Whatever tomorrow brings, I will always love this album. Incubus broke into the mainstream with their second studio album Make Yourself, which I find most interesting because of the albums that came before and after. It was recorded after a tour in support of their debut, S.C.I.E.N.C.E. and marks a transition between that harder sound featured at Ozzfest to the surf rock ambiance of Morning View. It’s also a 1990s alternative rock classic with three tent-pole singles that make the speaker dance.

On paper, Incubus makes no sense. The construction of the band was not in the mold of many groups at the time in several ways. They are an alt-rock band with a DJ, people used to talk down on them for that in some music circles but it never bothered me. Gen-Z listeners might see old videos of him on stage and think, what a pioneer, look at him playing the laptop acoustically! In addition, they only had one guitarist for all these loud, wall of sound choruses: Mike Einziger. The man has never met an effect pedal he didn’t like, and you will hear some unfamiliar sounds on Incubus albums, queued by his right foot stomping.

While the previous album was successful in its own right, this one had, “Drive” on it. A song that should be on any nineties playlist worth its salt, and a big part of why the fan base for the band became divided. They definitely went in a more radio friendly direction with this album, but I would never use the term, “sell-out.” The album sold over two million copies, and it wasn’t because they were, to quote Office Space from the same year, “No talent ass-clowns.” You certainly can’t say that about the lyrics of the song or Brandon Boyd’s vocals, I don’t want to imagine anyone else singing it.

As for the other two singles, “Pardon Me” sounds great whether they play it in an acoustic or electric arrangement, from the opening phaser guitar to the line, “I’ve had enough of the world and it’s peoples’ mindless games.” In sticking with that transition theme of the album, “Stellar” is a bit quieter and more melodic. The louder chorus repeatedly insists loving disbelief, “How do you do it? Make me feel like I do.” Boyd’s voice really shines on this one, something the band leaned into throughout their career.

While there is some immaturity in this sophomore effort, it doesn’t detract from a great set of songs. Incubus has adapted their sound over their decades as a group, and this record was the one that paved the way for a lot of great music that came after. The mistake people make with Incubus is trying to figure out what to label them as, so just don’t. Enjoy Incubus for all the joyful noise they make on this one, with open arms and open ears.