Reviews (page 2 of 7)
such a great album, classic from my high school days. Awesome to revisit it. I never really did listen to the whole thing front to back but it's got a lot of hits on it.
Oh wow, this one really surprised me. In a way it does almost feel like a super typical 90s album, and to be fair it is, but somehow in a good way. You can really feel how it's an amalgamation of a lot of the popular genres at the time, with alternative rock being the most prominent, but the underlying nu metal and even grunge tendencies are actually used really well considering where both genres were at the time. But even outside of genres, it's all around just a really well put together album with great guitar playing, fitting vocals, and very strong writing.
This is a bit of a weird one. The vocals are very repetitious. He seems to drag the last word of every line on every track, in the same key. He's definitely the weakest link. But the musicianship is way above average, the guitar player is doing some very interesting things and the drums and bass are locked in and grooving. If I had been a teenager when this came out I would've listened to it a lot. Really enjoyed the playing on this and it has a couple tunes that still get a lot of radio play.
Killer album with an incredibly important place in my heart. Ive heard this and Morning View more times than I can count (the later being the better IMO) I’ll never forget when my older brother and I brought our guitars up to a lake cabin my parents rented near okoboji, Iowa. We did the classic campfire tunes move and were on a heater bringing in some passerbys. Our brains just about broke when an attractive someone asked if she could sing over her request (Drive) and we both had to stomach the her disappointment when we knew the song, but couldn’t perform. I think you all know what song we both learned that night 🤣
Jaw dropped a little when this popped up this morning. Certainly a nostalgia album. I keep a chronological playlist of albums I was really into at some point in my life, and this is definitely on there. That said, I think it holds up. Privilege opener is excellent. Drive is an all-timer. I thought that was the coolest music video when it came out. Make Yourself (the song) makes me wonder whether Incubus might be a better or at least more interesting band than the Foo Fighters. I think it’s a worthwhile debate. I think I wrote parts of this in another review, but when I was a freshman in high school, the cool juniors were really into Incubus. So much so that one of them bought turntables to try to learn how to scratch, like Incubus. I was impressionable, so got a little into Incubus but never to the worship level of those guys. But I do credit them for broadening my music interests away from my mostly jamband tastes at the time. Got me into bands like At The Drive In, Mars Volta, Cursive, Trail of Dead, Explosions in the Sky. A funny phase, but I still go back to all of those bands on occasion.
Love this record, already know it. 5 stars
Excellent. A gem of an album.
If one of my friends had had the CD to rip, I'd have been listening to this for years
Love it. Nostalgia definitely a contributor. Bring back, the band with the DJ genre.
HOLY DRUMMER ‼️ this is an amazing album holy shit
One of my favorite bands of the time, and this one is a classic.
Easy 5, what a monumental album. Contains the best of what rock has to offer, particularly around the turn of the millennium. Heavy riffs, interesting progressions, provocative and thought-provoking lyrics, killer rhythm, filthy basslines, and a DJ to make it unique. Yes, you have to hear this before you die. Try and enjoy it, you only get to hear it for the first time once.
I was never a fan of Incubus. Never listened to them. This just changed my mind. Great band with a lot of punch!
Older brother core
Although occasionally very strangely syncopated with the vocals and music, this was a very pleasurable listening experience, and this has definitely ought to be one of the greatest late-90s albums.
Has the vibe of your typical 90's alt-rock group, but it doesn't feel as cheesy/dated as some groups like Limp Bizkit. 4.5 bumped up to 5.
I’m at a 4.5 that I will bump up to a 5 with totally naked bias. I’m learning something about myself when it comes to nu-metal, or nu-metal adjacent stuff; as long as the production work is met with even marginally decent lyrics, I’ll probably enjoy it. For better or worse, these soundscapes & instrumental styles are the sounds of movie trailers, game trailers & the overall pop culture of my super early youth. Even as late as 2005, a good 6 years after this album came out, I’m pretty sure this style was hanging in there, even if it was by a thread. Granted, I don’t think I’ve heard any of the songs on this album (outside of the obviously huge “Drive”) until now, but there was something oddly nostalgic to all of this. I’ll be the first person to tell you that enjoying this album comes down to how much you enjoy this style as a guilty pleasure, and I, for better or worse, enjoy this style as a *deep* guilty pleasure. I do think it’s a little more warranted here though, as this album takes a lot of clear inspiration (at least to my ears) from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, just blending their style with more of a nu-metal lean. It’s probably why “Drive” became such a monster hit, since it does feel like it could easily fit onto “Californication” with a few tweaks. This album is mostly defined by heavy, heavy guitar work though, in a way that’s sort of overwhelming, yet still pretty melodic. Throw some record scratches on top of that, some cheesy lyrics, along with some punchy percussion, and you end up with the general base for each track. I think they do a great job of keeping it fresh every time in spite of that; a track like “Nowhere Fast” with a sort of drum & bass tone in the percussion is different from the heavy rock of “Privilege” & far, far different from something like “Battlestar Scralatchtica” or “Drive”. There’s good variety here, even if it can feel occasionally same-y to the ears. Brandon Boyd’s got a pretty darn good voice by the way; occasionally, he sounds like Weird Al (perhaps most blatantly on “The Warmth”) & other times, he feels sort of Nickelback-y, but generally, I think he gives a good gravitas to each track, especially when he needs to yell something out. There’s some shaky vocal structures on some tracks, but he’s in a good key that makes it easy to sing along whenever a solid chorus comes up. I know “Drive” isn’t the only song here, but it’s the shining example of this. I think the other big one is probably “Pardon Me”, which in addition to a decently catchy chorus, surprised me with the rap flow, feeling like a sort of proto-Linkin Park. I’m not comparing Brandon to Chester here or anything, but it just clicked well in a familiar way. I did call them cheesy lyrics, but they are at least lyrics that attempt to say something; generally, I think the thread of the album is accepting personal growth & maturity in the aftermath of hard times, trying to reclaim your life afterwards. It’s at least what “Drive” is about, and most of the tracks leading up to it (& after it) touch on those general themes of trying to find a path forward. There’s not really a link between each track like that, but as far as actually trying to put an album together, I’d say they flow decently well – maybe “Battlestar Scralatchtica” interrupts the pace of the album a little too abruptly, but other than that, I guess my only real confusion comes in “Out from Under” ending the album. It’s not a bad one at all, but the “fuck the authority” track coming in after an album that’s largely been about personal growth, especially during 1999 (a year where I can genuinely think of no historical reason to go “fuck the authority” mode) feels out of place as the closing track. Put it anywhere else, and then end on “Pardon Me”, and I think the album would end in a really fulfilling way. I do think I’m giving this a lot of “guilty pleasure” bias, but I still think the floor here is a 3, at worst. People giving this a 1 or 2 like it’s a disgusting presence on the list are overreacting – at worst, I think this is a decently produced piece of nu-metal influenced rock, and at its best, I think it’s got some genuine hits & great variety that speaks to the cultural zeitgeist of this style of music in 1999 / 2000, however awkwardly it’s aged over the years. Is it an album you HAVE to listen to before you die? I dunno, probably not, but I’m glad I listened to it in full all the same. Apparently, it’s their album after this with genuinely great acclaim, so maybe I’ll listen to that in my own time. As far this album goes, I’m a total sucker for it, and while I acknowledge that it’s probably closer to a 4 for my tastes, I feel inclined to bump it up to a 5 just because I found myself enjoying it that much. Sorry, I guess.
Nostalgic
Full disclosure - I've been a fan of Incubus for some time. I've seen them live back in 2018, and I own a copy of Morning View. While they tend to change up their style with each new record, there's always been this throughline of funk and hip-hop influence on alternative rock that I have come to appreciate, even if they have softened their edges a bit too much. But let's not dwell on what Incubus has become; today, we have their breakthrough record, Make Yourself. After the funk-metal ventures of Fungus Among Us and S.C.I.E.N.C.E., the band opted for a more focused direction, with less zaniness and more ambience in the compositions. If anything, I'd say they found success with this approach. Brandon Boyd's soaring vocals, Mike Eizinger's funky yet spacious guitar work, and the tight rhythm section of Dirk Lance and Jose Pasillas come together for this ethereal yet hard-hitting sound, complete with profound introspective lyrics that detail the pursuit of one's freedom and happiness, while coming to terms with who they are. The songwriting came off rather potent for a lot of these songs, not just the singles. Of course, I do have to address one member I haven't mentioned yet, DJ Chris Kilmore behind the turntables. I'll admit, I'm a bit more tolerant of record-scratching in my alternative rock, which is a persistent element throughout this album, adding character to their laid-back style without detracting from the overall bouncing grooves. In fact, the only aspects of the instrumental jam "Battlestar Scralatchtica" that I found cringeworthy were the song title and its placement between the hard-hitting "Clean" and the more affirming ballad "I Miss You". A slight rearrangement of the tracklist would have integrated this better, but that's the only nitpick I had. Overall, Make Yourself was an excellent treat to have from a bygone era of alternative music. If anything, it still holds up in Incubus's catalog, as the band carved their own niche in the vast soundscape.
