Customer Reviews

A Crow Left of the Murder

5 star:		(45)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Fans that just came along and think Morning View is their 2nd cd need not read this review. Nor the fans who spout "Drive is best song ever, incubus is new right?" True fans of incubus will appreciate ACLOTM for the transcending message of musical art it brings forth. "From here on it's instinctual..." applies to this album better than anything I can say. This is a somewhat return to form for Incubus after the pop sensation that was Morning View. Don't get me wrong, Morning View is a very good album indeed, inspired by the big ass house & pretty scenery of course. But nothing like the standards set by albums like Closet Cultivation or Self titled. This new album though almost conveys a sound similar the likes of "Purple Kool Aid" or "Miss Bliss" which is simply amazing. Brandon's lyrics make this album worth the price alone, songs like "Agoraphobia" and "Beware! Criminal" are right along up there with some of the best incubus songs conceived, but what else would you expect? Lyrically we've never been let down for simple "I'm a poet and I don't know it" lyrics that haunt the air waves and pollute music, Brandon is himself a true poet. Sure this album isn't as crunchy as S.C.I.E.N.C.E. but if you're a real fan, you should have noticed every album is in itself different. Make Yourself has no funk or screaming whatsoever. Morning View is almost a perfect picture of solitude put into sounds (except the mosh worthy "Under My Umbrella") so for this album to be something along the lines of a side we've never before is just the way it should be. This album seems to experiment with Brandon's falsetto a little bit more than previous albums and Mike's guitar playing is a little more "out there" with his amazing guitar solos and strange robotic/fuzzy distortion. The new bass player is fitting for the band as well. "He plays the drums!?" which is what you'd say if you recently saw them on tour. But his funky style gives incubus back it's "roots" somewhat and is the perfect addition to this seemingly perfect band. Jose is modestly godlike on the drums as always and DJ Kilmore is all into funky "robot factory" sounds in this one which is pretty sweet aside from the space sounds of Make Your Self and S.C.I.E.N.C.E. This DvD is "Priceless" to say the least, just for the live performances alone, not to mention Brandon's injury (as portrayed by Jose). All in all any real fan will appreciate this work of art as whole, for it sits atop the shelf with the rest of incubus's stunning and original releases. I'm a death metal head and I can't even deny the talent incubus spews forth with every album. They aren't the poped out "NU Metal" or even heavy metal, too crunchy and boundless to be funk. They're just......incubus.

First off, I didn't even listen to a sample of this CD before I bought it thinking, well, I liked all their other albums, this one'll probably rock too. But honestly after I got it, I was a little disappointed. A Crow Left of the Murder sounds and feels totally different than their other albums. It's almost like you're not even listening to Incubus. But, after listening to it more than once, it grows on you like Fungus and you realize that you'll be glad that Incubus changed their sound. Why the hell would you want to spend $15 more bucks on a carbon copy of their last albums? It just goes to show that they're not afraid to experiment with the different guitars and instruments featured in this album. The bonus DVD that comes with this features live performances from Lollapalooza (Megalomaniac and Pistola), The Bridge Benefit Concert(Crow Left of the Murder and Talk Show on Mute), While We Were Out(In depth look at the life of bored rockstars) and Brandon's Injury(Re-enactment of Brandon's foot breaking accident). Is it just me or do they all seem a little tired and grumpy now-a-days? Anyway, when you buy this, don't expect to hear classic Incubus. Instead, try to think of it as an evolution of the band.

Being a strong fan of Incubus, mainly S.C.I.E.N.C.E., Make Yourself, and Fungus Amongus, I always listen to their CDs. Sure enough, I loved the entire album. Here I'll review each song:

1. Megalomaniac - 5/5 - The first single, with a music video that for once proved a point unlike most of today's videos (which MTV unsurprisingly banned). Heavy feel to it, I love the guitar and the chorus.

2. A Crow Left of the Murder - 5/5 - Excellent song. Has a new air to it, more like Make Yourself. Listen to it a few times to get the lyrics in your head.

3. Agoraphobia - 4.5/5 - Again, nice guitar. The song draws you in every time you hear it; don't listen to it while you're driving or you might forget what you're doing ;)

4. Talk Show On Mute - 4.5/5 - Beautiful lyrics, much softer feel than the previous songs. It'll take a listen or 2 before you like it.

5. Beware! Criminal - 4/5 - It's a good song, Brandon has fun with singing the words in different ways on this track. The lyrics get stuck in my head for a while, which gets annoying :(

6. Sick Sad Little World - 5/5 - The guitar solo (about 2-3 minutes long) is a KILLER. I love it a lot. Not great if you listen for lyrics only like mainstream music today.

7. Pistola - 4.5/5 - The whole song is a big metaphor. This one can get old, but when you hear it it's amazing. The turntables at the start are fun to listen to.

8. Southern Girl - 5/5 - Beautiful track. Listen to when you're in a mellow mood to have the most fun with this.

9. Priceless - 5/5 - Awesome song with a jazz theme to it. I love the guitar to death and this is definitely one of the best songs on the CD.

