Morning View

So, this morning I decided to have a walk to the shops, which means...the mp3 player, and today, Incubus - Morning View. Now, I am biased, I love Incubus, that's why they're on my mp3 player, they are one of the very few bands who've changed their sound and progressed and grown as a band with every album and I still like each sound (One of the others being Silverchair.) Even A Crow Left of the Murder, which is my least favoured album, when played I still love a number of tracks (talk show on mute, pistola are two that spring to mind alongside the obvious megalomaniac.) So, Morning View...perfect album for just relaxing and enjoying music. There's bits to get you going, and bits to lull you into comfort whatever you're doing. The mixing, mastering and production of the album is great, I love the panning of the guitar on the opening tracks, especially when you get Mike Einziger's guitar in your left ear, and the delay effect panning to your right. Also, as a note, Einziger's guitar sound is always distinctive, at some points sounding like he's got his muffled distorted sound and an acoustic sound at the same time. The fact you can pick out the guitar at all times without it just being noise shows just how good the production is, and without it, the album would've sounded just like a noisey mess.
It picks up with Nice to Know You, the guitar riff sending life through your ears ito your brain, with Brandon Boyd's background cry of Hey, kick-starting me at least into movement. Circles keeps you going, then Wish You Were Here provides a melodic chorus that you'll find yourself struggling not to sing along to. After that, one of my personal favourite Incubus tracks, Just a Phase. With it's slow build, Kilmore's DJ skills bring in a backing track scratched to perfection, Einziger's guitar and Boyd's use of his voice in oos and ahhs to build up the song into the first verse, the song builds and builds to a release on a chorus and they release everything at it yet still holding the clarity and tone of the whole song.
Other highlights Include Blood on the Ground. (I just love some of the lyrics)
Mexico slows the whole thing down for a few minutes for an acoustic warning to selfishness.
Warning is my other favourite track. Just listen to it. It's great. lol.
Are you in is the track released as a single in the UK and got a fair amount of radio play from my recollection. A chilled, jass room, swing, social evening type song.
and the album ends with Aqueous Transmissions. The mandolin only adds to the imagery in the lyrics, and if you close your eyes lean back and don't imagine you're lying on your back in the sun, floating down a river then you are dead inside!

I love this album. :)