Incubus - If Not Now, When?

For a band I first saw tripping over the singer's ankle-long dreads while playing a didgeridoo during an opening slot for Pantera, it's odd that the first song of their comeback album sounds like U2 needed a sit down song. It's fuckin' mellow. And it conitinues its dreamtime state with one of the first singles; which sounds a helluva lot like an adult-contemporary song from Brad years ago, "The Day Brings".

On and on. So once you get over the style-shift; you'll either grow into the songs or you won't. I didn't. You've all known Brandan Boyd before. He sings of existential questions of finding one's place in the shirtless world and the idea that somehow; with you here with me baby, it's a little easier. He sings that thought in different ways, but with this new laid back style, it seems a little insincere. Like there's no fire to inspire such questions or resolves.

The single "Adolescents" fits most into the Incubus of old. And to fans hearing that on the radio, they may expect more of what they love. "Switchblade" provides some up-beatitude, but that's it. But what they'll find is ambien-induced dreamscapes of California sun-soakers. In a way, the heaviest track on the album is the most acoustic one, "Defiance".



I guess when a man says, "I was lost, but now I'm found" and "Face the fire, come into your name" I, as a listener, should feel like a revelation has occurred. But instead, I feel like Incubus are telling someone else's story that they're bored of telling. (2 of 5 stars)