Customer Reviews

Morning View

5 star:		(423)
4 star:		(112)
3 star:		(46)
2 star:		(24)
1 star:		(31)

 

 

I love Incubus. You know what song made me a fan?..*gasp*.."Drive"! I know there's a tendency with Incubus fans to think that everything they did before "Drive" became popular was awesome (which it was), and everything they've done since then has been terrible (which is hasn't). When "Morning View" came out in October of 2001, lots of people accused them of "selling out" or "going soft". The album definetly has a consistent mellow tone that their previous albums lacked, but it was expected; the album was recorded at a beach house in Malibu (or some exotic location). It's kinda tough to be angry in that type of picturesque setting. People also accused them of purposely trying to replicate the sound of "Drive" by writing softer songs, but "Drive" didn't blow up in popularity until spring/summer of 2001, when this album was probably 90% completed already.

The point is, it's a natural evolution in sound. Either embrace it, or go listen to S.C.I.E.N.C.E and stop whining. I'd much rather see a band evolve and expand their sound, as opposed to making the same album over and over again (kind of like Godsmack, Linkin Park, and other modern rock mainstays do).

Anyway..

1. Nice To Know You

The second single, IIRC. And it's a perfect example of what makes Incubus such a great band - here's a song with an unusual mixed time rhythm, lots of tempo changes, and weird lyrics (about lead singer Brandon Boyd regaining feeling in his arm again after an extended period). Yet, the chorus has an incredible hook, making the song totally radio friendly.

2. Circles

Heavy verses with a heavy melodic chorus. Nice harmonies in the "What would it mean to you" part. Like another reviewer said, it's reminiscent of the Chili Peppers.

3. Wish You Were Here

The first single. Not a Pink Floyd cover either. The verses are mellow, and full of metaphorical imagery by Brandon Boyd (a highly creative and underrated lyricist), which lead into the catchy, anthematic chorus.

4. Just a Phase

The best Incubus song ever, in my view. After an extended turntable/piano led intro, the song switches tempo (from 4/4 into 6/8) for the verse. Then it switches tempo again for the pre-chorus, etc. Basically, the song builds and builds, then the final chorus explodes with a wall of guitars. It's a wildly successful experimental song.

5. 11 AM

I kinda expected this to be a single. Like "Wish You Were Here", another mellow mid-tempo song with a memorable chorus.

6. Blood on the Ground

This sounds like something from "Make Yourself". Brandon Boyd rapidly spits out great lyrics in the verses, leading into the explosive, angry chorus.

7. Mexico

A totally accoustic number - no percussion or anything. It's actually a pretty heartbreaking ballad, with great emotional vocal delivery.

8. Warning

This was another big hit single. Again, it's radio friendly and catchy, but unlike other rock bands that get heavy rotation today, it's not full of generic power chords and angst-filled lyrics.

9. Echo

I didn't care for this one initially, but after 4 or 5 listens, it became one of my favorites. It's actually a little reminiscent of "Stellar", but mellow the whole way through.

10. Have You Ever

A heavy song..probably my least favorite on the album. Musically, it doesn't stand out much, but the lyrics are really good.

11. Are You In?

This one makes you feel like you're in the midst of a party with all your friends. Catchy, cool, and very jazzy (jazz pop I suppose). It gets a little repetitive after awhile, but still a good song.

12. Under My Umbrella

Of all the heavier songs on the album, this is my favorite. It works the soft/loud dynamic perfectly, and the bridge is really cool.

13. Aqueous Transmission

Along with "Just a Phase", the most experimental song on here. And it's another success. It's 8 minutes long, *extremely* mellow (you'll feel like you're floating down a river at night as you listen to it), and features a sitar (the main "riff"), a Japanese pan flute (giving it a very oriental feel), strings, and even crickets chirping at the end. It's totally ethereal and wonderful.

And that wraps up "Morning View". Don't listen to some of the harsh criticism for this album. It's a fantastic collection of songs that takes creative guitar licks (from the also highly underrated Mike Einziger), creative lyrics, and overall creative musical ideas, and combines them with lots of memorable melodies and hooks. Thus, it *is* a radio friendly (or "mainstream") album..but it's also innovative and experimental at the same time. That's what makes "Morning View" such a great success.

Best Songs: Just a Phase, Echo, Under My Umbrella, Aqueous Transmission.

Well, after some of the reviews I have read, I see that alot of people failo to notice the real musicality of this album compared to their previous efforts. Sure, Make Yourself (M.Y.) was their breakthrough album, which is good, but Morning View (M.V., for short) stands high above the rest. Although cheesy, I'll do a run down of the songs in a 0-5 basis.

1. Nice to Know You (4.9/5) This was the perfect opener, it shows that DJ Kilmore is more about sculling the water, not necessarily making splashes.

