Review Summary: The path to redemption.
It’s hard to expect much from Incubus after the disappointment of their eighth studio album, cleverly titled
8. Their trademark funky spin on alternative rock was replaced with banal and complacent songwriting, rendering them indistinguishable from countless of other mainstream rock groups. In the simplest terms, Incubus had lost their soul. However, 2020’s
Trust Fall (Side B) provides a modicum of hope for those of us clamoring for Incubus to embrace their funky roots once again.
“Karma, Come Back” immediately sets the tone with its dulcet guitar work, tight rhythm section, and Brandon Boyd’s signature crooning. While it’s a far cry from their early material, it’s a pleasant listen that wouldn’t sound out-of-place on something like
Light Grenades. Album centerpiece “Into the Summer” shows us the Incubus we’ve been missing for the past decade. It’s soulful, energetic, and borderline nostalgic with its use of ‘80s synth tones and groovy bass hooks driving the song.
On the other hand, the anthemic single “Our Love” and closing ballad “Paper Cuts” are songs that Incubus could easily write in their sleep. They’re inoffensive pop tracks in their own right, but they fall more in line with the complacent laziness found on their last two studio albums. Again, it’s hard to expect much from Incubus these days.
Trust Fall (Side B) is far from a home run, but if nothing else it proves that Incubus still have a soul.