Kind of everything I want from a rock album.
pretty solid rock
Super album. Nice to revisit. A few bangers and very good overall music. Top stuff.
07/10/2025 Incubus just happen to produce one of my favourite albums, this isn't it, but i can't not give it 5 stars. Spotify listeners: 9.3 million
Wasn't sure what this was till I got to "Ride" Then my childhood bursted back. Smashing the 5 star.
Competes with Morning View (Incubus) as my favorite album. PRIVILEGE starts with this subtle to abruptly loud guitar, with Brandon Boyd examining, "Isn't it strange that a gift could be an enemy? Isn't it weird, that a privilege could feel like a chore?" At times Incubus lyrics can be captivating, at other times, incoherent. Frankly, I don't give a sh*t. They will most likely always be my favorite band. With this album, you get pop rock excellence with DRIVE, the visceral PARDON ME, alt-rock classic, STELLAR, and a collection of genre bending songs that have a sense of authenticity, while also documenting their influences. If you get an opportunity, do yourself a favor and watch them live. At best, you get to see a band that ensures to give a 11 out of 10 performance, and at worst you get to tailgate with some strange, yet entertaining creatures. Most likely, you'll get a combination of the 2.
>>>> the Beatles Possibly in my top 10 albums I've listened to the most. Fuck the haters, sorry it's not as genius as We All Live in A Yellow Submarine.
Oh man, it's impossible for me to objectively rate this album... listening to Incubus immediately takes me back to a simpler time in life: summer of 2010, going into senior year of HS, in the passenger seat of my stoner buddy's car - getting a mild contact high from his weed, since I was too much of a pussy to smoke myself - where he introduced me to so much music that would go on to influence my own tastes, while just mindlessly driving around town. It was in this setting where I first heard "Pardon Me" and my mind was fucking blown. For me, this album is the perfect encapsulation of late 90s/early 2000s nu-metal meets alt-rock. Kind of crazy to think that it came out pre-9/11, but that's probably because of the setting I described above. Oh yeah, and Jose Pasillas is one of the most criminally underrated rock drummers of the times. Man's grooves and fills are sharp as dijon mustard.
This is a real marmite album in the reviews with the majority being 1 or 5. As someone that grew up with this album and the band in general, I definitely fall into the latter category ! Here the band move on from the straight ahead funk rock and nu-metal that introduced them to the mainstream alternative audience. They maintain some of these elements but this is more expansive and a step up in the levels and maturity of their songwriting that will peak on the next album _Morning View_. The whole is tight but Brandon Boyd's vocal performance is dynamic and Mike Einziger is a really underrated and creative guitarist. The heaviness is still there on tracks like _Privelege_, _Consequence_, _Make Yourself and _Pardon Me_ but they're joined by lighter cuts like the trippy _The Warmth_, the acoustic _Drive_ and the sweet _I Miss You_. Maybe it’s some of the nostalgia talking but it’s a 9/10 album for me so I’m bumping it up to 5 stars… I don’t think you’re allowed to stray from 1 or 5 anyway and it’s definitely not a 1 !
Pardon me while I burst
One of the best albums of my favourite band. Second for me after Morning view, still brilliant front to back
YEAHHHHHHHH
Classic
Goodness me, reading through some of the reviews on here, these guys get a lot of hate. Quite polarising aren't they? But I really liked this. Typically American version of "metal". Highly polished. But melodic and suitably hard. Not sure about the scratching but I can live with it. I wasn't previously familiar with any of their stuff. But I am now and feel better for it.
Really surprised to see Incubus on this list. I like S.C.I.E.N.C.E a little better but this is a fantastic album. Such good energy and songs. They throw some jazzy vibes in there on some tracks. Truly a unique piece of work.
Багато гуртів з цієї епохи дуже погано постаріли або просто грали пересічну ганебну шляпу. Інкубус точно не з цих гурітв. Мій улюблений досі попередній з кращою версією фанк металу в історії. Але й два наступних це теж дуже яскраві хітові альбоми. В мене постійно змінюється думка, який з двох мені подобається більше. Останнім часом це саме Make Yourself. Тут найбільший хіт, і він такий більш емтівішний мабуть, м'якіший за Н.А.У.К.У., але драйвовість залишилась. З мінусів для мене - "I Miss You". Ніколи не любив цю пісню і завжди її проматував.
Гурт і альбом, які ще зі школи зі мною. І хоча morning view я люблю більше, обидва вони (як і майже вся дискографія інкубус) ще з тих років є в мене на СД, затертих до дірок. Періодично вертаюсь до них і ніколи не розчаровуюсь.
Heard this album quite a few times before, it’s so good. A nice mix of the hits and solid tracks, a good amount of experimentation, weirdness while accessible. A heavy hitter for sure.
5*
This is another nostalglia, high school album for me. While "Morning View" is probably their best album, this and "S.C.I.E.N.C.E" are tied for second, and this has their first big hits with "Pardon Me" and "Drive". Incubus always bordered on the edge of cringey with their freshman dormroom ideas, which definitely seem pretty deep if you just started smoking weed, but its at least trying. And for some people (like highschool me in small town Indiana), it was a good introduction to start questioning ideas in early adolescence.
Great!
i love nu metal, this album is a perfect example of this genre done right. recorded in only about two months, this album helped incubus's reputation and fame when it comes to their music. life mottos and mantras are paired with INSANELY good riffs and breaks, it's a perfect fusion of standard heavy metal and funk music. a fitting album blending new with old, right at the end of the 20th century, i'd say.
HOLY HECK. SOOOOO GOOD. “the warmth” was UNBELIEVABLY AMAZING and was reminiscent of rhcp. “drive” is their most popular song for good reason. whole album was peak. 5/5.
My rating is probably influenced by immense nostalgia over listening to this album and Morning View constantly. The overall message from this album I feel is lost in today's society: taking control of your own life and being responsible for it.
Grew up with this album and it meant a lot to me at different times. Also Brandon is the second best model of positive masculinity after Aragorn. On this most recent listen I experienced a Mandela effect where Nowhere Fast ended abruptly on count 3 at around the 3-minute 20 second mark. How did I never notice this? Was it remastered, are they so genius and I'm still noticing things 20 years later? No, my wife was calling to interrupt my listening experience. Ironically, she gave the song the hardest ending it never had. Thanks, Honey.
I know every word. This album means a lot to me, despite me not being a mega fan of Incubus. There’s a string quartet that covered this album and I Miss You is one of the most beautiful songs on it. Songs on my Spotify: Pardon me Drive Make Yourself I Miss You.
Perfect band, perfect album! Very nice music and brilliant vocal. I never heard it before, but I like it now. Clean, Drive, Out From Under, Pardon Me, Stellar and The Warmth are the masterpieces. All others are perfect.
A long time favorite!
So, I know this is part nostalgia review. But also this album captures a perfect moment in time. MTV era alternative rock, not quite nu metal but in with that crowd. The guitar work is *stellar* and Boyds voice is moving towards melodic that he would better capture later. 10/10 no notes.
Really really good
YesI like it vety much!!!
Quite enjoyable
One of my favorite albums of all time. Easy 5/5. Every song is a complete banger.
cara, eu só conhecia drive e me apaixonei.
Okei tää herätti mun mielenkiinnon, pitää ehdottomasti kuunnella lisää Incubussia. Tosi semmoista rokkia mistä mää pitäisin. Kitarariffit kuulostaa hyviltä. Isoin hitti Drive tällä levyllä, mutta musta se ei ollut lähellekkään paras. Vaikea sanoo suosikkeja kun kaikessa on oikeestaan jotain hyvää. Parhaat: The Warmth, Clean, Pardon Me
Oh my God such a great album! Such a good album to vibe to! I just love listening to this and zoning out, I'm also going to see them this summer for the 20th anniversary of morning view which is always a fantastic album as well! Classic band classic album!
5 stars because i owned this album and have listened to it a ton. Listened to it twice since it popped up on here
Cool
The inevitability of reviewing an album twice when you have two projects at the same time is dawning on me rather hard lately. I reviewed this exactly 2 weeks ago. I was shocked at the amount of 1 star reviews it received, was going to give a 4, but gave a 5 because, “it needs it (and ultimately deserves more than the 1s and 2s that it seems to be getting)”. So, I’m doing the same. Sue me.
