Review Summary: A trancey voyage through dreamy soundscapes and solid alt-rock.
From the impression given by their major-label debut "S.C.I.E.N.C.E." as well as the prior independent release "Fungus Amongus," Incubus was a heavy funk/rap-metal act that possessed a sense of chaos and randomness. These characteristics serve as the driving force for these albums, by way of severely drastic turns in pacing, volume, genre, and melody.
While the 1999 sophomore outing "Make Yourself" doesn't eliminate this extreme variety of sounds and styles, it does widen the focus on the band's more mature power-chord oriented rock, while cutting down on the showtime given to rap and funk. Other changes include a more narrow and thematic array of electronic samples from the (at the time) newly instated DJ Killmore, and an overall slower but heavier pace.
Frontman Brandon Boyd behaved wildly and beyond control through his vocals and stage performance on preceding releases. On "Make Yourself" he now spends more time flexing his vocal abilities and grasping a serious approach to singing. His lyrical themes have journeyed away from aliens, autonomy, and dystopia to self-examination ("Nowhere Fast"), security ("The Warmth"), and the ever-intriguing welcoming of spontaneous combustion ("Pardon Me"), etc. Needless to say, Boyd has made a vast improvement in exercising his passion for singing and writing.
The rest of the crew proves outstanding as well. Dirk Lance's low-key funk bass lines serve as catchy backbones to several songs, including "Clean," and the instrumental "Battlestar Scralachtica." Guitarist Mike Einziger has raised the distortion and incorporated extensive use of effect pedals to give songs a dreamy feel. The fish, DJ Chris Killmore, uses samples from a less cheesy and more contemporary bank than did the former bandmate DJ Lyfe. And last but not least, drummer Jose Pasillas performs top-notch by demonstrating complex rhythms that are as diverse as anyone else's work on the record.
These stylistic upgrades prove successful, but the superb quality of "Make Yourself" is derived from the combination of these elements being practiced alongside a lovable spacey aura. Einziger's stock-piled guitar effects make for a swirling and shifting tone that serves many times as the verse or main riff throughout the album. Songs like "Stellar," and "The Warmth" emphasize the use of mid-tempo rhythms with melodies that flow continuously to create a drifting effect. There are many unexpected note choices along the way, and the alienation is enjoyed in mixture with the galactic atmosphere of this record. In short, most of these songs sound like they were written late on a night when the moon was glowing orange.
The picture is conveyed so clearly and romantically that it is inevitable for infatuation to develop. This is a pure alternative-rock album that maximizes effective use of the resources available in the late 90s. Their rhythm section is well above average, and everything else composes Incubus' signature sound to be through future albums. The original flavor of this record is appealing and long-lasting; any remote fan of modern alt-rock cannot miss giving this a listen.
