The pace is several times slower than the song before it, but the guitar riff that plays along the entire song is a nice one. Up next is Dig, which is high on the list of my favorite Incubus songs, as well as my favorite songs, period. The appeal of this song lies mostly in the loud sound the lyrics are mostly a repetition of the title, but the guitar work and drumming gives the song a frantic, upbeat feeling that creates the perfect beginning to the album. This seems like the ultimate song to play on Rock Band then again, I’ve been saying for a while that Rock Band and Guitar Hero need to release a game exclusively of Incubus songs, but I digress.

The intro fades seamlessly into Kiss to Send Us Off, a fast paced number that starts off somewhat quietly and then builds up by the first chorus with a thrashing of guitars and drums. My favorite part is the “chorus” and the lyrics, “Some people fall in love and touch the sky/Some people fall in love and find quicksand/I hover somewhere in between I swear I can’t make up my mind.” Describes plenty of relationships I’ve witnessed and even been a part of. The short piece is more of an intro, but still the lyrics should be noted, as Boyd sings of a twisted relationship. The backing music has a sort of space-agey feel to it, and so do Boyd’s vocals as he begins to sing. The album begins with Quicksand, an almost ambient-sounding song. The group’s sixth album, Light Grenades, was released in 2006, and is a wonderful combination of Incubus’ current “nu-metal” sound, Boyd’s vocals and songwriting all brilliantly displayed in a heavy handful of songs. I suspect I will always be a fan of Incubus’ rock sound (it’s hard and angry at times, but never quite hard or angry enough to compare to, say, a metal band), and lead vocalist, Brandon Boyd’s powerful vocals and lyrics. I fell in love with the five-part, Calabasas-based rock band when I was in middle school, but their music has guided me past those angst-ridden years (oh, and were they angst-ridden) and to adulthood.

When I think of my favorite groups, Incubus is usually quite high up on the list.

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