Seminal album for me and still goes really dang hard
I'm really surprised that this is the first Incubus popping up on the list in our rotation. I could have sworn that we had "Morning View" already but it didn't show up when I searched. This album is incredible. "Stellar", "Drive", and "Pardon Me" are three amazing songs and propel the album to a pretty clear 5/5, and getting an addition onto my "favorite albums of all time" list, coming in somewhere between #10 and 25. "Stellar" is a beautiful song with one of my favorite guitar riffs. I always keep that guitar part in my back pocket whenever I want to impress my wife or get a quick "ooooo I love that song!" at random times in day to day life. There's such a great spacey vibe in this one; and not only with the "meet me in outer space" line- it's in the guitars and bass and backing synth(s) and production. I love it. "Pardon Me" has some of the best energy of any rock song I've ever heard. You can feel the angst seething through Brandon Boyd's vocals. I always loved the lyrics in this one too. I'm pretty sure I'll have them memorized for my entire life. "Drive" is an extra special song with some pretty on-the-nose lyrics about letting fear and uncertainty control your life. If I recall, a lot of these songs were written when Brandon Boyd was in his very early 20's and going through a lot. I love the slight pitch~y problem the first time you hear the lyric "steer" (00:39) between his voice and the bass guitar. It's perfectly imperfect from someone who I consider a vocal god. His voice really shines in the chorus of this one. Great long notes, and equally great little runs and spoken rhythmic sequences. What a joy to listen to. Something I love about this album and Incubus on a bigger level is the way that they are able to add so much depth to all of their songs and not just their big hits. They respect every song on their records and are able to concoct these really interesting little musical spaces with each other. "The Warmth" for example has a really distinct groove and a repetitive guitar part that is heightened by some great haunting delay/reverb effect on the guitar. The bass also kicks on a distortion (sansamp style I think?) later in the track that makes the groove hit you like a punch. That effect elevates the song and makes it distinct from every other track, and they seemingly do this with every single track. They have perfect taste for what a voice or instrument needs production-wise that I will forever appreciate. Each one has it's own little vocabulary that is homogeneous with the language of Incubus while also existing by itself. Easy 5/5 for me- so good!
Although not a big fan this is a great album, shocked at the 1 star reviews. “Drive” is a great track and there are so many others. Once one of MetallicA’s favourite bands. I was going to give it a 4, but I gave it 5 because it needs it (and ultimately deserves more than the 1s and 2s that it seems to be getting).
(Oh no, another diary entry disguised as a review) One of the best albums of all time, phenomenal - such a lovely surprise that this on the list, even though it very much belongs here. I could write so much about this album but my words couldn't do it justice - all I know is Incubus' music has been there for me during so many pivotal times in my life. I expected it to be, as I have seen both of my older brothers singing Pardon Me at the top of their lungs when they were 23, and knew that was coming for me too (thank u pandemic and second year of uni, love u lots...) Standout tracks - every single song is 5/5, and hardly any albums are like that for me. BUT I will list songs that I hold dearer to my heart instead: - Drive (I have loved this song since I was 3, and also started fancying Brandon Boyd then too LOL. V important song for me in 2018, soundtrack to falling on the floor and getting back up to start my life over). - Stellar (love u Jack) - Nowhere Fast (LOL deffo not crying rn) - Privilege (always think about this song when I am overwhelmed) - Make Yourself (wow) - When It Comes (would be a perf wrestler's entrance theme) - PARDON ME <3 <3 <3
Hell yeah. This is the evolutionary peak of metal. It’s hard enough to say “I mean it” but it’s nuanced and musical in a way so many metal acts ignore. It’s pleasant instead of pure anger/evil/dark and I think that brings the emotion across even more powerfully. I cannot describe how important that is to a listener who wants music to be, well, enjoyable to listen to. I love the writing. They paint a scenes of challenges and situations that resonate across anyone that’s ever been in a relationship, lost focus, needed motivation, been neglectful, been young, been angry, been hurt, lacked direction, grown up, loved, lost… so yes, everyone. 5/5. One of my absolute favorites. This is the first Incubus entry I’ve had on the list but I hope it’s not the last. This is a great one; a band hitting its stride on their third album before an absolute incredible stretch 2001-2011. This one kicked Incubus to another level. I’m writing this in 2025 but if you get a chance to see them, do it. They crush.
5.0 - Awesome
Really enjoyed this, need to listen to Incubus more. Drive is a great tune.
Excellent album!!
Probably a 4.5 but slightly bias rating up
This is one of the best rock albums of the 90s. I still contend that S.C.I.E.N.C.E. is their magnum opus, but I concede that this is the album that made them all very, very rich. Make yourself is a massive departure from the albums that came before it. Fungus Amongus and the aforementioned S.C.I.E.N.C.E. were harder, more underground, and leaned more heavily into scratches and the rock-rap stylings that were the hallmark of the grossly named nu-metal movement. With this album, Brandon Boyd cut his dreadlocks, became a heartthrob, leaned more into his incredibly impressive singing voice, and became one of the biggest rock bands of the era. 5 stars, no notes, incredible, incredible album.
You know what? Like it or not Nu Metal got us where we are today in music. This wasn't as insufferable as nu metal can be, and I honestly enjoyed listening to this while drinking my coffee on a Monday morning.
One of my all-time favorites!
I dove into Incubus in preparation for the first Sick New World festival, and I was really surprised to find they were a funk/semi-metal band since I only knew Drive. One of my favorite things about this album is they have some really catchy choruses. Some of my favorite are: Privilege, Nowhere Fast, Make Yourself, and Pardon Me. Very fun album, funky and fun to sing along too. Low 5.
This album is da bomb
Always had a soft spot for Incubus, since 'Stellar' from this album was in the first guitar hero game, their album SCIENCE was full of nu-metal bangers, and 'Wish You Were Here' was also a banger tune. Turns out this album is also just full of great alt-rock tunes front to back. Who could have guessed.
Incubus was one of the first bands I really got into, I live the blend of funk and the use of turntables and I really love the singers voice
One of my favorite albums from this time period.
Easy 5 star rating for this one. Peak 90s music that still holds up in today's world.
Excellent album. It's going into my Tidal library and getting five stars.
Maybe the most late 90s/early 2000s hard rock album ever. Punchy riffs, emotional and angry lyrics, but also some funky and proggy elements to keep it fresh and interesting. And so much fun to dance to. A top-tier fun album. Top tracks: Privilege, Drive, Battlestar Scralatchtica
Love love love this album. Brandon Boyd’s voice is amazing and the power behind each song is evident.
This is #day49 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... the list has taken a linear path through the late 90s to early 2000s alternative rock recently. I discovered Incubus relatively late, thanks to my best friend, a die-hard Nirvana fan and grunge aficionado, who once shared some live version of Drive with me. Now, Make Yourself... My first Incubus album ever. It has to be one of the most cohesive mainstream alternative metal works I've heard. It blends funk rock, nu-metal grit, and alternative rock melody seamlessly. The scratching is a nice touch, giving it a Linkin Park feel, who blasted onto the scene only one year later, though. The juxtaposition of the vocals might seem out of place at first, but they enhance the overall experience as you go along. Some standouts for me include "Privilege," "The Warmth," "Drive," and "I Miss You," among others. Well done. This is a 5 out of 5. Looking forward to #day50.
I didn't really have to listen to this one, most all of the songs have been in a pretty consistent rotation for me since I bought the CD in my younger days
LOVE LOVE this album!
100% nostalgia
I probably expected this from my favorite genre but Make Yourself is a legitimately fantastic album. Nearly every song sounded really great on this album with absolutely outstanding vocals, music, and lyrics but also managed to each have their own identity while still sounding like they fit together. The diversions this album had (Drive and Battlestar Scralatchtica) also managed to feel like nice breaks from the album's typical structure without being too annoying or jarring. This is easily among the best albums i have ever looked at for this project. Best Song: Out from Under Worst Song: Battlestar Scralatchtica
Yeah I like it. Reminds me of the Matrix Soundtrack but significantly more listenable; more rolling and organic in the bass lines. I thought I knew this band, but no Kenny! its PRIMUS that did the South Park theme, not INCUBUS. So, this is nu- or funk metal. Not for everyday. But its a great Funk to push through by at 8PM after a long hr slog when here is decidedly poopy but paperwork to do! Productivity kick. Influenced by bands I like, as it turns out. Makes sense.
