review of any album I've ever read. I have not heard the new album, but I got this dude's entire personal history with the band before getting to about 2 sentences of "review" about light grenades. And I learned nothing other than "it is beautiful" and "i like every song". I dunno man. If you are trying to experience music in new ways, you have a long way to go. and my friend (who has been a die-hard fan since before SCIENCE [heard of that one?!] and he hates light grenades (and loved a crow)). that is all.
2 - Michael
Yes, I've heard of S.C.I.E.N.C.E. and Enjoy Incubus and Fungus...
You're right, this is more an opinion than a review. For that, I'm sorry.
I did this more like a column than a review, which makes sense since that's where I'm coming from as a writer.
I'm coming at being a member of Blogcritics as a learning experience, so I'm grateful for your honesty.
I will get better at this.
3 - Chris Prescott
not diggin at your review, as im sure its true to your personal tastes, but I feel somewhat different about the record. As a fan since Fungus Amongus I have been happy with every record that has come out of the Incubus camp and the growth they have shown. This however is their worst effort in my opinion, it sounds watered down, the musicians sound like another band impersonating incubus forgettin all the style and panache which makes the band great and Brandons lyrics are some of the worst he has ever written which upsets me, because I think he is the top lyricist in contemporary music.
At worst its ill-inspired and unoriginal, at best it's Incubus by numbers
4 - Stephanie
i love incubus and evrything they have written anyone who doesnt like them is dumb seriously
5 - Nikki
This album has grown on me, but there’s still nothing that particularly grabs my attention on it. It's melancholy, not in a good way... not even in a memorable way... For Incubus, I think it’s below par.
I’m all for bands evolving and maturing, but what was wrong with the sound on Fungus and SCIENCE? There’s still musical maturity on those albums despite how young the band was, they’re different and there’s so much more energy to them. Grenades feels like there’s too much focus on how they sound (which isn't anything special) as opposed to genuinely enjoying the music. Perhaps that’s just me; I’m not a fan of big ballads unless they’re different (A la Crow Left of the Murder, in Incubus’ case.) I really hope Incubus hasn’t permanently battered themselves into this mould; that’d genuinely suck.