Music Review - Incubus

It's been 5 years since we've heard from that California 5-some once known for their rapid fire lyrics full of meaning and their mixture of the hard and soft sounds that once stood out in the alt/rock spectrum. I was able to get an advanced copy of their latest album, If Not Now, When? (due for release July, 2011), and I can say I was surprised. Sadly, however, not all surprises are good ones.

If you were expecting a return to albums like S.C.I.E.N.C.E or even A Crow Left of the Murder, you, like me, would be disappointed. You see, it seems the bad boys of Incubus have grown up. And while they still like the lyrics sound deep, Boyd comes off as a caricature of his former self, only conjuring images of words he's said before. But this time slower, more melodically.

The 13 tracks all more or less meander down the same path without stretching or going anywhere. It seems that as time has passed, Incubus has lost it's passion, the desire to rock it out and put together some powerfully anthemic words and music. None of the songs reaches out and grabs you. Sadly, this album is a let done.

Perhaps they are going for a jazzier more adult feel, but personally, I think they've just lost their edge.

Where to get it:

• You can pre-order the album from the Incubus website which also allows you to preview the released track "Adolescents"

RIYL: Far's latest album At Night We Live, Owen

EDIT: Thanks for special grammatical help from renegadex415x of Reddit Land

Music Review - 8in8

To say 8in8 is a super group is an odd way to put it in the least. Made up of former Dresden Doll, Amanda Palmer, her husband, writer, musician, and all around nice guy, Neil Gaiman, the always willing to do a duet Ben Folds, and Damian Kulash, singer, guitarist, and treadmill master from OkGO. That really is 4 people I wouldn't usually expect to get together in a studio...or my kitchen. I guess that these things happen.

Each track on Nighty Night (an album done in 8 hours) is an expression in and of itself, but for me, the real ear grabber was "Because Origami", a soft duet with Ben Folds and Amanda Palmer that starts soft and ends sad. Then, returning to story form, there is the dark closing track, "The Problem With Saints", where Neil Gaiman's use of the word "bifurcated" is just really scary. For something that may have come about as a joke or some fun, it has hutzpah and shows what fun it is to break out of the norm and play music instead of just making it.

At any rate, the cd is a fun listen and really enjoyable. I've gone through it about 10 or 15 times this morning and can't stop listening. If that's not enough to get you interested, initial proceeds from download-donations are going to berkleecitymusicnetwork - a charity which provides kids with every opportunity to see their musical potential. But since the music stands on it's own eclectic legs, the charity is just icing on the cake.

Where to get it:

• Amandapalmer.net


• rumors are it will be on iTunes soon

RIYL: Ben Folds, Amanda Palmer, Richard Harris, for no real reason other than the last track "The Problem With Saints" remind me of "MacArthur Park"