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Volume CXXXIII, Number 14 |
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Incubus fly into prog-rock land on Crow
KELSEY ABBRUZZESE
STAFF WRITER
What's the difference between the songs on the new Incubus CD? Not much other than the names.
Though the band plays with distortion and new rhythms on A Crow Left of the Murder, those distortions and those rhythms are reused and repeated throughout the album, making it like a one-hour-long song separated by a few seconds and a title.
The band's fourth album and follow-up to Morning View incorporates similar guitar riffs, beats and melodies throughout each song. Incubus does a decent job of evolving its sound from previous singles, like "Drive" and "Wish You Were Here," but the progress stops there.
Whereas "Drive" was one of those songs that refused to leave your head after you heard it on the radio, A Crow Left of the Murder lacks any such hook. The first single, "Megalomaniac," starts with the usual distortion played on most other songs on the album. The band's lead vocalist, Brendan Boyd, spends a good part of the song screaming the chorus, which he ends up doing on most of the other songs anyway.
The simplicity of the guitar melodies also adds to the recycled feeling of the album. Within the songs, the band plays the same guitar chords over and over again. Not only do they reuse chords within the song, but throughout the album as well, giving each song the same sound.
A Crow Left of the Murder draws a lot of comparisons to Incubus's first album, S.C.I.E.N.C.E., but S.C.I.E.N.C.E. has much more variety. Both albums make use of distortion, but S.C.I.E.N.C.E. incorporates different chords and melodies- "Summer Romance" has a unique bass line, "Nebula" starts with a great rolling drumbeat, and Boyd varies his vocals on each track. A Crow Left of the Murder, however, fails to make these distinctions between songs.
While Incubus's new album lacks the variety and hook of its previous work, it does have its noteworthy points. The band continues to remake its sound yet keep the tone that made them famous. Songs like "Talk Shows on Mute" and "A Crow Left of the Murder" remedy the recycled feel, bringing a welcome blast of fresh air to the album. Also, where most bands go overboard with the "look-what-I-can-make-my-guitar-do" attitude toward distortion, Incubus uses the technique well.
In addition to the album, Incubus includes a DVD of the band's performance of "Pistola" and "Megalomaniac" at Lollapalooza, and "Talk Shows on Mute" and "A Crow Left of the Murder" at the Bridge School Benefit. Also on the DVD is a documentary about the band called While We Were Out and a reenactment of Boyd injuring his leg in an incident with his girlfriend's dog.
For any devoted Incubus fan, this album and DVD are a great addition to a collection. For a casual listener who is used to the radio Incubus, stick to Morning View or Make Yourself, which both have standout singles. It will be easier to tell the difference between the songs on those albums anyway.
2.5 bears
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