Make Yourself
Incubus
Drive gives a slightly misleading first impression of Make Yourself. It is a good song, with an acoustic guitar part and a strong, direct vocal from Brandon Boyd, but Incubus have a much wider set of sounds around it. Their third album moves between heavy alternative rock, spacious guitar textures and rhythms that still have plenty of bounce.
Privilege starts with a sharp attack and an immediately catchy vocal. The band sound more focused than on their earlier, more restless material, but they haven't removed the interesting corners. Mike Einziger's guitar can provide a heavy riff, then change the colour of a song with a cleaner, more unusual part. The rhythm section makes those changes feel natural.
The Warmth is a particularly good example. Its atmospheric opening gives the song room to settle before the chorus adds weight, and Boyd's melody keeps the whole thing connected. Stellar uses that same ability to make a softer, spacious passage feel completely at home beside a larger chorus. These songs are accessible without sounding as though every detail has been chosen from a standard rock checklist.
Pardon Me is more urgent, with quick vocal phrases building towards an expansive chorus. The shifts in pressure feel sharp rather than clumsy, and Boyd handles the changes with confidence. He is an important part of why the album works: expressive enough to suit the stranger material, clear enough to give the direct songs a strong centre.
There are still traces of the band's earlier tendency to try a lot of ideas in quick succession. The more percussive and electronic details can occasionally feel like a separate interest sitting beside the main songwriting. Usually, though, the pieces fit. The production leaves enough space to hear the players make their individual contributions.
Make Yourself is a good introduction to Incubus because it contains both the immediate songs and the musical curiosity around them. Drive provides the gentler entry point, while The Warmth, Stellar and Pardon Me show how much range sits behind it. The band make a more focused record here without making themselves less interesting.