10/10
Great transitions. Nice rock album to listen to
Love this. Their best by far.
When this album started, I knew that I would like it but also could quite grasp why it would be considered an essential album. It is certainly to my taste, but then a lot of bands would be that I’d still admit aren’t exactly groundbreaking. However, as this album continued, I began to really appreciate the complexities of what I was hearing. Rach said there were parts that reminded her of more industrial music. I commented that there were parts that sounded like Alkaline Trio. Then suddenly it might sound like OPM. I love just how much is happening on this album. It is genre bending, but bends into everything I like.
My Walkman put an uncountable number of scratches into this disc. The high school poetry still tickles me 25 years later. The singles (given an ample amount of time away from Drive) are still bangers. The opening song Privilege still feels like a great way to start a road trip, Battlestar Scratchlactaca is a fun way to really let the DJ shine. The album cover looks like a 2000's era mousepad.
This album is very dear to me as a child of the late 90s. Wonderful production and stylistically everywhere.
This may be a bias rating because I used to play this album over and over again, but it feels like an obvious 5 to me. The whole album is already in my music library, and they're just as good now as they were then.
I like incubus. It's a great album. Funk fusion esq music from the 90s warms my heart.
Truly awesome album. Incredible vibes, addicting vocal harmonies, creative production value. Love this one. Favorite track: Drive
They gave me a free day today. I already know every song. Gotta go 5.
This album is still so good. Can’t believe it was a 1999 release. I know every song. Can’t not be a 5 for me.
Great alternative rock album with several hit singles.
my favorite Incubus album next to S.C.I.E.N.C.E. I love the lyrics on this album. Battlestar Scralatchtica is kind of filler but the rest is solid.
Stellare and Drive are incredible, and every other song is almost as nice. Great album.
Never guessed that I would be an Incubus fan. I knew they had some bangers but this album was great start to finish. No notes.
A late 90's melting pot of an alt-metal record, bringing in elements of funk, hip hop, metal, and punk, for a deliciously funky and rocking experience. Incubus swings pretty wildly around with genre, tempo, and tone, but they manage to pull it all off. Their highest moments are more traditionally alternative or metal, with picked effect-saturated electric guitar, limber and fresh drumming, and deep and nasty bass, but their more experimental choices, including trance-like synths and record scratches, land really well and sit great in the mix. I think this album is a great summation of 90's alternative, incorporating all of the best elements into an album that still sounds innovative and new. Stand out tracks include "Nowhere Fast", "The Warmth", "Drive", "Battlestar Scralatchtica", "I Miss You", and "Pardon Me".
Outstanding example of the crossover from rap to rock.
If only I could see a statistic of how many times I’ve listened to this record. This is one of the most impactful albums in my life as it shaped a lot about how I view and perform musically. I was an enormous Incubus fan in high school and just started learning how to scratch records. DJ Kilmore was a major influence and inspiration. This record is beautiful, rough, moving and motivating. It connects me with emotions that I forget about every time I listen to it. Brandon Boyd’s voice is mesmerizing and his range is captivating. The band as a whole are extremely talented and I’m happy to see this record on here. 5/5 record for me.
Transports me directly to the past. One of my favorite albums.
Fantastic Album, great Band. I had heard it before, glad I could hear it again.
Great album, Incubus still quite raw but more refined than S.C.I.E.N.C.E. Decent lyrics and Rocky riffs
i really enjoyed this album! i had heard a few songs beforehand and always thought of incubus as kind of a weird, trippy rock band but they're a lot more nu-metal than i realized. this album gave me big alien ant farm vibes (which is a good thing to me). definitely putting some of these into regular rotation! favorites: privilege, nowhere fast, the warmth, stellar, drive, pardon me
I’ve loved this album for a long time and it’s still high rotation for me - I listened to it just last week. It’s funky and heavy, catchy and melodic. Every time I put it on I immediately find myself aggressively air drumming and singing along to every word. I checked the global ratings before posting mine and it hurts my soul to see it reviews so poorly. It seems that you really had to be in the target audience at the time it was released to appreciate it. Highlights: Privilege, The Warmth, Clean, Pardon Me. Drive probably does deserve to be listed as a highlight but it’s so overplayed even I got sick of it.
👌🏻🤘🏻
5/5
Love it!!
4/5
Incubus This really takes me back to middle school/ high school - I really liked a lot of these songs but I don’t think I ever had the full album. They were a very original and cool sounding band, I wish I got deeper into it when I was younger. The dj is such a cool part of their sound. Idk maybe the whole thing is bad and not cool and the proggy parts are actually pretentious. And some of the melodys can feel a bit awkward for me sometimes. Definitely sounds like they were trying to do something different. It used to feel like sometimes it feels good to me but sometimes it feels like something I should like. Maybe it works, maybe not, but I think it actually does. I really enjoyed listening to this the whole way through. 5
This album really sounds like the year it came out lol. I never really got into incubus but the songs are really cool, they’re catchy/poppy while still being kind of proggy and interesting. The heavy parts and dynamics are great, really cool guitar parts on a lot of the songs. Idk 4.5?
Was going to give it 4 starts but I just keep coming back Very guitary, very me
This album brings back a ton of good memories!
Teenage classic
Só pedrada, baita banda, criativa e agradável de curtir
amazing
Really like this album...on repeat!
In 2002 I moved to a subtropical city in the middle of winter. I made friends with a dude who was OBSESSED with Incubus. We listened to a lot of music, drank a lot of beer and just enjoyed life in a warm climate. At the time I knew Incubus' radio hits, but after about 6 months I'd heard their entire catalogue many, many times. I fell completely in love with Fungus Amongus and SCIENCE. I was into the more metal / Mr Bungle style and not so much the straight up rock (for the time) Morning View vibe. Make Yourself was the transition album. I didn't mind it, but didn't rave about it. I ended up seeing Incubus in 2007 or so when they played a festival near my house. I had no idea it was even on, I just went for a walk one day and stumbled across it. They weren't very interesting live, tbh; the band just stood there and Brandon didn't speak at all between songs. They played, they got off the stage. But this morning, listening to Make Yourself for the first time in close to 20 years... hell yeah. It's a really odd mix of bro vibes and pretty intricate rock, but it works and it reminds me of a more carefree time. Full marks, even if it is just nostalgia. 5/5.
this was a blast sad happy memories
One of the greatest albums of modern music
I love the great use of effects on the guitar parts, the bass lines are stellar, and I still love Boyd’s singing. Great album!
Great band. Great album.
I think I knew where this review was headed. To the moon! It had a huge influence on me in junior high and high school. Man, that opening riff to Privilege. The scratching on this track is beautiful, and so is the message. "The day you that were born you were born free, that is your privilege." Brandon Boyd's voice soars across Make Yourself! The song Confidence stuck out to me big time on this spin. The Warmth, to a 15 year old Curtis Tonks, was just so unique and still puts me in an underwater funk trance. "Experience the warmth before you grow cold." Stellar is a beautiful interstellar love song! "Meet me in outer space, we could spend the night, watching the earth come up." Yeah, baby. Planetary love. Drive was just bigger than I could have imagined. I heard it, often, on FM100 while working at Papa Murphy's. Genre defining. Battlestar Scralatchtica is funky as they come, I Miss You is beautiful and Pardon Me, the most recognizable track from Make Yourself, is still only the fourth or fifth best song. Great album!
Absolute classic for myself!
Classic.
I own this album on CD. Really like it and was happy to have a reason to listen to it again. The ethereal sound is fantastic and the album has a few really great songs.
I've been listening to Incubus since I was 4, right around when this album came out. I know all of their songs, I've seen them in concert twice, and another time virtually over the pandemic. So consider this review biased. Make Yourself is a great record. It marked a memorable transition between '90s alt and grunge, and '00s rock, and was made even more interesting by Brandon Boyd's vocals and DJ Kilmore's turntables (which, although I don't know how it would sound today, I kinda wish they still used it with their current music). That said - those straight-up alternative rock tracks are already strong songs, but where this album shines are the songs that make use of spacey, sci-fi effects like The Warmth and Consequence. They sound a little more experimental without being too out there. All in all, this is a record and a band that I grew up with. Though this isn't necessarily the album that I would put on this list (that distinction could've gone to Morning View or A Crow Left of the Murder), it's still a 5.
Not bad at all, a bit lighter than Science album. 10. Battlestar Scratchlactica!!!! Love the scratching! This is awesome
2004 al palo, una generación marcada por el sonido de un plato girando de un DJ
Goeie plaat! Stevig, maar niet overdreven. De zanglijnen zijn glaszuiver, wat ik apprecieer bij hardrock
Incredible!