10. Zee Deveel - 6/5 - Best track on here. So much like old (heavier) Incubus with great lyrics. This song never gets old either, which I love about it.

11. Made For TV Movie - 4.5/5 - Mellower track, but not as slow as Southern Girl. Has awesome lyrics as well.

12. Smile Lines - 4.5/5 - A fun song to listen to, but it can get old. Brandon has fun on variations of singing the words yet again on this track.

13. Here In My Room - 4/5 - Too slow for me, but has an excellent use of the piano. Props to Incubus for doing a song like this.

14. Leech - 5/5 - Awesome song with lyrics you can listen to over and over for weeks and not get sick of. The guitar solo reminds me of Led Zeppelin for some reason.

Overall, this CD is a must-have for any Incubus fan. No matter if you're a fan of Morning View or S.C.I.E.N.C.E., you will love this CD and the live performances on the 2nd disc.

Yes, i am a metalhead. if it's metal, i love it an dlisten to it. but even I like lots of non metal bands and incubus is one of my favorites. so if a hardcore metal head can like this then i'm sure people who like rock music will LOVE this. now onto the main review:

Although it's obvious that incubus isn't half the band they used to be, i still think they are a good rock band who continues to pump out rock solid cds. and this one is no different. First of all, i'm almost 21 years old, for the re re who said most incubus fans are under 18. whatever man. i've been a incubus fan for a long time and have gotten used to the fact that every cd sounds different and this one is crazy sounding. it's not heavy like science and it's not "sounds of the beach and nature" that morning view was. and this cd is better than morning view,imo. i liked morning view but it was too quiet mainstream radio soudning. first of all, other than track one, i can't hear most of these songs on the radio. These songs have sound everywhere in the them and most of them are not catchy. it's clear that incubus are making music for themselves. if your a incubus fan who knows how weird this band truly is and how capable they are of stretching themselves, then you will LOVE this cd. takes a few listens for it to soak in and you will love it.

You can hear the bass very very well in this cd, very cool soudning bass, he is underrated. their guitar player has gotten very good at playing stuff other than heavy metal riffs that were found on their SCIENCE album. He's not a musical genious by far but i like his style and he keeps it interesting.

my only complaint with the cd is that it's too long! 14 songs? come on man. as with most cd with a lot of songs, 3 or 4 of them could have been taken off but most are solid.

here are my favorites from this cd: Megalomaniac, Southern Girl, Priceless, Zee Deveel, Made for TV Movie, Beware! Criminal, and leech.

incubus rule.

I must say that I was a little worried that this cd would not live up to expectations. Morning View was incredible. However, everything on this cd surpasses that one. The one gripe I had about Morning View was that it seemed they tried to "clone" a couple of their earlier hits. For example, "11am" and "Mexico" resembled their big hit "Drive" from Make Yourself. Also, "Echo" seemed to be an echo of another song: "Stellar." I am thrilled to say that I don't find any of this going on with A Crow Left of the Murder. This cd completely stands on it's own and doesn't try to copy the success they've had before. Here's a breakdown:

Megalomaniac- An explosive start to an explosive album. This is a good song to just rock out to.

A Crow Left of the Murder- I love Mike's guitar intro's. They never sound the same, and they are always so inventive and fun. This is one of those with his great guitar riffs. It's a very unique sounding song, but so full of energy.

Agoraphobia- This is a mellower song than the first two. This is perfect "chill" music, but with a very catchy melody. Don't be surprised if this one gets stuck in your head for a while.

Talk Show on Mute- This is also a mellow song, as well. Just like Agoraphobia, it's also very catchy. Those two songs do not sound alike, though. It's also worth noting the fun effects that DJ Kilmore uses in this song.

Beware! Criminal- This is a standard rock song...Incubus style. Which just makes it very fun. There's a little bit of it that reminds me of Jet, another good yet less creative band.

Sick, Sad Little World- Another great intro by Mike. This song is strangely addictive, and Brandon's vocal range is really good here. Another good rock tune.

Pistola- This is just all-out high octane rock. It's good, but the re-listening factor for it isn't as high as some of the others, possibly b/c it's just an exhausting song that can get old. I still like it, though.

Southern Girl- What a great rock ballad. It's just such a sweet song but it's got a very mellow and bittersweet tone. Probably one of my favorites on the cd. Awesome song.

Priceless- This is my least favorite on the cd. It's not a bad song by any means. There's just a sort of lack of melody. But that's the mood of the song. It's a very loud, fast paced song that has more of a yelling chorus than an actual melody. But it's got some GREAT guitar.

Zee Deveel- This is a very playful song that is just plain fun. It's got a great beat and a great pre-chorus, but mainly it's just fun to listen to.

Made For TV Movie- This is a mellow song that has a pinch of grunge to it. When listening to it, I was reminded of the mellower songs of Nirvana or early Bush. This ones got a pretty catchy chorus.

Smile Lines- A great rock tune. Very catchy verses, with some great lyrics. Who could ask for more?