2. Circles (5/5) I love the guitar line.

3. I Wish You Were Here (4/5) Good song, too much airplay ruins this song for me. The same thing happened with Hash Pipe (Weezer). It's a great song, but with MTV and the radio networks, it gets overplayed, and when you hear it on the album, it isn't the same. Oh well.

4. Just A Phase (5/5) Finally, something experimental. The first 3 songs basicall followed the Incubus tried-n'-true method, which is good. Phase uses different elements that the previous albums haven't.

5. 11 A.M. (5/5) No explanation necesasary.

6. Blood on the Ground (6/5) This is byfar the best song on the album. Its upbeat, it displays all of their talents, especially Brandon's singing and songwriting abilities. I'm such a loser that I write the lyrics of this song on my text books when I get bored....

7. Mexico (5/5) Similar to Drive, but better, because once again, it displays Brandon's improvement of being a songwriter and a singer, not a screamer/yeller, like what happens in most rock bands nowadays. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but this album takes the road less traveled.

8.Warning! (4/5) This song is pretty cool, but it gets kind of annoying after awhile for me, and compared to the other songs, its not as high caliber as the other tracks...

9.Echo (5/5) This is close to pop, but I like it all the same. It's catchy!

10.Have You Ever? (4/5) Trying to get a little back to their roots, this song is pretty cool... I like the other "hard" songs on the album better.

11. Are You In? (5/5) The other poppish songs, I like this one too, it is relaxing, but not as much as others...

12. Under My Umbrella (5.5/6) This is my 3rd favorite track... It just sounds awesome. 'Nuf said.

13. Aqueous Transmission (7/5) Props to being original, and really pushing the envelope. This is one of my favorite songs on the album. The kyoto makes you want to fall asleep, and the string section adds the perfect touch. It's a beautiful thing.

When the smoke has cleared, if you respect yourself at all, you'll go buy this album...

I never thought I would be able to say that with a straight face, I guess the pigs are flying now...But anyways, Incubus really achieved their pinnacle of success last year with the hit "Drive", and though I did enjoy the song I never thought to buy the album. Until one fateful day in the record store, there was "Morning View"...hmm interesting hey why not...so I picked it up and gave it a listen. Lyrically very impressive, unlike other "Rap Metal" bands (I don't put Incubus in their category, being that there is no rap involved besides the DJ influence) Incubus puts effort into what they do, not garbage. Brandon Boyd's vocals are definetly something to be admired, the guitar and bass playing will also delight any rock fan. And believe it or not, the sampling and scratching mixes in quite nicely and adds to the unique sound of Incubus. 2001 was rocks come back year, and Incubus was there to help see it through

I've been an Incubus fan for so long that I can't remember when I first listened to them... Fungous Amongus and Enjoy Incubus were great albums, when they were into their earlier funk and freestyle influences. S.C.I.E.N.C.E was the first full-length album that carved a niche for Incubus in the "alternative" mainstream, and was IMHO their best offering up until "Morning View."

This album is amazing in all sense of the word. Incubus has evolved throughout the years, and through this evolution, they have become become the future sound of rock. SCIENCE was my favorite album, up until today...

Here's the skinny on this album, track by track:
NICE TO KNOW YOU: a perfect opening song, reminscent of "SCIENCE," yet smooth and full of flow like "Make Yourself."
CIRCLES: another track reminsenct of Incubus's harder, edgier style, destined to be a chart-topper.
WISH YOU WERE HERE: if you haven't heard this tune yet, you are missing out on something special. perfect harmonies and subtle yet powerful and visceral acoustic guitar on this song that will have you singing along in no time.
JUST A PHASE: edgy power-rock with poetic vocals, great tune.
11 AM: least favorite song on album, but that doesn't mean anything because I admire the musical complexity that Incubus has to offer... you've probably heard this (...) before, but, there really isn't a "bad" song on the CD.
BLOOD ON THE GROUND: second best song on CD. Incubus's maturity can really be seen with this song. Brandon has a knack for writing lyrics that make people think, this song is proof of that special knack.
MEXICO: Many of the songs on this album have been toned down from what we come to expect from Incubus. This is a great thing, because it shows that this band can do much more than blow your eardrums off. Their talent is so diverse. Mexico is a great slower song,and the lyrics are fantastic.
WARNING: 3rd best song on CD, great tune, with catchy lyrics. another destined to be a chart topper.
ECHO: more of the lighter side of the band, good tune with a great melody.
HAVE YOU EVER: back to basics with this song. back to their harder edgier stuff... definite head bobber.
ARE YOU IN?: funky, funky, now... great funk flava for the homies. 4th best song on the album.
UNDER MY UMBRELLA: i really love their harder tunes because it hits me right square in my dome... sometimes i need that, i think we all do.
AQUEOUS TRANSMISSION: hands down the best song on the CD. maturity level is through the roof here. with far-east sounding background ambience, and all those damn crickets, this song will transcend all other experimental tunes they have tackled. put this song on, and drop out for a while.... you'll see what I mean......

