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"Incubus" CD Cover Download

Amazon.com Review:

Album Description: Includes an enhanced component.Young, aggro, and from Los Angeles--it's tempting to put Incubus in the already crowded category populated by Korn, System of a Down, and their other loud and heavy brethren. But that would sell Incubus short, because Make Yourself, the quintet's sophomore album, is a strong progression beyond their 1997 debut, S.C.I.E.N.C.E.. More like Faith No More than Limp Bizkit, Incubus still have that teen-mosh appeal, though the songwriting and instrumentation on Make Yourself is diverse and thoughtful, both lyrically and musically. "Drive" is an easygoing, slightly trippy acoustic-based outing, while oddball scratching (courtesy of DJ Chris Kilmore) and trip-hop funkiness make "Battlestar Scralatchtica" aptly titled. "Nowhere Fast" is vaguely 311-ish with a reggae tinge and lovely melodic interludes, in contrast to the furious intensity of "Out from Under," which gives Make Yourself a surprisingly cohesive diversity that's hard to categorize. Ultimately, singer Brandon Boyd is not a vocal genius, but lyrically and in performance, he's sensitive, charismatic, and unique. Ditto for the 13 cuts that make up Make Yourself. --Katherine Turman

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Incubus CD Cover Download

Amazon.com Review: A rare case in which a band actually gets better with time, this California hard rock quintet seems to have finally grown into its skin on its fifth album. Casting off the dated slap-bass funk and pointless nu-metal angst of its early years (well, mostly), Light Grenades is not only a worthwhile follow-up to 2003's A Crow Left of the Murder--the expansive disc many fans consider Incubus's best--but shows improvements all around. Singer Brandon Boyd has learned to temper the words he plucks out of the thesaurus with genuine heartbreak, while the rest of the group proves it can do a lot more than offer up nonstop grooves. --Aidin Vaziri

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Incubus CD Cover Download

Amazon.com Review: Though Morning View follows hot on the heels of Incubus's breakthrough single, "Drive," it doesn't feel rushed. After all, their previous album, Make Yourself, was released nearly two years ago. Like fellow Los Angeles metal pioneers System of a Down, Incubus find themselves lumped in with the nu-metal fraternity merely because they're young(ish), angry, and very loud. That's more than a little unfair, because their sound owes more to the clever and creative funk-metal of Faith No More and the Red Hot Chili Peppers than the faux-rap posturing of Limp Bizkit. In fact, songs like "Nice to Know You," "Circles," and the excellent "Blood on the Ground" display real maturity. But that's not all that sets Incubus apart: on "I Wish You Were Here," "Just a Phase," "11 a.m.," and "Mexico," they show an uncharacteristic willingness to tread softly, using acoustic guitars and touches of strings to make less noise, but more impact. Some could call it selling out, but it sounds more like growing up. Morning View is a leap forward for a band that continues to get better with each release. --Robert Burrow