Published on Apr 1, 2001
It’s been some time since Incubus appeared on these pages – and
part of that is my fault. Since we reviewed
S.C.I.E.N.C.E., Brandon Boyd and crew have become darlings
of the alternative scene thanks to their hit “Drive” – a song
which, by the way, is deserving of all the attention it’s been
garnering. Meanwhile, my copy of
Make Yourself, the latest full-length release from the band,
has been gathering dust in the Pierce Memorial Archives.
It’s enough to make me want to kick my own ass – especially
after finally getting to this disc and discovering just how
incredible it is.
Take all of the intensity of recent alternative hit groups such
as Limp Bizkit, and filter out much of the rage. Now, combine that
end result with the smooth funk of Red Hot Chili Peppers, then add
on an unidentified floating head which has become the band’s
mascot. (I
still say that looks like Mark Spitz.)
If you think for even a moment that the overall power of the
music and lyrical delivery is diminished by toning down the rage –
well, think again, Lumpy. Boyd and crew seem to realize that their
true power lies in the credo that less is more. Songs such as
“Nowhere Fast,” “Privilege” and “Pardon Me” all are proof of
this.
Yet there is enough raw emotion in the lyrics to set the
speakers ablaze, whether it’s paying attention to everything
happening around you (“Consequence” – sample lyric: “Blink.
Everything’s been augmented, you’ve been left so far behind.”) to
bucking popular thought and being an individual (“When It Comes” –
sample lyric: Just when you thought it was safe to think, in comes
mental piracy! / What I’m looking for cannot be sold to me.”)
A word of caution, though: While I am no advocate of the
“Parental Advisory” sticker, parents should be aware that the
language does get a tad rough, even if it does fit the situation at
times. An example is on the title track: “So when I make me, I
won’t be papier-mache. And if I fuck me… I’ll fuck me in my own
way.” Get past the language use, and the message of shaping
yourself into what you believe in, and not what you’re told you
should be, comes through brighter than a 10,000-watt lightbulb.
The overall benefit that Incubus has on
Make Yourself is that the music not only sounds fresh to the
ears (dipping into the pool of pure rage only once, at the close of
“Out From Under”), but that this disc is genuinely fun to listen
to. If anything, this disc is the proof that Incubus has paid its
dues, and is ready to take the main stage in the public’s eye. Let
there be no doubt;
Make Yourself is a strong statement that shows this band is
ready and able to meet the challenge.