Incubus: "Light Grenades"

For the better part of a decade, Incubus has been one of my favorite bands and, by far, my favorite mainstream rock band. Brandon Boyd still remains one of the few vocalists in rock music today who can carry a tune outside of a studio and whose talent relies on actual ability rather than the skill of a producer. Furthermore, Mike Einziger is still a force to be reckoned with on guitar. For the most part, Incubus has constantly evolved since their funk rock roots over a decade ago. Six albums later, and Incubus hardly seems like they are ready to throw in the towel. They are still one of the most beloved bands out there, even if the mainstream media has never really given the kind of attention they shelled out to lesser, now-gone bands. For better or for worse, "Light Grenades" continues Incubus' trend of changing their sound from album to album. The result is a mixed-bag for the hardcore Incubus fan, but shows that Incubus still has what it takes to make it in an industry that is steadily being overrun by the under-talented and over-produced.

"Quicksand" is the lead-off track here, and from the very beginning, you pretty much know that you're in for a different Incubus experience. As far as I can recall, this is the first Incubus album to not start with a loud, rocking song. However, it sets the mood for the album quite well. Boyd is definitely at his most poignant here when he sings, "Some people fall in love and touch the sky. Some people fall in love and find quicksand!" And love is a focal point on the album, as we'll soon find out, so it makes sense to begin the album this way.

The next track, "A Kiss to Send Us off" takes us to familiar Incubus grounds. If the guitar riff sounds a bit familiar at first, it's probably because it bares an small resemblance to "Megalomaniac." But that riff is over soon enough, and the music that replaces it during the verse is entrancing enough to make you forget it even existed, at least momentarily. Boyd doesn't really display his vocal talents all too well when he punk-sings "A kiss to send us off!" It's a bit reminiscent of more terrible vocalists out there today, like Tom DeLong. It's definitely my only real gripe with the song, however, and "A Kiss to Send Us Off" is definitely a high-point on the album.

"Dig" is currently the song I'm most impressed with on "Light Grenades." It's not Incubus' most impressive song, by any means, but it could be their most poignant to date. Here, Brandon belts "If I turn into another, dig me up from under what is covering the better part of me! Sing this song. Remind me that we'll always have each other when everything else is gone." Obviously, the love theme is in full-effect here, and it really is a beautiful song.

"Anna Molly" is the next song on the album and it's first single. If you're considering buying this album, you've probably already heard this song. It's got that classic Incubus rock sound, and would be a perfect fit on "A Crow Left of the Murder." Mike really hits his peak on this song as far as this album is concerned, which is actually a bit of a downer for me. He's definitely capable of much more, but even here he's much more impressive than many of his contemporaries. "Anna Molly" was definitely a great choice for the first single. It's fun, it rocks, and it's Incubus, so there's not a whole lot to hate about this one.

"Love Hurts" may be my least favorite song on the album. The song itself seems as if it was ripped right off of bad 1998 alternative rock album (back wen Incubus was tearing it up with "A Certain Shade of Green"). The song is just as corny and cliched as the title would lead you to believe. Boyd even goes as far to say "Without love I won't survive." Even if that's true, it can't really overcome the lyrical travesty that is "Love hurts, but sometimes it's a good hurt." While it's true the Boyd has never really been the best lyricist in the world, even he should have considered re-writing this one. Music-wise, it's not all that impressive either. It's definitely a song I could've done without.

"Light Grenades," the title track, not the album, has a very raw, chaotic feel to it. It barely sounds like Incubus, and pushes more toward The Vines' territory. It's a good thing though, and adds a pretty sizable spark to the fire that "Love Hurts" just got finished extinguishing. Mike pretty much tears his guitar to pieces here, and Jose goes absolutely psychotic on his drum set! This song is going to be a highlight on the next tour for sure!

"Earth to Bella Pt. 1" is another low point on the album, featuring acoustic guitars and the occasional full-electric freak-out. It's a rather dull song, to be honest. In the end, it seems more like filler than anything else, taking away from the album more than it contributes. Likewise, "Oil and Water" does much the same thing. Unlike it's predecessor, however, it is more of a traditional alternative rock song, though it would be better suited for a band like "Mute Math" or even "Keane." The biggest flaw of the song is that it lacks a strong, memorable melody, something that Incubus has never really failed to deliver before. It tries to be effective, but it just winds up sounding a lot like another Incubus song, "Leech," only without passion or conviction.

"Rogues" is a fairly solid track. At times it feels like it has a very southern rock sound (ala Polarboy, an obscure but decent band). Other times it feels like it's straight out of the Incubus textbook of how to securely rock balls off. Without question, it would be a welcomed addition to an album like "Make Yourself," so any Incubus fan who like this song should definitely check out that album if they haven't already (which you really should if you're a "fan").

The next two tracks, "Paper Shoes" and "Pendulous Threads" definitely suffer from "Oil and Water-syndrome" in that they are fairly decent musically, but Brandon ultimately fails in offering a memorable vocal performance. The hooks are forgettable at best, and poorly executed. It's very disheartening, especially since these tracks essentially bring the album to its close. These songs may be more fun live, because you'll feel the energy, but in reality they're not much fun to listen to here, which is a real shame.

The final track on the album is "Earth to Bella Pt. 2" which, you guessed it, sounds pretty much exactly the same as Part 1. The difference here is the coda, or ending, of the song. It's essentially Brandon ooh-ing repeatedly, but eventually more oohs come in and harmonize with the other oohs. Slowly, the oohs drift off into chaotic drums and distorted guitar effects. It's a nice touch to end the album, though I can't help but think that the only reason its there is for that specific purpose. Because, really, it'd be just as ineffectual as Part 1 if it weren't for it's positioning at the end.

Overall, "Light Grenades" is an uncharacteristically light Incubus album. Lighter than "Morning View" even. It has its high points ("Dig," "Anna Molly") but it also suffers from devastating lows ("Oil and Water," "Love Hurts"). If you're a moderate Incubus fan, by all means, give this album a listen. Compared to other CDs that you could buy for the same price, its one of the best albums of all time. Unfortunately, however, when you compare it to other Incubus album, it may very well be their worst. I may just be a purist, or I may be making a judgment too quickly, but in my opinion the low points on "Light Grenades" are far more common than the highs. What starts off as a beautiful and refreshing Incubus album, ultimately winds up being boring, unnecessary, and incredibly disappointing. Considering that Incubus typically releases an album every 3 years or so, I'm fortunate to know that I have 5 other solid albums to keep me company until then.

Recommended for all Incubus fans. It may not be the best, but it could be much, much worse (Angels and Airwaves).

Key Tracks:
1. "Quicksand"
2. "Dig"
3. "Anna Molly"
4. "Light Grenades"

5 out of 10 Stars