Here in My Room- Wow. This is an awesome song. It's got a great main piano lead that's just chilling...I get goosebumps just thinking about it. This is by far the mellowest song on the cd, but I mean that in the best way possible. It sounds like they might have gotten a little bit of influence from Radiohead or someone like that b/c this song is so beautifully moody. DJ Kilmore's ambient effects add so much to the song it's ridiculous. This is a great song. The cd would be worth buying just for this song. Also, Brandon's singing style changes a bit for this song, and it sounds much more mature. I love everything about this song. It's incredible.

Leech- After "Here in My Room," if the cd had ended, it might leave some people depressed. To remedy that, they give us "Leech." A very high energy with some very fun guitar and bass riffs. I mean, when the chorus blares "The ride's over. Did you enjoy yourself?", could you honestly think of a better ending to this great disc?

Overall, A Crow Left of the Murder continues to show that Incubus just gets better and better with age. They never do albums that sound the same, and this one is no exception. I would definitely say that this one rocks out a little harder than Morning View, and I mean that in a good way. The only thing missing from this cd is an acoustic guitar song, but I kind of admire them for not doing one since they did them on their past two albums and they became big hits. They're not trying to repeat anything. This is Incubus re-invented...again. But you can still tell it is Incubus through and through. They are one of the few original and creative acts out there, and they just keep getting better. If you like Incubus, buy this cd. If you like rock, buy this cd. If you are just curious about Incubus and don't know their music, buy this cd. It's a great cd that displays just how talented these guys are.

Incubus never fails to amaze me. The fact that all of their albums are so diverse is a good thing. So what if A Crow Left of the Murder doesn't sound at all like S.C.I.E.N.C.E? They keep re-inventing themselves, and that, in my opinion is a good thing. This album is the best I've heard all year. With songs like Agoraphobia (awesome!), Pistola, Southern Girl, Smile Lines and Leech, who could go wrong? If you're looking for something to jam to in your car or just something to hear when you're chilling out, then this is the cd for you. Not only have Incubus ALWAYS put out GREAT albums, but they're exceptional in concert...check them out if you ever get a chance!

This CD is very good from start to finish. And it's got a little bit of what makes Incubus good. Despite being a little more slowed down than their previous CDs, "A Crow Left of The Murder" is still very good. [Not to mention the clever title]
The CD mostly contains alternative rock sounding songs like "Talk Shows on Mute" or "Agoraphobia". And then of course there's a more hard rock sound on "Megalomaniac" which has a nice little intro as well. Favorite song has to be "Southern Girl" [dare i say ballad??] which is also would fall into that alternative rock sound. Weirder songs like "Zee Deveel" and "Sick Sad Little World" just remind you why you liked Incubus in the first place.
One of my favorite CDs because of it's Red-Hot-Chili-Pepper like variety.

Say what you will about this album, it remains a strong release. There are influences here that Incubus had yet to tap into. Their earlier material was primarily and obviously composed of funk, metal, and even rap. They have escaped that landscape and have produced an album of good character. I sense a bit of Rush-like prog rock and even Radiohead inspiration on the track "In My Room". It really is diverse and quite sprawling. I believe Mike Eizinger's, Ben Kenney's, and José Pasillas II's experience with the "Time Lapse Consortium" was and eye-opening event. Much is to learn from these stalwarts. Further, despite the fact that a few songs may sound a bit over-pretentious, Brandon truly pulls off those notes dwelling on a higher octave. Some may miss the funktified fury of S.C.I.E.N.C.E., but that is not to say that much is to be gained from their new journey.

Wonderfully hand-crafted music from the masters of their own genre, Incubus delivers solidly once again. While I didn't have any expectations, I could feel their evolution from "Morning View". "A Crow Left of the Murder" is an example of boiled-down Incubus: hard songs that have quiet parts in them, and soft songs that have rock parts in them, and wierd experimental Chomsky-sphere lyrics and analogies all throughout. They include the harder bits of their style, but add the maturity of seasoned professionals. They alter their musical style enough to sound new again, yet they still do the Incubus thing. As the boys might say, Enjoy Incubus!

I've been a huge Incubus fan for about 4 years. I first listened to Make Yourself, attracted by the song "Drive." At the time I had not discovered true Incubus. I then started to listen to S.C.I.E.N.C.E. and then discovered Fungus Amungus. I became so interested and i waited for Morning View to come out. Once that was out I could not wait for the next album. I got worried that the band would break up, from rumors on several Incubus websites. The turn out was Dirk Lance leaving the band. He was a big reason why i liked Incubus so much. After he left the band i got quite worried... Ben Kenney completely surprised me and he brought a whole new level of awesomeness to the band. His experience in The Roots really brought new sounds to the records. I purchased A Crow Left of The Murder the day it came out. I listened to it. I was like, what a bunch of garbage... all this waiting for a terrible CD. I was so disappointed. But thank god i gave it a second chance. I started listening to it. Then i realized it was amazing. I have listened to the full album now close to 45 times in a month and minus like 3 or 4 songs on a 14 track CD, it is really good. I mean it isn't quite Fungus Amungus, but id rate it up there with great albums. If you're a newcomer of Incubus, try this as a second album, get SCIENCE and Fungus Amungus first to get a good glimpse of Incubus... not saying you shouldn't get any of the other albums. Well that is all... enjoy incubus!