Incubus - Make Yourself (Sony; 1999)

Now I’ll begin a series of reviews on my favorite albums of all time. The first album is one of the first I ever considered to be a forever favorite. Incubus’ “Make Yourself” was released in 1999, which was a time of uncertainty and despair not only for music, but also for society as a whole. This music goes hand in hand with the Fight Club mentality (which was an influential movie released in the same year). That philosophy is rather simple: do something with your life. Don’t adhere to the restrictions and guidelines of society. Don’t sleep your life away. Don’t waste any more time. Find out how to make your life fulfilling. Incubus display activism without exploring the realm of politics. After all, there was no George W. to attack yet. This was a time coming up to the new millennium. The big Y2K scare. The world could explode, the time-space continuum could be disrupted, or…maybe our precious PC’s would just fry out.

As far as the music world, 1999 marked a culmination of everything that was depraved and uninspired. The 90’s were a decade littered with Nirvana copiers, or at least, that’s what popular rock radio consisted of. And growing up in the Detroit suburbs, rock radio was my only source of music. That said, “Make Yourself” was a call to arms. A rebel yell saying, “Break this spell. Rock isn’t dead. We can and will do be better.” Think for yourself. Stop waiting for the world to explode and get on with your life.

Sonically, “Make Yourself” finds Incubus coming into its own as a group of sophisticated music makers. “S.C.I.E.N.C.E.” found them carving their niche in the world of nu metal, but “Make Yourself” was a truly defining moment. Mike Einziger employs effects pedals without sacrificing creativity. Most songs would (and sometimes do) work well in acoustic versions, which is proof of that. Brandon Boyd learns how to put his voice box to use in ways never heard before. The threesome of drums, bass, and DJ hold up the back end of the music. Everywhere there is balance and careful collaboration between instruments (especially the rare tie between guitars and drums, probably due to the longtime friendship of Mike and Jose Pasillas II).

The album opens with “Privilege,” which became a staple opener for their shows over the next few years. Despite the gratuitous use of power chords, they manage to set the tone for the entire album. They follow suit on the next few tracks, but really outdo themselves on “The Warmth,” which starts a trend of underwater sounds characteristic to much of the band’s later work. There are a couple love songs, the prominent one being “Stellar” (the girls just loved the idea of Brandon being inside them). Of course “Drive” was the little hit song that could. Its vast popularity doesn’t change the fact that it’s a well written, acoustic-hop track, enjoyed by 16 year olds and their mothers too. “Battlestar Scralatchtica” hints at the group’s future as well-prepared performers and improvisers, while sounding scarily like Super Mario Bros music at times. Another standout track is “Clean,” which urges someone to stop holding back and let out their feelings (and also might be a Jack Kerouac reference). But the shining star of the album is “Pardon Me.” By my opinion it’s one of the greatest rock songs ever written. I still remember the intense rush I felt upon hearing it the first time. Memorize the lyrics and sing along, and it’s even more rewarding (but embarrassing if anyone hears you).

Some may say that the music is slightly dated. After all, something so relevant to the time it’s released has to stay in that time to some extent. But “Make Yourself” lives on because it was the best album Incubus could have released at that time. They had something to say and they and they knew exactly how to say it. It was a window into their past, but also a glimpse into their future. In the following years, the band has had down moments (cough….”Morning View”…cough). But they have matured into amazing performers (thanks in part to the addition of bassist Ben Kenney) and definitely have a bright future despite their obligation to the world of popular rock. They are now leading in the area of alternative metal and I have faith that they won't disappoint in their future efforts. So call me crazy if you’d like, but I’m sticking to my instinct. “Make Yourself” is and will always be one of my favorite albums, and it serves as a perfect opener to my series of reviews. Stay tuned for more...