October 22, 2001 - Morning View

Six days after my last release and two years since "Make Yourself" Incubus released their fourth album "Morning View" on October 22, 2001. Incubus really broke into the mainstream with their last album and this one is a similar style, but perhaps a little lighter and more melodic thanks to the massive success of their single "Drive". Let's check out the latest from Incubus!

The album kicks off with it's second single "Nice To Know You" and after a quiet opening Mike Einziger kicks in with a heavy and cool guitar riff that sounds pretty good. Brandon Boyd sings a solid verse overtop a calm and smooth verse with some quiet guitars, then the heavy riff turns out to be the chorus riff as Boyd sounds good holding some long notes. After another solid round they move into a space-y new part and things sound very accessible but also very solid, it's easy to see why this was a single. Up next is "Circles" and Einziger cues up a groovy and cool lead guitar riff, Dirk Lance backs him with some solid bass and Jose Pasillas plays some solid drums in a, you know, solid main riff. Boyd sounds good in the verse and things roll right into a similarly solid chorus. After another round they slow it down again and go space-y, but it's a sharp contrast that I found took away from the nice upbeat rest of the song. Track 3 is the lead single "Wish You Were Here" and Einziger plays a soft guitar riff at first, but Pasillas nicely counts everyone else in and they kick into a heavy version of the same riff and it's hard not to headbang along to this catchy and cool hard rock riff. DJ Kilmore adds some cool turntables to the verse and Einziger plays some pretty cool light guitar, Pasillas drums are nice and catchy, and Boyd sings a perfectly fitting verse. The heavier riff turns out to be the chorus and with Boyd singing nicely overtop it's a solid chorus. It's a very catchy and well done single, cool tune! The next track is "Just A Phase" and it's got a slow pace with some light guitars, but there's some cool turntables and even a strings section that adds to the slow epicness of things. After a minute Boyd starts to oooooh along with the music and then another minute of this later he finally starts up the first verse. He sings a cool stop-and-start verse that matches the slow, epic music nicely and while this is certainly not a headbanger, it is done very well. The headbanging comes in the final minute of this five and half minute song when they turn things up to a heavier version of the main riff and it's a solid way to finish things up. Track 5 is "11 AM" and it's got a fairly simple but smooth main riff and Boyd sings a nice verse to match the mood. The chorus is very similar and things sound decent but nothing really jumps out and it's one of their blander tunes. Up next is "Blood On The Ground" and Einziger plays a catchy and upbeat guitar riff, Boyd sings a cool verse as well and then the rest of the band comes slamming in to complete this cool headbanging chorus riff. The verse has some cool lighter guitars and Boyd singing very quickly and together things sound pretty sweet. The chorus hits nice and hard every time and this is a pretty cool tune. Track 7 is "Mexico" and Einziger leads the way with a slow and epic guitar riff while Boyd sings an epic verse to match. Things are very slow and quiet, but Boyd sounds pretty good in the verse and chorus. The lack of a rhythm section is unusual, especially for such a groovy band, but the guitar, vocals, and eventually strings sound very quietly epic. The next track is "Warning" and Boyd jumps right into the first verse as the band slowly builds things up. Boyd sounds good as usual and eventually they move into a typical Incubus riff that is quiet and space-y in the verse and slams nicely into a heavier chorus. There's a cool part with some trippy turntables by Kilmore and it seems to set up for a solo or something, but they miss the opportunity and just return to the chorus. It sums up the whole song really: solid, but it could've been so much more. Track 9 is "Echo" and it's got a very light and breezy feel to it and Boyd sings a very pop-y and sappy verse and chorus. Pasillas plays some solid drums, but everything else is very basic and pop-y and this is another decent but not great song. Up next is "Have You Ever" and it's got a fast-paced and pretty cool main riff with some catchy and cool guitar and bass by Einziger and Lance. Things roll into a similarly solid chorus and Boyd sounds good as usual in this pretty cool tune. They don't stray far from the main drag, but things sound solid the whole way through. Track 11 is "Are You In?" and it's got a quiet and space-y opening eith some interesting turntables by Kilmore. Pasillas starts up a cool drum beat, Lance cues up a groovy and cool bass line and Einziger adds some light guitars to complete this main riff. Boyd sings a pop-y verse to match the mood and Kilmore provides some catchy and cool turntables in this super groovy tune. It's pretty light and pop-y, but it's undeniably catchy and a cool song for sure. The next track is "Under My Umbrella" and they kick right into a heavy and loud chorus riff that hits nice and hard, then things drop off for the verse with Lance leading the way with some cool bass and Einziger coming in and out with some trippy and cool guitar. Boyd sings a soft verse and things sound quietly good which sets the stage for the smashing return to the loud chorus. After another solid round there's a trippy bridge that sounds cool, then they nicely return to the main riff to finish things off. The final song on the album is also the longest, the newr eight minute "Aqueous Transmission", and Einziger plays an acoustic guitar that sounds very Japanese, we hear some epic orchestral music in the background and then some very Japanese-soundijg flute as well! This is all very unusual and out of place, but they are nailing the vibe they're going for and things sound quietly epic to me! Boyd sings a very soft verse and chorus to match the mood and things continue to sound quietly epic, but nothing is really jumping out and it's way too long for sure, ending with just frogs croaking for a bit. A bit of a disappointing end to the album.

That is the end of "Morning View" and I thought it was a good but not great album. It certainly had it's cool moments and these guys can sound very cool indeed when they want to, but they also became a lot more pop-y and simple on this album I found. I don't think it's as good as their last album "Make Yourself" and these are the only two albums I have by Incubus, thus is the last we'll hear from them in my library.