Lang said "I can see why late 90s, coming-of-age, angsty teens, who rejected the culture of the cools, would be in to this." His review was basically describing me. Incubus was my bridge between my 90s alternative roots and the emo of the early 2000s. I first got into Incubus with their preceding album, S.C.I.E.N.C.E, an often schizophrenic combination of heavy metal guitars, bass-driven funk, electronic/scratching, and Brandon Boyd's intense but also melodic voice was so interesting to me. Make Yourself is definitely more refined but still incorporates all those different styles. I take issue with the idea that at some point the angst should lift, I will never grow out of my enjoyment of screaming/singing along with Brandon Boyd.
Buen disco, aunque creo que hay otras de incubus que me gustan más. Pero 5
One of my all Time favorites
Great Album
Finalmente escutei o álbum de drive. Excelente sequência de nu-metal com melodia.
Un clàssic! Funk rock, nu-funk-metal. Gutarres top!
¡Muy bueno!
incubus sempre bão
Perfect soundtrack for playing Runescape. This was my favorite CD when I was 10
Solid 90s rock album. Incubus is one of my earliest rock influences and the album still holds up for the most part.
Some good songs liked it more than i thought i would
I really enjoyed this when it was new. You still hear ‘Drive’ on the radio today. I saw them live right around when this was released - great live show.
not as good as Joni Mitchell’s Blue
Another album that has cemented my love of rock maurice aside from Mellon Collie, Celebrity Skin, Pavement and the Icarus Line. It’s an introspective record that is interesting on the first listen! I quite enjoyed it ‘Consequence’ and ‘Stellar’ are standouts for me. Ratings wise I am giving it a 4/5 GEMV (14.06.2026)
I love Incubus and all 2000s alternative rock/music
Make Yourself by Incubus ain’t a bad album. Lots of great songs and I think the instrumental was great for my music taste. Special shout out to the song Out From Under for the lyric ‘To resist is to piss in the wind, anyone who does will end up smelling’. Top Songs: Privilege, Consequence, Make Yourself, Drive, Clean, I Miss You, Out From Under
As much as I love this album (And the follow up, Morning View), I really do think this is a weird pick for the list. I don't think Incubus were big, influential, or culturally important enough for it. But either way, the album's on the list, so that's what I'm reviewing. It really feels like with their influences being Primus and Faith No More, that bands really had two paths to go down when incorporating funk/hip-hop into metal and hard rock. Either you became a nu-metal band, or you were Incubus who focused more on Faith No More's playing around with genre's instead of just being like "HIP HOP AND METAL LETS GO". I guess there's a third path, which is what Rage Against the Machine took and were a hip hop band with rock instrumentals instead of nu-metal bands where they were rock bands with hip hop (influenced) vocals. But yeah, this is a pretty damn good record. Incubus just sounds like Incubus, especially with Brandon Boyd's instantly recognizable voice where he somehow manages to sing lyrics in a way that sounds like rapping a little bit. The singles are definitely the best songs on the album (Pardon Me, Drive, and Stellar), but the rest of the tracklist is no slouch. From the more nu-metalish The Warmth and When it Comes, to the more Pink Floyd/psychedelic stuff like Consequence. There are a few songs that are kinda nothing like I Miss You, but not many. Just a great album all around.
Such a unique sound that was great for one album and then felt trite after. Definitely a great album with some great variation that shows that they had better chops than most. I'll never stop fighting for their bassist to be more widely recognized.
Very '90s (complimentary). I'm not sure if I ever listened to anything from this other than "Drive" and "Stellar", but this sounds like just about every alt rock band I heard around this time. Not a bad thing - as a 90s kid, it gives me a very strong feeling of nostalgia. The guitar and bass tone sound great, drums sound great, everything seems mixed pretty well. It's funny remembering that rock bands might have a dedicated DJ. Overall it's a pretty good listen. "Stellar" and "Drive" are still fantastic songs and the rest of the album is solid, if dated.
Fuckin' love Incubus. Incubus is good.
This 90s-00s nu-metal era of divorced dad rock is my kind of music tbh. Loved it. Drive was my fav song of the album. I Miss You (my fav first listen) and When It Comes were my other highlights
Cool! Always heard about that band but it's the first time I'm actually listening to. I liked it.
Re-listening to this today, my middle school self felt very vindicated, because I do feel like this is a particularly creative example of this kind of music.
Its very much a capsule of time for this genre of music. good stuff tho.
mtl legal ate.. coisas novas. coisas mt bem reutilizadas. mt maneiro.
Some of the butt-rockiest butt rock to ever butt rock but you know how much I love some butt rock.
it's a bop and if you don't think so then you're lying to yourself 4/5
J’ai hésité sur la note mais il y a des morceaux vraiment sympa
I liked it
Gostei da vibe, mais um show aleatório do Gus, mas é bem da hora. Me lembra um Red Hot as vezes. Podia ser a soundtrack de um Tony Hawk. Acho que não é justo dar 3* depois de vir tanto álbum genérico, então vai 4 por que eu curti mais. Muito rockzinho bão dos anos 2000.
Another new band that I never heard of until I started reviewing records for this website. A pretty good mix of funk and Rock. That's as close as I can get to describing it. The songs are all exceptional and I will definitely be listening to it again.
Favorite Track: Pardon Me
This band has grown on me a lot in the last 20 years (woah). I love their novel vocal harmonies, the dynamics, the artful two guitar attack, the musicianship from the rhythm section. Even the judicious use of a dj for some skritchy punctuation, mashing up funk and grunge and alternative, works for me. Perfectly recorded.
Enjoyed most of what the band did on this record with a wide array of interesting tracks that all had their moments. Didn’t fall in love with much but it was fun anyways. Looking forward to hearing more of their material. 1 listen Favorite Track: The Warmth
Expectation: -> Familiar band name but details are fuzzy. After listening: -> This is solid and was suprised to hear a song I knew so well (Drive). Oddly picked Battlestar as my favorite track. I'm ready for an entire album of similar songs. Overall, no bad tunes and a 3.5 to 4. Track ranking: Battlestar Drive Warmth Miss Pardon Clean Nowhere Privilege Out Stellar Consequence Make Comes
They're alright a sorta light grunge
As a 2002 graduate this album from 1999 brought me right back to high school. Drive and Pardon Me are classic late 90s tunes and I admit I forgot about Stellar until this re-listen. Chock full of bangers.
Nostalgia is definitely at play here - which is funny because I didn't really care for Incubus when they first got big. But looking back, this was some pretty good stuff amid a sea of questionable alt music.
4/5
More like Linkin Park than Coldplay. Couple of real bangers, though.
Sorry but I kinda liked it.
Æ tror ikke broren min hørte på det her, han e kanskje akkurat for ung, for sånn ellers e det veldig tidstypisk sånt han hørte på og som æ har veldig få sterke tanker om. Deler av det e gøy, men generelt e æ ikke spesielt interessert.
whatever tomorrow brings I'll be there. overall very late ninetys in a good way.
Some good 90s alt rock. Does sound a bit dated at times but some of the production and instrumental choices set this one apart from other albums in this vain. Fav Songs: Drive, When It Comes, Stellar, Pardon Me Least Fav: I Miss You 7.8/10
Really good album. I was mostly familiar with the hits from this album but had never listened to every track. There’s only one track that don’t seem to fit the album and there are a few songs where the lyrics are hard to overcome. Otherwise, solid album.
Just let me be me bro (real ones know)
Another high note from my high school years.
I could have sworn I have seen the album cover somewhere before. I didn't recognize any of the songs though, so maybe not. I liked how the album contains a lot of genres and the "golden" age of nu metal really shows in some songs in this album. The song that stood out for me was Pardon Me. Don't feel like giving it a generic 3 since I think it was better, but it is a low 4.
very nice little album sounds like a cross between early RHCP and AIC to me
It’s a mix of things that could go really badly but is somehow poppy enough to work. Someone else said 90s soul patch rock which is 100% spot on, but it has just enough California in it to have more charm than just that image portrays. All of the singles were alt rock radio staples for me growing up
I've always been a big Incubus fan - this is probably my third favorite album of theirs. It's got a couple of great singles in Drive and Pardon Me and the rest of the songs are great too - there's no filler here for me. Pardon Me is also a really great opener. Just a very solid album.
Wouldn't think they would make the top 1000 but I enjoy them, always have.
I liked this album.
I wasn’t sure if I liked this one or morning view better. This is certainly a defining album for them. Very good!
