Review Summary: A step in the right direction.
Love them or hate them, Incubus have never made the same album twice. Despite their last few studio albums being a bit on the lackluster side, the overall evolution of Incubus' sound is one of their most fascinating elements. Even then, it seems as though many fans have been a bit displeased with the general lack of distortion and aggression from
A Crow Left the Murder... onward. In exploring different sounds and styles, much of the alternative metal and general intensity of previous albums was dropped; this path was continued up until what many considered to be the band's worst record,
If Not Now, When? The vibe of the music was considered just as wild and imaginative as Muzak, and the overall consensus was that Incubus had lost their way. Well, if a new little EP known as
Trust Fall (Part A) is any indication, then I think these guys are back on the right path again.
It's hard to judge how the band's future material may be from a mere 4-song collection such as this, but this first installment of
Trust Fall features some of the best writing and playing the band have pulled off in years. Right from the heavy and precise riffing of the opening title track, it's clear that some of the older Incubus sound is being captured here. The musicianship is tight, crisp, and full of energy and life; additionally, Brandon Boyd's vocals are much more inspired here than on
If Not Now, When? and his level of investment in these tunes makes everything quite engaging as a whole. But, as is Incubus' tradition, there are some neat experiments that the band try on for size here. My personal favorite has to be the midtempo electronic rock number "Absolution Calling," which is characterized more by its deep sonic layers courtesy of DJ Chris Kilmore and guitarist Mike Einziger. Brandon's harmonized vocals are really a highlight here, especially when he sings
"Are you there?" in the chorus. Then there's "Dance Like You're Dumb" which benefits more from Mike's heavier guitar tone and a high level of energy in the rhythm section. The track is pretty much just as the title implies, being a party rocker that can very easily be danced to; Boyd's vocals display an great amount of energy and power, and drummer Jose Pasillas and bassist Ben Kenney constantly keep up with the song's overall vibe.
Unfortunately, we've also got the much weaker number "Make Out Party." The instrumental work is still solid and well-crafted here, and it's nice to hear a song this heavy by the band again, but Boyd's lyrics and vocals just
sink this one. His singing is obnoxious during the falsetto moments (which are unfortunately way too frequent) and the lyricism is incredibly juvenile and poorly implemented into the tone the music creates. It's just so weird hearing lyrics like
"Girl I wanna kiss you, but not just on your lips" accompanying a very doomy and distorted riff like the one Einziger creates here. However, it's the only song that's not that strong on this EP; everything else on
Trust Fall (Side A) is well worth the listen, whether you're a longtime fan or just getting into these guys. I can't say this record is an essential gem in the band's discography, seeing as it's only 4 tracks long, but it does make me confident that their future output could be quite strong. THAT's something I can trust them with.
