No.58 - ‘Make Yourself’ by Incubus (1999)

“Sometimes I feel the fear of uncertainty stinging clear; And I can’t help myself but ask myself how much I’ll let the fear take the wheel and steer; It’s driven me before and seems to have a vague haunting mass appeal; But lately I’m beginning to find that I should be the one behind the wheel…”

I first heard of Incubus from friend’s hoodies at secondary school, and even though I bought a couple of albums from the bargain bin at Virgin Megastores, I didn't really give them a thought and proper listen. It was approximately a decade later when revisiting and ‘Make Yourself’ became a firm favourite. 

Through discovering certain bands, I’ve enjoyed interesting rhythms, notably between the score and vocals. This album thrives on it, mostly due to the funk and hip hop influence, mixed with alternative metal. Heavy guitars, superb drum riffs, prominent bass and DJ scratches fill this album. 

There is a real beauty in the changes between reflective slower verses and rip roaring choruses, which appear frequently throughout the album. Boyd’s vocals are fantastic, clear and suitably full of range to fit the eclectic mix of sounds. Fans of the Chili Peppers, Rage Against the Machine and Nirvana should give this a listen. Or for the mellow funk or classic hiphop fans, the track Battlestar Scralatchtica will be a thorougly enjoyable experience for the ears!

It’s a struggle to define their genre, and that’s a good thing! It is always refreshing listening to music that doesn’t fit into a box. A notable highlight is also the positivity in their lyrics, whereas many alternative/nu-metal bands tend to put a downer on the world (and that’s being incredibly polite). With every listen I find nuances that make it all the more enjoyable. It constantly grows on me. 

Incubus formed in 1991, walking in the footsteps of bands such as Primus, Faith No More and The Beastie Boys. ‘Make Yourself’ peaked at No.47 in the US, where it went double platinum, and 83 in the UK. The album was released on vinyl and I own the limited re-issue edition in velvet purple.

As a side note, I currently don’t specify recommendations on other Inc albums to listen to, simply because I haven't given their back catalogue the suitable attention they deserve.

Favourite songs - Drive, Nowhere Fast, Pardon Me, Make Yourself

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