Reviews Written by MICHAEL

guitar rawk

Pros: a solid album from a solid band, good songwriting

Cons: fans of the band's more ballad-y side may be disappointed

Fans of Incubus' more well-known singles material (such as Drive or Wish You Were Here) may be somewhat put-off by the the rather hard driving guitar rock sound that dominates much of the california band's 5th album, A Crow Left of the Murder... But if you grew up in the early nineties (like yours truly) this record may bring back memories of the days when alt-rock ruled the earth. Singer Brandon Boyd's soaring vocals are in fine form (and his lyrics are a welcome change from the rap-metal angst/posturing that has become prevalent in rock these days), but the real star here is Mike Einziger and his layers and layers of fuzzy, grungy guitars. Always an underated player, Einziger displays a range and versatility that were only hinted at in Incubus' previous releases, going from heavy metal riffing to dexterous melodicism to psychedelic drones, even throwing in a few fiery solos here and there, which are rather rare these days. Standout tracks: A Crow Left of the Murder, Sick Sad Little World, Zee Deveel, Here in My Room. ...