Incubus - Light Grenades
Rating
RIYL
Jane's AddictionRed Hot Chili Peppers
Deftones
Foo Fighters
Dredg
Tracklist
1. Quicksand2. Kiss to Send Us Off
3. Dig
4. Anna Molly
5. Love Hurts
6. Light Grenades
7. Earth to Bella, Pt. 1
8. Oil and Water
9. Diamonds and Coal
10. Rogues
11. Paper Shoes
12. Pendulous Threads
13. Earth to Bella, Pt. 2
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Throughout their decade-plus of existence and album releases, Incubus has been a tough band to put a muzzle on. They are shape-shifters of rock n roll, refusing to write the same album twice, even if they might occasionally write the same song more than once. Each album is a new beginning and with new beginnings comes a new understanding of the band. They've morphed from funk-metal to melodic rock to absurdest and now, with Light Grenades, may finally have found their resting place somewhere in the middle of it all. Nearly every track found here is a musically subdued, slow-moving, emotionally captivating piece of work, which makes their harder-rocking moments stand out like sore, albeit highly welcome, thumbs. Naturally, the reliance on more gentle material may have the pundits yelling, louder than ever, that the band has gone soft, sold out, lost their political focus, and will never be quite right ever again.
These people are forgetting one very important, elementary fact: Each and every Incubus album has been a bit of a grower, some taking longer than others to gain acceptance by Incubus fans. Most of this lies in their constant change of sound, their need to experiment with who they are and how this allows them to create songs. Of course, because Light Grenades is easily their blandest-sounding record to date, a lot of blame for the negative aspects of their latest metamorphosis will lie on their newest member, Ben Kenney. The distinct lack of funk and heft to his basslines was sure to have an effect on the group's sound. It's hard to imaging Light Grenades ever sounding like this or even being written if Dirk Lance had not left the fold.
Fortunately, the last two albums have flashed the resurgence of Mike Einziger, guitar Gideon, god of the Gonkulator (which makes its strongest showing in ages on "Pendulous Threads," easily the most rocking and most Incubus track on the album). He's somehow found a way to write parts that are both easily digested and highly intelligent. Brandon Boyd may finally have found his true singing voice, as he sounds even more assured than he ever has and his lyricism is as strong as ever, even if it does tend toward a more relationship-based narrative than ever before. Even Jose Pasilla's drumming is still fairly remarkable when the band lets him cut loose.
Herein, we have what makes Light Grenades such a puzzle. Individual performances throughout the album may be among the best ever displayed by the members of Incubus, but Light Grenades, because of its very soft and fragile framework, just doesn't feel like a true Incubus record and is far too mellow to really let the performances take a hold of the listener. The easy conclusion that can be drawn from the album is that Incubus has finally released a truly disappointing album. Everyone's done their best, but in a format that does not amply display such talents. It's a solid slow-churning rock album, to be sure, but it could have been so much more. Keep in mind, however, that Incubus is a band that has always needed time to grow, needed to be nurtured by its listener, and that, oftentimes, the things that grow the slowest end up being the most grand. What the future holds for Incubus in general, and Light Grenades in particular, is yet to be seen. Kindling or mighty elm, it is too early to tell. All we can do is look, listen, and wrestle with what we really do wish to divine from a band of Incubus's nature.
--Ben Rice
Comments
AZ
www.myspace.com/arcoftheaurora
nj
Olathe, Kansas
"These are our lives, but did they ever even matter - are we worth remembering?"
- "Tip The Scales"
Rise Against
Dallas, Texas
Science - Classic
Make Yourself - Good
Morning View - Abysmal
Crow - Fair
Light Grenades - Bad
My, how the mighty have fallen. Accurate comparisons in the review though. I wondered if I was just nuts for thinking that Anna Molly is just a gay version of a Dredg song.
East Lansing, MI
God what I wouldn't give.
There are about 5 killer songs for me on this album, and the rest doesn't really do much for me, which breaks my heart. Would it kill them to play a little slap bass, or throw a scream in once or twice for old time sake?
Boca Raton,FL
blockbuster
Maine
Fort Bragg, CA
Austin
The Daily Galaxy
An elephant that never forgets...to kill!
memphis
Florida, USA
East Lansing, MI
Olathe, Kansas
Austin
what do you have against incubus, did they rape you or something?
The Daily Galaxy
An elephant that never forgets...to kill!
Fort Bragg, CA
This has more instrumental bands than pop. And if you're so anti-pop and you think this is a pop site, why the hell do you even post here?
It's blowin' cool outside today...