Still love the vocals and the music and how they mesh. Drums! Haven't heard this in a long time. Great to revisit
I actually already own this album, I like it quite a lot, the alt rock sounds are great to me.
Ich mag die sehr gern. Tolles Album und - meine ich - deren einziges hier in der Liste. Finde "Morning View" noch etwas besser.
4.5
3.5 I admit I have a soft spot for shitty nu metal
No puede ser que siempre ignoré escuchar esta banda. Que alegría descubrir joyas como estas, algún tema directo a playlist
Incubus had started life as an experimental funk rock/metal band much in the same vein as the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Mr Bungle, but 'Make Yourself' was moment they graduated from youthful misfits full of beans to mature, confident songwriters with plenty of deep and meaningful things to say. Even though Incubus were lumped in with the popular nü metal, their sound was anythng but, and 'Make Yourself' proves this once and for all. 'Make Yourself' has a very mainstream rock sound with plenty of small flourishes (turntable scratching, funky bass lines, metallic guitars) that hearken back to their earlier sound. Melody and rhythm is what drives the album forward. Vocalist Brandon Boyd delivers the songs with a relaxed, self-assured voice, and he'd only continue to improve as Incubus progressed through the 2000s. Guitarists Mike Einziger and bassist Dirk Lance weave in and out of each other with finesse, drummer Jose Pasillas presents plenty of groove to hold the sound together and turntablist DJ Kilmore adds plenty of fun glitchy effects to keep the Incubus song hip and contemporary. What's really striking about the record is the maturity in Boyd's lyrics. He'd lost and rediscovered love in the process of 'Make Yourself's' creation, and this cycle is best summised from the self-destructive 'Pardon Me' and the heartfelt 'Stellar' and 'I Miss You'. He'd gone through hell and found the light again, and his journey is certainly relateable to many. The album also spawned the big hit 'Drive', which blends both loss and love together. It's about taking control of your life and choosing the 'now and future' over the 'past', a message that is as uplifting as it is introspective. The title track also follows a similar trajectory, only further highlighting that 'Make Yourself' is a great album for those looking for some life-affirming, self-motivational messages. Incubus matured quickly and effectively as a band with 'Make Yourself', and would only grow further with their next release, 'Morning View'. But on the back of the success of 'Drive' more and more people would be introduced to this band's infectious sound. Having seen them live, I can't recommend checking out Incubus enough. They forged their own way forward in a scene that they never felt a part of and did what they felt comfortable with, which is very commendable in an industry where market pressures and controlled images are replete. Best songs: Privilege, Stellar, Make Yourself, Drive, Clean, I Miss You, Pardon Me
Pros: - Great fusion of multiple genres (primarily Metal) - (kind of) Positive lyricism Cons: - falls off near the end Rating (out of 10): 8.5/10
Had a lot more fun than I was expecting
mascara running, lip biting, knee buckling, yearning 🎸🤘
Back in the 90s, Incubus was one of those bands that many of my friends loved, while for me... well, it all sounded very half-baked. “Make Yourself” still has grunge vibes (which was definitely no longer cool in 1999), but it's technically on a much higher level than Nirvana and their ilk could ever achieve. I really like the sound of Incubus, but it would be even better with a more versatile singer who doesn't belt out the same notes non-stop. In addition, “Make Yourself” contains at most a handful of really good songs, so that large parts of it sound pretty arbitrary. Perhaps this record only unfolds its full effect with the right drugs. Sober in the morning, it's still a good album, but one that forgot to decide at some point what it wants to be.
I called it butt rock as a joke before even listening, but it turns out it is butt rock indeed. It is my kind of butt rock, so I enjoy it.
Bon album. Honnêtetement je l'ai trouvé assez répétitif dans son style, avec énormément de sons très proches entre eux et peu de sonorités qui surprennent. Néanmoins, je trouve que l'album est un très bon mélange entre l'énergie des Red hots Chili Peppers dans la voix et la manière de construire les albums, avec l'ambiance Nu Metal dans les mélodies et les changements de tonalités dans un même son. En bref album vraiment sympa, bonne surprise
Man, I haven't heard this in so long. It's kind of weird to come back to it to be honest. I first came across Pardon Me on MTV's 'The Return of the Rock' CD, which I picked up on a dodgy marketplace in Malta when I was a teenager. That was a good CD! But it was Incubus that resonated with me the most, and I promptly picked this up on my return to the UK - before coming a bit of a fan and getting all of their stuff. I think if I were listening to this fresh today, I'd still definitely enjoy it quite a bit. I'd enjoy some of the musical production, the bass, the mixing... but I think I'd be lower on some of the 'bigger' moments. When the guitars kick-in and he starts belting it out a bit... it tends to feel a bit more generic and one-note at times. It's strange because I'm sure it would have been the complete opposite as a teenager. Still, I did enjoy this a lot. It's an accomplished album, and there's some great stand-out tracks on it.
So angsty but I don't care. I enjoyed most of the music.
Fun to get an album I'm already very familiar with every once in a while. Harder to be as objective though. I really enjoy a lot of this album. Drive was one of the first songs I tried to learn on guitar. The album's departure from typical rock music is alluring and curious while remaining familiar. It's very cool that way. I don't think it's among the upper echelon of albums, but I do enjoy it. Some of the songs leave me wanting. Song by song, it rides this fine line between good and just okay. But it's mixed very well, carefully crafted, well performed, and interesting either way. It's a good album. 3.9/5
Interesting don’t listen to this kind of music often but I enjoy it
good vibes on this, some great songs on this, reminded me of chilli peppers, i enjoyed it
Good
I'll search for detailed information about Incubus's album "Make Yourself" to provide you with a comprehensive in-depth review. # In-Depth Review: *Make Yourself* by Incubus (1999) Released on October 26, 1999, *Make Yourself* represents a pivotal moment in Incubus's career—a deliberate evolution from the zany funk-metal of their earlier work toward a more mature, emotionally resonant sound. This album didn't just break the band into the mainstream; it established them as thoughtful artists capable of balancing aggression with vulnerability in a way that distinguished them from their nu-metal contemporaries. --- ## Musical Composition & Production ### The Sound Palette The album occupies a unique sonic space that blends alternative rock, funk, hip-hop elements, and what would become the band's signature "space rock" aesthetic. Guitarist Mike Einziger pushed the band toward more sophisticated songwriting, moving away from the cartoonish energy of *S.C.I.E.N.C.E.* (1997) toward something more atmospheric and emotionally grounded . The production, handled by Scott Litt (known for his work with R.E.M.), achieves a polished yet dynamic sound. The album expertly employs the "quiet verse/heavy chorus" dynamic that became a template for modern rock, but executes it with enough variation to avoid monotony. Tracks like "Pardon Me" and "When It Comes" demonstrate this approach perfectly—languid, atmospheric verses exploding into anthemic, full-throated choruses . ### Instrumental Highlights - **Guitar Work**: Einziger's playing evolved from riff-heavy funk to more textural, ambient approaches. His use of effects like flangers and Leslie speakers creates otherworldly atmospheres, particularly on "The Warmth" and "Drive" . - **Rhythm Section**: Bassist Dirk Lance and drummer José Pasillas form a formidable foundation. Lance's bass tone is described as "full-bodied and the audio equivalent of a warm hug," while Pasillas incorporates drum-and-bass influenced rhythms that add sophistication to tracks like "Pardon Me" . - **DJ Integration**: Chris Kilmore's turntable work adds character without overwhelming the songs. On "Battlestar Scralatchtica," he collaborates with DJ Nu-Mark and Cut Chemist to create a showcase for scratching that, while divisive among fans, demonstrates technical skill . --- ## Lyrical Themes & Emotional Core The lyrics on *Make Yourself* represent Brandon Boyd's "open poetic therapy session" following personal trauma. During the writing process, Boyd discovered his girlfriend of eight years had been unfaithful while he was touring, and he was also processing the deaths of a family member and a friend . This emotional crucible produced some of the most vulnerable and relatable lyrics in late-90s rock. ### Central Themes: **1. Self-Actualization and Freedom** The album's title track serves as its mission statement: "If you let them make you / They'll make you papier-mâché / At a distance you're strong, until the wind comes / Then you crumble and blow away." The chorus's defiant declaration—"And if I fuck me / I'll fuck me in my own way"—captures the album's ethos of self-definition . **2. Heartbreak and Healing** "Pardon Me" channels Boyd's anger and world-weariness, inspired by an article about spontaneous human combustion. The famous opening line—"A decade ago, I never thought I would be / At 23 on the verge of spontaneous combustion"—captures quarter-life crisis anxiety with startling specificity . Conversely, "Stellar" documents the redemptive power of new love. Written about his new girlfriend Jo (who appears in the video), the song