I hope that helps. This CD was one of the better investments I have made in recent memory... 5+ stars.... go get it now

I said go get it, what are you waiting for????

Some people around here seem to enjoy complaining that Morning View doesn't "rock" as hard as Incubus' previous albums. I bought this with that in mind, and was pleasantly surprised to find that there is a lot of good solid rock material on here. The first three songs - including the single 'Wish You Were Here' - are fine forays into the heavy, energetic pop-metal that the band has heretofore specialized in. It does become a little weirder after that. There are druggy moments ('Just a Phase'), jazzy jams ('Are You In?') and an all-acoustic song ('Mexico'). But really, the varying textures, tempos and moods all serve to maintain interest over this near-epic album. The closing song probably draws the most disparate reviews. 'Aqueous Transmission' is a seven-minute piece featuring a ko-kyu (sort of Japanese mandolin) and a string section, dreamily hypnotic. It is a nice counterpoint to the rest of the album. Some of the things that make this disc nice are what it isn't - there's no rap, no sludgy detuned guitars and not much whining angst. I would say that Incubus are one of the few bands today that continue to follow their own instincts, and for that they should be praised.

Frankly, I'm a little sick of everyone picking on this album just because it does not sound the same as their previous endeavors. How can a band be expected to produce the same record over and over again?

That said, this album is by far one of the best I own. Morning view is a blend of incredible lyrics, beautiful melodies, and overall intelligent music. A good balance between hard and soft exists on the CD. Circles, Blood on the Ground, Have you Ever, and Under my Umbrella are the hard songs on the album. They feature loud guitars and biting lyrics, and they manage to get their point across eloquently and without profanity. It's refreshing to hear a change from the limp-bizkit-rap-core-metal that seems to be invading today's music scene. Nice to Know You and Warning are a mix of hard and soft, and again, get straight to the point. Are you In is a funky song that completes the record's wide range of genres. The soft songs, such as Wish you were Here, Just a Phase, 11:00 AM, Echo, and Aqueous Transmission are not soft because Incubus is selling out, they are soft because the songs are not about angry things. It wouldn't make sense to write a hard-rock song about something that isn't, well, hard-rock. Just because the songs aren't as loud doesn't lessen their value. They are artistically and musically as sound and as beautiful as the rest of the songs on the album. Overall, I'm proud to say I own and love Incubus' Morning View, one of the strongest collections of music on the shelves today.

Morning View is without a doubt Incubus' best album ever, after hearing S.C.I.E.N.C.E. I didn't think it would be possible for them to top it, but they did in every sense of the word. This is a very diverse album combining styles found on all of the previous Incubus albums and conquering completely new territory. This album is part heavy, part mellow, and part melodic. This album also shows 5 of the most talented musicians around today, guitarist Mike Einziger, bassist Dirk Lance, drummer Jose Pasillas, dj Chris Kilmore, and vocalist Brandon Boyd creating an album so different than anything anyone has heard before. There is absolutely no filler on the album at all. The heavier songs on the cd are Circles, Blood On the Ground, Have You Ever which sounds like it could've been on SCIENCE and Under My Umbrella which is one of my favorite songs by them. The more melodic songs such as Just A Phase, Warning, and Echo are amazing, they show that Incubus isn't worried about the trends and they make the music that they want to make. The singles released off the album, Wish You Were Here and Nice to Know You are also amazing. By now I'm sure you've heard Wish You Were Here, it combines the best elements of the album, it's melodic and acoustic based with great vocals, and Nice to Know You is more of a rock song, which is great, think Pardon Me just better and more mellow. There are also a few acoustic songs on the album, 11 a.m. is excellent, the band sounds great and the lyrics are very good. The other acoustic song, Mexico, is very different, it's probably the darkest and most moody song on the album, but it's still good. Aqueous Transmission closes the album, it is by far their most experimental song ever, it is almost 8 minutes long and features Mike Einziger using a Japanese instrument called a Koyoto. It is a very peaceful song complete with flute in the background and Brandon Boyd's almost whispered vocals. Now that I've said all of this how can you not by this album, it's without a doubt Insubus' best, and for it to be better than SCIENCE which is a masterpiece it's definately worth your money.....so what are you waiting for?

Buy this Album. Right now. Get up and buy it. It way to amazing to not be in your collection. Although they are getting softer... with more drive-like songs, and slower ballads, Incubus is changing for the better. Plus the harder one's are better now I think.

