Incubus

Given that "Drive," Incubus's signature ditty, was a typical mid-tempo sensitivity showcase, "Megalomaniac," the first single and lead number on the latest disc, comes out of Left's field. In a direct affront to instant gratification, the cut takes a full minute to build tension and steam before erupting in a...

By Michael Roberts

March 4, 2004

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Given that "Drive," Incubus's signature ditty, was a typical mid-tempo sensitivity showcase, "Megalomaniac," the first single and lead number on the latest disc, comes out of Left's field. In a direct affront to instant gratification, the cut takes a full minute to build tension and steam before erupting in a fulsome riff orgasm that foreshadows the song's overall structure. Quietly menacing verses are snapped in half by a chorus whose lyrics feature a so-wrong-it's-right equating of iconic figures: "You're no Jesus/Yeah, you're no fucking Elvis." Better yet, this couplet is delivered by singer Brendan Boyd in a vicious whine that slices through current radio like a band saw. For these five minutes, Incubus shrugs off its status as yet another interchangeable combo to stake its claim as a great modern-rock hope.

Too bad the optimism engendered by this offering peters out over the course of the next thirteen tracks. Granted, Crow is no disaster. In particular, guitarist Michael Einziger and new bassist Ben Kenney demonstrate significant rapport, creating an intricate, sometimes jazzy foundation upon which the steady title track and the likes of "Smile Lines" are built. But while the disc as a whole is competent and professional (terms unlikely to provoke fist-pumping among members of Teen Nation), Boyd and company never again transcend their limitations in quite the same way that "Megalomaniac" manages. Buy this disc, or download its peak achievement for a buck? The answer is a click away.

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Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword's news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor's degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master's degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

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