Incubus: 8 ALBUM REVIEW

I started an Incubus discography series a few months ago and while I think it started out positively, upon revisiting the album Make Yourself specifically and finally listening to the groups 2011 effort If Not Now, When?, I realized that the series would need to be put on hold. This has  a lot to do with my personal history with the group; back in my teenage years, specifically the 14th through 16th years of my life, this band was one of if not my outright, favorite group. This was of course before my big musical awakening, but still, despite my tastes diversifying, I've always kept a place in my heart for this band, but upon cruising through their discography all these years later, I found myself not really enjoying it nearly as much as I used to. Sure, an album like Morning View is still pretty great to me, with all of the super slick production and great guitar work, not to mention this is perhaps the best aging Incubus album lyrically which is easily the biggest reason for my newfound dislike of a large chunk of the Incubus catalog. Brandon Boyd, for all his talent as a vocalist, is and has never been a great lyricist, even on this new album, 8, he employs a lot of cliche and corny metaphors and turns of phrase, plus I feel like on tracks like "State Of The Art" and "Undefeated" we are getting the same kinds of boring, zero impactful performances that made If Not Now, When? so unbearable.

However, despite the lyrics being mostly duds on this new LP, I feel like we at least get some actually pretty decent musical performances here; especially on tracks like "No Fun" which could of easily been a Morning View B-Side and "Glitterbomb" which has some nice contrasting sounds throughout. But still, a good chunk of this album falls into the "ehh, it's ok" category, leaving me with very little to praise or hate, honestly. However, I think the one moment that got my blood boiling was the obnoxious interlude "How I Became a Man"; truly one of the most cringeworthy moments I've heard on an album all year. And yeah, I can see that the band were maybe trying to get back in touch with their more goofy and off- the- wall attitude that made S.C.I.E.N.C.E a fun listen, but it just doesn't work here, not at all.

And if I'm being honest, all but maybe three tracks here are so inoffensive that they almost don't exist, sure, INNW? was bad, but I knew how I felt about it pretty quickly, whereas 8 just makes me shrug and move on to the next album. I am glad the band are back in touch with their alternative rock roots, but I think they are beyond the point of making an interesting album; unless they completely reinvent their sound. If I was still a big Incubus fan, I'd say this album is just okay, but as someone who is now able to look at this band and album more objectively, 8 just comes off as another failed comeback from a band that hasn't made exciting or relevant music in a very long time.

4.0/10