Tracks
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This album is another childhood classic for me. It's filled with the kind of stuff that influenced my spiritual and emotional growth as a high school kid. If I were more awake when it came out, it probably would have influenced my intellectual growth as well, because a lot of the lyrics are so revolutionary.
My favorites (in order of appearance):
"The Warmth" - It actually took me several years to really get into this track, mostly because when I was a kid it didn't interest me to do the thing that the lyrics encourage (which is preserving the loving side of oneself despite those whose actions would see it eroded completely.) The chorus is heartwarming and the messsage is powerful, which makes this a very practical song for emotional healing and/or coping. My favorite part is where it suddenly picks-up after the second chorus and you can feel an explosive finish on its way.
"Stellar" - A very basic sort of love song, lyrically speaking. Still, it's definitely a keeper for me. The lyrics may be nothing special, but Enzinger's guitar is absolutely mesmerizing. I think he's using a 2x2-Chorus effect with either a phaser or a flanger (probably the latter) in the clean-tone moments. In some ways the guitar work is pretty basic, but it's still an "intermediate and up" difficulty kind of song to play, and it's fun to listen to it as well. The band definitely knows how to do "spacey" and ethereal sounds well, and it shows here.
"Make Yourself" - Possibly the most status-quo-obliterating song on this album. The lyrics are bold in both a social context, and also the way they're clearly not hiding or trying to sidestep anything of the truth of the matter.
"Drive" - Definitely the most mainstream song on this album (obviously, because it got by far the most of the radio and television play for this album.) It's a straightforward kind of message, basically to think for yourself and do so with honesty and sobriety. I like the "choose water over wine" lyrics. I think it's more than just a simple "choose clear-thinking" statement, due to the comparison of *water* with wine. Due to the role that wine plays in religious ceremonies and also the "turning water into wine" thing, I think that's a semi-veiled dissent of religious influence. It's like saying "don't get caught-up in their dizzying, grandiose paradigm. See things as they *are* instead." I also love Enzinger's acoustic guitar in this song. It sounds bloody gorgeous.
"I Miss You" - Once again, not outstandingly unique by any means lyrical, but still an excellent song. We've all been there, so it's relatable. The chorus' combination of chords and vocal melody really makes the heart soar, when you "tune-in" to it properly. Even just Enzinger's well-layered guitar work, combining clean riffs seasoned with harmonics, with gently-strummed open chords, is enough to make this song really beautiful.
"Pardon Me" - Another "big social statement" song. Incubus has never been short on these, and this one (as well as its famous acoustic version) is really inspiring. It's a song about waking up, or more specifically the point in one's awakening where the jarring effects of humanity's pettiness have one so fed-up that they realize something's gotta change, and they want no part in the continuation of the socially-accepted madness. This song is rich with guitar effects. I don't envy Enzinger for the amount of footwork he must have to do with the pedals to switch effects on and off as fast as they do in this song's album version, but his sonic experimentation complements Boyd's frank, blunt and inventive lyrics very nicely.
Overall I give this four stars. There'll always be a place in my collection for it. =)
My favorites (in order of appearance):
"The Warmth" - It actually took me several years to really get into this track, mostly because when I was a kid it didn't interest me to do the thing that the lyrics encourage (which is preserving the loving side of oneself despite those whose actions would see it eroded completely.) The chorus is heartwarming and the messsage is powerful, which makes this a very practical song for emotional healing and/or coping. My favorite part is where it suddenly picks-up after the second chorus and you can feel an explosive finish on its way.
"Stellar" - A very basic sort of love song, lyrically speaking. Still, it's definitely a keeper for me. The lyrics may be nothing special, but Enzinger's guitar is absolutely mesmerizing. I think he's using a 2x2-Chorus effect with either a phaser or a flanger (probably the latter) in the clean-tone moments. In some ways the guitar work is pretty basic, but it's still an "intermediate and up" difficulty kind of song to play, and it's fun to listen to it as well. The band definitely knows how to do "spacey" and ethereal sounds well, and it shows here.
"Make Yourself" - Possibly the most status-quo-obliterating song on this album. The lyrics are bold in both a social context, and also the way they're clearly not hiding or trying to sidestep anything of the truth of the matter.
"Drive" - Definitely the most mainstream song on this album (obviously, because it got by far the most of the radio and television play for this album.) It's a straightforward kind of message, basically to think for yourself and do so with honesty and sobriety. I like the "choose water over wine" lyrics. I think it's more than just a simple "choose clear-thinking" statement, due to the comparison of *water* with wine. Due to the role that wine plays in religious ceremonies and also the "turning water into wine" thing, I think that's a semi-veiled dissent of religious influence. It's like saying "don't get caught-up in their dizzying, grandiose paradigm. See things as they *are* instead." I also love Enzinger's acoustic guitar in this song. It sounds bloody gorgeous.
"I Miss You" - Once again, not outstandingly unique by any means lyrical, but still an excellent song. We've all been there, so it's relatable. The chorus' combination of chords and vocal melody really makes the heart soar, when you "tune-in" to it properly. Even just Enzinger's well-layered guitar work, combining clean riffs seasoned with harmonics, with gently-strummed open chords, is enough to make this song really beautiful.
"Pardon Me" - Another "big social statement" song. Incubus has never been short on these, and this one (as well as its famous acoustic version) is really inspiring. It's a song about waking up, or more specifically the point in one's awakening where the jarring effects of humanity's pettiness have one so fed-up that they realize something's gotta change, and they want no part in the continuation of the socially-accepted madness. This song is rich with guitar effects. I don't envy Enzinger for the amount of footwork he must have to do with the pedals to switch effects on and off as fast as they do in this song's album version, but his sonic experimentation complements Boyd's frank, blunt and inventive lyrics very nicely.
Overall I give this four stars. There'll always be a place in my collection for it. =)
I love the way that Incubus is heavy at some points and I think the turntables make them unique but I can't stand the song "Battlestar Scralatchtica" because of too much turntables. Plus the song "Drive" is overrated and I feel was meant for the mainstream. Also "Stellar" shouldn't have been a single because it lacked a catchy chorus. They should have chosen either "Privilege" or "I Miss You". Key tracks include 1-2,4,6,8, and 11-12.