uses cosmic imagery to describe transcendental connection: "Meet me in outer space / We could spend the night, watch the Earth come up" . **3. Resistance to Cynicism** "The Warmth" stands as the album's emotional centerpiece, urging listeners to resist becoming "cynical and jaded." The refrain "Experience the warmth before you grow old" serves as a reminder to remain open to beauty despite life's disappointments . **4. Communication and Authenticity** "Clean" explores frustration with emotional obfuscation, pleading for directness: "You'd feel better if you'd vent, put your frustrations into four letter words / And let them out on mine / The most weathered ears in town" . --- ## Cultural Impact & Influence *Make Yourself* arrived at a crucial moment in rock music. As Brandon Boyd noted, the late 90s were dominated by "mindless" heavy music—"heavy for heavy's sake" . Incubus offered an alternative: loud guitars serving emotional substance rather than aggression alone. The album's success—propelled by singles "Pardon Me," "Stellar," and especially the acoustic-driven "Drive"—proved that nu-metal adjacent bands could achieve mainstream success without sacrificing intelligence or vulnerability. "Drive" became a cultural touchstone, its music video (featuring a topless Boyd) breaking the band to a wider audience while hinting at their future melodic direction . The album influenced a generation of alternative rock bands by demonstrating that: - Emotional vulnerability could coexist with heavy instrumentation - DJ elements could enhance rather than define a rock band's sound - Personal lyrics about mental health and self-discovery had a place in mainstream rock As one retrospective noted, Incubus "created their own" subgenre rather than falling into existing categories . --- ## Pros & Cons ### **Pros** | Aspect | Details | |--------|---------| | **Emotional Authenticity** | Boyd's lyrics feel genuinely drawn from personal experience rather than manufactured angst, creating deep listener connection | | **Vocal Performance** | Boyd's range is remarkable—capable of tender intimacy ("I Miss You"), soaring melodies ("Stellar"), and raw aggression ("Out from Under") | | **Dynamic Range** | The album seamlessly shifts between heavy funk-rock ("Privilege," "Consequence") and delicate acoustic moments ("Drive") without losing cohesion | | **Musical Chemistry** | The interplay between Einziger and Lance creates a unique rhythmic foundation that separates Incubus from their peers | | **Timeless Singles** | "Drive," "Stellar," and "Pardon Me" remain radio staples decades later, testament to their songwriting craft | | **Thematic Cohesion** | Despite musical variety, the album maintains a consistent focus on self-determination and emotional growth | ### **Cons** | Aspect | Details | |--------|---------| | **Inconsistent Deep Cuts** | Tracks like "Nowhere Fast" and "Out from Under" don't match the memorability of the singles, suffering from similar dynamic structures | | **"Battlestar Scralatchtica"** | This instrumental jam, while technically impressive, disrupts the album's flow between "Clean" and "I Miss You." Many critics consider it skippable or cringeworthy | | **Production Polish** | Some listeners find the late-90s production overly polished, arguing it "washed out" energy present in their earlier work | | **Lyrical Inconsistency** | While often profound, Boyd occasionally delivers clunkers like "consequence you'll find is stranger than a gang of drunken mimes" or the infamously awkward "to resist is to piss in the wind" | | **DJ Elements Dated** | The turntable scratching, innovative for its time, can sound gimmicky to modern ears unfamiliar with the nu-metal era | | **Nostalgia Dependency** | The album's impact is significantly enhanced by nostalgia for late-90s/early-2000s culture; new listeners may not grasp its revolutionary context | --- ## Verdict *Make Yourself* succeeds as both a time capsule of late-90s alternative rock and a document of genuine artistic growth. It represents the crucial middle chapter in Incubus's evolution—bridging the funk-metal chaos of *S.C.I.E.N.C.E.* with the refined atmospherics of *Morning View* (2001). The album's greatest achievement is its balancing act: it maintains enough aggression to satisfy mosh-pit enthusiasts while introducing the melodic sophistication and emotional vulnerability that would define the band's best work. Brandon Boyd's decision to treat songwriting as "poetic therapy" resulted in lyrics that resonated with a generation struggling with similar questions of identity, heartbreak, and self-determination. While not without flaws—the occasional weak track, some dated production choices, and inconsistent lyrical quality—*Make Yourself* remains a defining document of its era. It proved that rock music could be commercially viable without sacrificing intelligence or emotional authenticity, influencing countless bands that followed. **Rating: 8.5/10** — Essential listening for understanding the evolution of alternative rock at the turn of the millennium, and a testament to the power of personal transformation channeled through art.
Musically, I loved this. Great production, loud, crunchy guitars, some more experimental sounds in there too. Some really nice catchy choruses too. The vocals are not really my thing and it’s a shame because it lowers my overall enjoyment a bit. Still, a very solid, high 4.
Never expected to run into this album on the list, but it holds a special place in my heart. I got this CD unexpectedly for Easter one year when I was about 9 years old and fell quickly in love with it. To this day, it is one of a few familiar fallbacks for road trips -- always puts a smile on my face and transports me back to simpler times. I think some of the production sounds kind of crappy (a bit clipped and tinny), but the songs are solid and the vocals are some of the better in genre. Love Privilege as an opener -- propulsive and satisfying. Nowhere Fast takes a dip into mildly psychedelic (shimmery) territory -- always found this to be a very satisfying song. Consequences is a little rough around the edges, but has a similarly satisfying play about it. The Warmth is actually probably my favorite song on here. Sure the whale noises are kind of goofy, but I've always loved the contrast between the bass and the synth line. Stellar > Make Yourself > Drive make for a solid center album experience. Hard not to want to sing along with Drive. Battlestar Scralatchtica feels a bit like they were throwing a bone to their DJ. I'm not hating it, but it sits edgewise with a funk rhythm backing some mixing and scratching. And it is a bit oddly sequenced before their Blink 182 adjacent I Miss You. Solid 4 in my book.
Another nostalgia induced listen. I think Kellen had this album so I would play it on the little red radio/cd player I had in my room pretty often. I like that the bonafide hits on this album are spread out instead of being entirely front loaded like we often see. I also forgot how good Stellar was. Clean is a personal favorite of mine back then and I think it remains my favorite off this album today. The simple drums and scratching in the intro is pretty unique. The rest of the song is fine, but the intro is so unique. Battlestar Scralatchtica was an odd, but welcome change of pace.
Classic late 90s rock sound. I don't think I have ever fully listened to this album but I know so many songs from it. Just screams teenage James music with the heavy distorted guitar and loud drums.
Love Incubus but I'm kinda surprised this is on here over Morning View. Either way they tend to blend heavy and psychedelic melodies while still being accessible so I'll always have love for them. This album does have two of my favorite songs, The Warmth and Pardon Me, and you can't deny that Stellar to Clean just slaps to holy hell. Drive specifically. It's their top song on AM and for good reason. This is an easy 4. Had just a couple of duds to miss the 5. But damn I'm going to listen to Morning View.
Very 2000s. Didn’t realize how much incubus i listened to back then.
Banger
I question myself how I managed to go my entire life without knowing who Incubus are. Yesterday, I thought I knew every popular nu-metal band. "Make Yourself" has the hallmarks of a nu-metal album, except for the rapping. "Drive", despite being the most famous song on "Make Yourself", is average to me. I would've remembered this album fondly if I had heard of Incubus years ago. 4 stars for "Make Yourself".
Seems overhated. As far as 90s grunge rock goes, vocals are pretty good, and musicality is excellent. To be fair, lyrics are indeed laughably bad at points. Drums are a highlight for me here both in performance and tone. Overall I quite enjoyed listening to this and don’t think it deserves the hate.
I actually liked this a lot don’t get the hate, the record scratching I found it pretty camp.
Lmfao, I guess I love Incubus. Like Linkin Park if Linkin Park weren't complete nerd losers. Super fucking sick. Can get a little cheesy at times ("The Warmth," "Stellar," "I Miss You") but otherwise it stays hot. Whoda thunk! Edit: Alriiiiiight, maybe it's just generally cheesier than I remember. Kind of "alternative lite." Oh well. Still fun.
#832. This is very nearly a 5 star album. There are some really great songs here, but there are a few that really drag it down. I've never listened to this whole album before, and I realize I'm better off just listening to the songs I already like instead of listening to the whole album. 4/5: pretty great
Incredible vocals, honestly some real hits not just Drive. Good album
Great record. I listened to this a lot back in the day. But I don’t know if it’s actually good? I’m biased
Overall Rating - 3.65/5 (7.31/10). This is very good hard rock. I didn't know what to expect, but this (and a couple of other albums I've gotten on this journey) are starting to shift my opinion of genera I turned up my nose at in my younger years.
