Review Summary: Solid mainstream rock record. Fans of Incubus, rock music in general, and mainstream music in general will probably find something to like about this record. None of the instruments really do anything special, but they aren't terribly simple.
The year is 2001, and the success from Incubus's previous release, Make Yourself, has far from worn off. The hit single 'Drive' is being played on stations all across the country, while the songs 'Stellar' and 'Pardon Me' have found success on rock radio. They were ready to record and release a new album, and what better time to do so than in the midst of their success?
Incubus are a band known for their drastic style changes every two albums. Back in the mid 90's, Incubus were playing a combination of funk-metal/nu-metal/alternative-metal. They never achieved much success however until 1999's Make Yourself, when they adopted a much more mainstream rock sound. This sound is kept and altered slightly on this record, and appears to mark the final departure from their funk roots.
Morning View is a pretty typical mainstream rock record. It contains enough ballads to keep the radio stations happy(Wish You Were Here, Warning, 11 AM) and still has some heavy distortion in its songs to attract fans of heavier music(Have You Ever, Circles, Blood on the Ground). Brandon's vocals are pretty standard, catchy, not really growling or screaming(although it does contain some rap-like vocals in songs like Blood on the Ground). These guys were clearly not interested much in experimenting this record. Not that that's a bad thing, because this album clearly surpasses its 2004 follow up 'A Crow Left of the Murder', which definitely contained elements of experimentation. Incubus's 'Morning View' took what they did so well on 'Make Yourself' and changed things around a little(the most obvious being including several soft songs) to create yet another great album that is unique enough on its own, yet doesn't deviate too much from the style they had set on their previous record.
I call this mainstream rock, because that's what it is, but that doesn't have to be negative at all. The songs are incredibly catchy for one thing, and are actually pretty different from most mainstream bands at the time(Nickelback, Staind, Puddle of Mudd, Lifehouse, etc.). The album will probably appeal to your mainstream fan, but also to fans of rock in general. The album is a great 'gateway', so to speak, between mainstream rock and the more underground stuff. Certainly, if you are a fan of earlier Incubus, you should pick this up. Many like to criticize this album as being too soft compared to early releases. That is pure BS. This album definitely has its fair share of heavy songs: Nice to Know You, Circles, Blood on the Ground, Have You Ever, and Under My Umbrella. Songs like Wish You Were Here, Just a Phase, and Are You In? I wouldn't exactly consider 'soft either.' The two albums after this one, 'A Crow Left of the Murder' and 'Light Grenades', are much softer.
As far as the actual technicality goes, most fans of Incubus's funk days will be sad to know that Dirk Lance and his bass lines play a much less prominent role in this record. On my first listen through, the only song I really noticed with some nice bass lines was Are You In? This probably had something to do with why he left soon after this record was released. The guitar contains much less effects than in Make Yourself, which can be an up or downside depending on how you look at it. Most of the songs are also pretty simple to play as well, and the heavier songs feature mostly drop D power chords. The turntables are also much less noticable(although not to the extent as the following album), and the drums are much more(which again, can be an up or a downside depending on your tastes). One highlight of the album is Brandon's vocals, which are probably the best they've been throughout Incubus's career. This alone really puts them apart from the rest of mainstream rock at the time, which were mostly focused on copying Kurt Cobain's and Eddie Vedder's vocal styles.
Overall, this is a very good album, especially for mainstream rock standards. Nearly every song is catchy, and there is no filler. This record even contains some of my favorite songs by Incubus(and I listen to the first three releases much more). It is also their most accessible record, so nearly any fan of pop or rock music could probably get into it. It has that nice summer atmosphere to it, which isn't surprising, considering where it was recorded.
~Pros~
-no filler
-every song is catchy
-very accessible for mainstream music fans, possible gateway to more underground music
-still heavy enough to satisfy fans of earlier Incubus
~Cons~
-little to no experimentation
-seems like they were trying to make it sell a bit too much
-didn't really strive to be anything more than a mainstream rock record
~Recommended Songs~
Circles
11 AM
Blood on the Ground
~Band Members~
Brandon Boyd - Vocals
Mike Einziger - Guitar
Dirk Lance - Bass
Jose Pasillas - Drums
Chris Kilmore - Turntables
