ALBUM REVIEW: INCUBUS "MORNING VIEW"

Album Review: Incubus, "Morning View"

I purchased this album on impulse. It was a nice sunny day last October, the campus street fair was going on, and I had the idea of buying a CD just for the fun of it. I'd heard a lot about Incubus, and I'd heard many of the songs on this album, and I knew how good it was. Incubus is such a great band, and Brandon Boyd is such a great lyricist. He's almost a newer, cleaner version of Jim Morrison. Anyhow, I made the decision to buy the CD, and I simply went out and did it! I love this album, and I love Incubus. So here's my review of "Morning View"!!!

1) Nice to Know You
A rockin' track, and a great way to open the album. It starts out very mellow and weird, and then the heavy guitars kick in!! The lyrics are so poetic - "perspective prys your once weighty eyes and it gives you wings" etc. I love how this track moves from heavy to mellow and back to heavy again in the chorus. Another thing I like is the drumming!! Pay close attention to the drumming. Also, the cool DJ effects add a lot of atmosphere. Great acoustic-sounding guitars right before the chorus too. So yeah, there is a lot I like about this song!

2) Circles
Again, great lyrics. I'll try to NOT use that phrase too much from now on, because each song (well, maybe with the exception of "Are You In?") has very interesting and thoughful lyrics. Musically, this is one of the harder tracks on the album. Brandon really screams on the chorus. You can definitely hear the anger in his voice. He has a very unique voice, and I don't know how else to describe it. In time, his voice will be as recognizable as the voices of Tom Petty or Steven Tyler. Overall, this is just a great song to yell with and let out steam. The highlight for me here is the "round and round and round and ROUND!" that Brandon does to end the track. Very intense. Also, look out for the little whistle effect with the turntables in the slower part of song. This CD has a LOT of Asian influences, and I like that.

3) Wish You Were Here
VERY descriptive lyrics, Brandon!! This song has kind of a hard yet upbeat feel too it, which somehow gets across the whole feeling of exctacy that Brandon is feeling in the lyrics. Nice turntable work on this song, and again with the drums!! Drums really add a lot to a song, even though most of the time we never really notice unless we are drummers ourselves. This isn't a very long song either, and it was released as a single. In fact, I think it might have been the first single off "Morning View," but I'm not sure. Good stuff!!

4) Just a Phase
This is the complex kind of stuff that only a band like Incubus can make!! It starts off very soft, with gentle guitars and turntable (if a turntable can indeed be gentle), and builds up with Brandon moaning. Then we get into the actual song, with lyrics that make me think Brandon was writing about the boy band phenomenon! ("Now my only consolation is that this could not last forever even though you're singing and thinking how well you've got it made"). Interesting considering some Incubus fans were strongly against Incubus' MTV success - "selling out", ya know. One thing I like about this is how MOST of the song is soft, but it has its powerful, loud moments. In contrast to "Wish You Were Here," which is only three and a half minutes long, this one is FIVE and a half minutes long!! But it works.

5) 11:00 am
As far as I can tell, this is a song about a guy who breaks up with his girlfriend and then has doubts about it in the morning. "Forgive my indecision," he pleads to whoever will listen. Now, of course, this is just MY interpretation, and Brandon could have indeed been writing about garbage for all I know!! But that's what I love about these songs - they can mean whatever you want them to mean. This song is very melodic, very emotional. It makes you think, if you spend the time and listen to what the song is saying.

6) Blood on the Ground
Probably one of the angriest, hardest songs on the whole album. Brandon has a way of expressing rage in lyrics that few other lyricists have. I'm not sure what else to say about this song, except it ROCKS and has its softer, melodic moments but overall has a lot of rage. I must also say that Brandon's singing style is VERY unique, he can do many many things with his voice. Rap, scream, croon, and so much more. Wonderful!

7) Mexico
A nice, soft, acoustic song right in the middle of the album. Powerful, biting lyrics by Brandon in a setting that hardly seems appropriate for them. Still, this is a very relaxing song that, like all other Incubus songs, makes you think. It's a simple song, so I don't have too much to say about it other than I like it.

8) Warning
Nice guitar work on this one, and lyrics about not letting life pass you by. This isn't one of my favorites on the album, sort of average. But it works, and the lyrics have meaning. Again, Brandon's unique way of singing makes the lyrics even better. He doesn't just sing a song and that's it, he plays around with the sounds and words.

9) Echo
A soft, romantic song with awesome guitar work, especially at the beginning. Like in Circles, we get some of that Asian influence on the guitar. This is a low key song with laid back singing by Brandon. The lyrics are just SO romantic. This is a perfect song to sing to a loved one. The highlight of this song for me is the guitar playing, so memorable.

10) Have You Ever
A hard rocking song with inventive guitar work. This is one of Brandon's "screaming" songs, a real rocker. The lyrics are pretty good, although sometimes a bit hard to understand. I just LOVE the guitar here (yes I know I keep repeating that). I can only describe it as vaguely Country-Western themed.

11) Are You In?
If Incubus was around in the funk-era 1970s, this is what they'd sound like. It starts out very ambient, then kicks in with some cool drums, and a killer bassline to boot. VERY smooth, relaxed track. The lyrics, for once, aren't very much. "It's so much better when everyone is in, are you in?" Also included is some addictive clapping, which will make YOU want to clap along too! I love this song!!

12) Under My Umbrella
Probably one of the harder-rocking songs on the entire album. Very tight drumming on this track, to start off. Brandon singing softly in the verses, and then SCREAMING in the chorus. This is a song full of anger and rage, like a lot of Brandon's songs. I love the power in this song, and it's just a great track to rock out to. It's very strong and hard.

13) Aqueous Transmission
You will not hear a more unique rock song EVER! This song is blatantly Asian-influenced, with a very nice guitar-like instrument and some cool flutes in the background. We also have a string orchestra! Brandon's singing is very laid back and relaxed, just like the music. This song will transport you to some remote Asian jungle, "floating down a river" as Brandon sings. It all ends with the sound of crickets chirping in the still night air. This is one of the best tracks on the entire album, even though it's not a traditional rock song. However, it's very atmospheric and relaxing and just GOOD! It's a perfect ending to such a great album.

Overall thoughts on "Morning View":

- I like the transitions made between the softer songs and the harder, louder rock songs. You get a variety of moods and that's a great way to make an album.

- The lyrics are VERY thoughtful, confusing, inspirational, controversial, mind-blowing, poetic. With the exception of "Are You In?", Brandon has managed to write amazing lyrics to every song. These are lyrics that make you think, lyrics that make this MORE than just another rock album.

- I love the Asian influences that show up in a few of the tracks. That's something you don't get elsewhere. It's great that a band has the guts to include international sounds in their songs.

- Brandon's singing is very different from other rock singers. It's rhythmic and changes all the time. If you pay close attention you'll notice how he plays with the sounds and the way the lyrics are structured.

- The instrument playing is nothing too special, but good overall. The DJ effects are good and add to the music instead of distracting from it. The guitar playing is strong, but the drumming stands out to me.

- This album is high quality, challenging, powerful and thought-provoking. I'm very satisfied with how it turned out, and I can't wait to see what Incubus will do next.