1) Nice to Know You- intended to be the first single until they found Wish You Were Here. It's pretty cool... one of the harder songs, proly next single I'm guessing. 9/10

2) Circles- I downloaded this song about a month before MV was released. I regret it. I'm reletivly bored of it now and it's one of the best songs on the CD. Pretty hard and really cool vocals and lyrics. 9/10

3) Wish You Were Here- single... ok song... lots of bass... 6/10

4) Just A Phase- one of my fav songs ever... starting out slow and peaceful... awesome lyrics... building to a fakeout climax... and then hitting you with the same build into an awesome peak. I love it. 10/10

5) 11am- if MV had a drive, this is it. Pretty cool. I like the guitar and Brandon's high pitched kinda spooky hum at the begining. Possible single i think. 8/10

6) Blood on the Ground- pretty angry song... another one the internet spoiled for me. But I still love it. 9/10

7) Mexico- acoustic feel. Showcases Brandon's voice. Chicks like this one alot... 7/10

8) Warning- lot's of Brandon again. I like the guitar in it though. Cool lyrics. 8/10

9) Echo- least fav on the CD... doesn't impress me, but not terrible. I haven't listened to it enough yet I guess. 5/10

10) Have You Ever- Harder than the previous 3. I DLed this one too. I'm most tired of this one, even though it's really cool. 8.5/10

11) Are You In?- very different. I like it more everytime i hear it. I really like Brandons vocals, the funky guitar and the backroudn noise. It's pretty good. 8.5/10

12) Under My Umbrella- Possibly my favorite song on the CD. I like my music harder, like this one... so it has an unfair advantage against Just a Phase... they are both awesome. I listen to this one over and over though, and don't get bored... maybe because I'm trying to figure out the lyrics. 10/10

13) Aquareous Transmission- experimental and 7 minutes long, but it doesn't suck like Magic Medicine did. Brandon does sing. I'm not rating it though...

Anyway...
I've been an Incubus fan scince S.C.I.E.N.C.E., and I love everything they've done... and this is no exception. So unless you hated Make Yourself (which would make you weird) buy Morning View.

Incubus is one of my favorite bands and this CD proves why. This is a well thought out and wonderfully produced album. Every song on this CD is great and I recommend this CD to any fan of alternative rock.
1)Nice To Know You- Great opening song with a great chorus 9/10
2)Circles- Nice song.....chorus is good in this one as well 8/10
3)Wish You Were Here- Hit single from this album......this song speaks for itself 10/10
4)Just a Phase- Great opening to the song......starts of with a beautiful melody then gets harder 8/10
5)11am- Another great song with a beautiful chorus...one of my favorites on the album 10/10
6)Blood On The Ground- First "Hard" song on the album....ok lyrics...didn't catch my attention that well 7/10
7)Mexico- I think this is the best song on the album.....slow acoustic song with great lyrics and melody......beautiful guitar playing and singing 10/10
8)Warning- Another semi-hard song on.....decent lyrics.....decent overall 8/10
9)Echo- Vintage Incubus with the beat and melody.....nice lyrics about wanting that someone 8/10
10)Have You Ever- Hard song.....ok lyrics 8/10
11)Are You In?- AWHOOOOOHOOOOO.....great chorus....ok song overall 9/10
12)Under My Umbrella- Another hard song with great lyrics......another classic Incubus cut 10/10
13)Aqueous Transmission- Somber song....very slow....good ending to a great CD 9/10
BUY THIS CD!

I got interested in Incubus during their last album Make Yourself. When I heard they had a new album coming out, I was looking to more metal/funk head-banging goodness. I bought it. At first I didn't like it. After about a week, I realized that it was different but probably better than Make Yourself. Here's my review of all the tracks.
1. Nice to Know You. One of the best on the cd. 5/5
2. Circles. Reminiscent of MY. 5/5
3. Wish you Were Here. Radio friendly, good song though. 4/5
4. Just a Phase. Starts w/ a 2 minute instrumental and very powerful 5/5
5. 11 AM another powerful one 5/5
6. Blood on the Ground. Best on the cd. 6/5
7. Mexico. Gets a littel slow 3/5
8. Warning. Good song. Good Message. 4/5
9. Echo. Very touching. One of my favorites. 5/5
10. Have You Ever. Heavier song. Kinda mindless though. 3/5
11. Are You In? Extremely catchy and upbeat. Mr. Boyd shows us whjat he can do w/ his voice. 4/5
12. Under my Umbrella. One of the best. Heaviest on the album. One of my favorites. 5/5
13. Aqueous Transmission. Very different. The two minutes of cricket noises at the end are a bit mcuh though. Nevertheless, one of the songs that will make Incubus great.