Archive for October, 2011

Come one, come all to the phenomenon that is Incubus.  At the ripe old age of 30 I’ve loved many different bands, for many different reasons, at various points in my life but none have remained as influential to me as this 5-piece from Calabasas, California.  Having been mainstream for well over a decade you wont find many people who haven’t grooved to an Incubus track at some point and chances are, this post wont be introducing you to anything new…although there may be the odd straggler   What it is about however is paying respect to a group of musicians who have laid down some of the most diverse and emotionally intense tracks of recent memory.

Major transitions in a popular band’s core sound rarely seem to work out well.  More often than not the fans responsible for a band’s initial rise in popularity revolt and cry sellout when the group experiments with a new sound, seeking to cast them back into relative obscurity.  The only mainstream band I can think of being able to overcome this and actually increase in popularity, besides Incubus, is Metallica – although I’m sure there are many more legitimate examples.  When Incubus was originally formed in 1991 their sound was unmistakeably funk-metal, a genre popularized in the day by the likes of Rage Against the Machine and Red Hot Chili Peppers.  A quick listen to any of their first few albums – Fungous Amongus, Enjoy Incubus, or S.C.I.E.N.C.E – will attest.  And then, seemingly out of nowhere, it happened.  Incubus embraced melody.

When Make Yourself dropped in 1999 it was clear something special had happened to the group – and people took notice.  Much like the band, I have never looked back.  For a solid decade post Make Yourself, Incubus churned out gem after gem, exploring some of the deepest corners and constructs of love, relationships, and idealism along the way.  It’s been one hell of a ride.

As I said earlier it’s likely none of these songs will be a first listen for anyone.  But sometimes rediscovering an old favorite feels just as good as discovering something new.

Incubus – I Wish You Were Here

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Incubus – Echo

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Incubus – Drive

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