Solid album. It’s weird how different “Drive” is from the rest of it.
This is perfect music for when life just sucks at the moment. The lyrics are angsty with a few glimmers of hope and optimism, and thus they really resonated with me. There were only one or two songs that wasn’t really feeling, but this was an overall great album. Idk maybe that’s lame, but I really enjoyed this album and will definitely listen again.
erste song scho bass chords im prechorus und de dj scratcht zum die zweit strophe ilüüte. bands hend ide 90er afoch en scratch guy gha amel??? ich find de gitarresound wenns los goht (so afang vo nowhere fast) scho sehr cool und isch wie bi limp bizkit afoch e wand. und aber huui isch das züg compressed as fuuuuck. find aso ihri strophe sind erstuunlich variabel, schlagzüg beats mega kompliziert. au meeega 90er. aber s hittet gad nöd schlecht? bin recht überrascht. nöd denkt dasi amne typische 90er rock album es vieri gib aber das passiert glaub.
hahaha ich kenn nur das einte album mit dem CHOPF privilige macht na spass. für mich klassische 90er rock nowhere fast het e cooli strophe consequence chunntmer bekannt vor? find hüfig de kontrast vonere ener ruhige strophe mit eme luute refrain funktioniert huere guet drive isch e gueti churzi pause hahahah battlestar isch dumm und macht SPASS isch jz nöd megaa vill hange blibe aber han e gueti ziit gha
Goeie alternative rock met enkele bangers
Genuinely pleasantly surprised by this album. I obviously knew the two huge hit songs on this album which were massive hits when I was in elementary school. But sincerely those are the two best tracks on the album. That doesn’t mean the album it self was mediocre, I was actually surprised by how much variety it had and how much they were doing with their sound. Like they had the time to make heavier less popular stuff like “out from under” but then they still had time for the pop hits like “drive” and “pardon me”. I do think the guys voice can get grating cause it’s so dramatic but did genuinely enjoy his voice on most of the tracks. It’s nice to find that the albums that contains huge hits still have hidden gems on them from time to time. Fun listen for sure.
7.5/10
Man I listened to this one a lot back in the day. I had stumbled upon Science from these guys a couple years earlier but was way into this one and Morning View. Some pretty big songs on here for late 90s rock (Pardon Me, Stellar, and obviously Drive). Not sure how others feel about these guys now but still among my faves.
This benefits from being right in my 18 year old wheel house. Still a very solid rock album. The scratching is hit or miss for me and Battlestar Scralatchtica was unnecessary. Certainly drive, pardon me and stellar are the hits. I’d forgotten about I Miss You and really like that song. 3.75
Nostalgia-bomb from the high school years. Lots of recognizable hits and thought this could be a sleeper 5*. But the album didn't end up rising to that level. Gulf between quality of hits and rest of the album is just too big. Fun to revisit. 3.75/5
I saw Incubus supporting Korn while Brandon still had dreads, and then years later headining on this album tour. 'Drive' helped propel them to stardom, but I always thought they walked the funk/metal tightrope pretty well. Interesting guitar tones, nice melodies. Decent vocals, when they didn't descend into hippie surfer nonsense. With that said, is it really in the top 1000 albums ever? Their later stuff was nowhere near as interesting, but I think there are better examples of things going on around then. Still, at least it isn't RHCP.
I liked this album. It was pretty standard rock but with some heavier and metal elements that made it cooler to me. I thought the vocals and instrumentals played equal roles in creating the overall sound and essence. I also appreciate that each track was unique and not very repetitive. I was not expecting a track like Battlestar Scralatchtica, but I think it’s a great addition to showcase the musicianship of the group and demonstrate their abilities across genres.
7/10 - не слушал
Yall would have to pry this band from my cold dead hands
Apesar de lançado no fim de 1999 esse álbum tem toda a energia do início dos anos 2000. Eu não ouvia esse tipo de som na época, mas dá uma nostalgia da adolescência. Álbum divertido. Letshuoer D13.
This rating was partially inflated by nostalgia, but regardless, I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would. I just wish it had a little more versatility in its sound. Favorite Track: "Drive".
I didn’t expect to like this but was presently surprised that I did.
Given the huge amount of press and popularity for their earlier "S.CI.E.N.C.E" album, this seems like a curious choice to represent Incubus in this collection. I'm not complaining, since I just discovered that I own this album along with "S.CI.E.N.C.E", but I'll admit that the latter album made much more of an impression on me than "Make Yourself" did and does. It was probably a wise move to be a bit more accessible with this album, sort of the way that the Red Hot Chili Peppers also moved towards a more anodyne mainstream sound that was clearly a lot more commercially successful; I can also see the comparisons to early Faith No More. (Funny to read that some of their albums a decade after this album's release were basically adult soft rock/contemporary....) But there are a few solid tracks on this album beyond their three bit hits (the very RHCP-esque "Stellar", the addictive "Drive" and the biggest one of all, "Pardon me"); I found "The warmth" curiously engaging and affecting, especially the strangely hopeful line "not everyone here is that f**ked up and cold"; words to live by then as now. And plenty of credit to the band for carving out their own sound in the midst of a pretty low point for hard-rock/metal/noise bands, and for continuing to evolve and play far into the 21st century, where this collection seemingly dares not tread.
Solid album. Some recognizable songs. I enjoyed this one. 3.5 on the 4 side.
This was a surprisingly good album. Nice grungy sounds on some songs.
I had a phase when I was 15 and a smiths girl where I was really into drive. made a whole playlist with the same vibe. never listened to the other stuff. it is good, nice voice and stuff. but not world shattering.
Some ups and downs on this album, but I can comfortably give it a 4. Drive is incredible.
Really good
Good and interesting. 4*
Fun stuff individually but as an album not as much
Enjoyed more than I was expecting, interesting mix of sounds
Never heard incubus before. Will listen again
Gear: 64 Audio Duo Artwork: 🛸🧬🌐 Production: 🔊⬇️🙉 Music: 🤘👶🤘 Ratinng: 👽👽👽(👽)/5
Overhated, sounds more like pop punk than nu metal personally
Still sounds good, holds up more than I expected.
Great tracks. Have cd 💿
I've always had this idea of Incubus as a 'douchebag' band - the kind of band beloved by goatee-stroking, Coors-swilling, cap-backwards types whose backyard sheds are plastered with WWE promos and pinups of topless women on vintage motorcycles. So maybe I was wrong, or maybe I've evolved into a douchebag myself, but this album was wall-to-wall excellent. The introduction of more synthy digital-production in a kind of NIN way definitely elevates the material beyond your typical 90s bro-rock. I miss when record-scratching was still a thing. fav tracks: Drive, Privilege, The Warmth
This what the turn of the century sounded like. It is fun, in a way classic, and still holds up well.
I had no preconceived notions about this before listening to it, and was pleasantly surprised to find that I enjoyed it. Never heard of this band or this album.
Incubus mi je inače najbolji u malim do umjerenim dozama. Onako ponekad, poneka pjesma. Nikad se ne bih sjetila odslušati čitav album. I naravno, nije to ništa genijalno, nisu izmislili ništa brilijantno, samo su uspjeli sebi pronaći neku nišu unutar postojećih žanrova, pjesme su u suštini uvijek nalik jedna drugoj, tekstovi su poprilično kritični većinu vremena, ali sveukupno to funkcioniše. Dobro su radili to što su radili, nema im se šta zamjeriti.
4/5
This reminded me of Soundgarden a lot. It is funkier though. Good hard, alternative rock
Enjoyed it. 3.5.
Je n’avais jamais entendu parler du groupe ou de l’album, et c’est une très belle découverte!
Livlig klassiker fra ungdommen.
I love this album. But I’ll try to be objective. Some really unique standout tracks, but definitely some songs that are filler-ish, and the flow is a little weird. As individual tracks, l like everything, but as an album, it’s a little choppy. But man, the balance of spacey/airy sound and heavier rock is so well done. They are unique in that respect. That being said, I’m surprised this was the pick on the list and not Morning View.
I’m 9 y.o. watching MTV
I really liked the album. Metal isn't really my genre. Much of the music reminded me of Faith No More, which is probably no coincidence. I'll probably listen to it again. 4/5
my favorite album ive had in weeks. its corny and incredibly dated, but its theres some good guitar work on here. objectively its probably a 3 but it was a welcome change of pace so its gets a 4
I love this record, even though Drive became an insufferable radio hit. I still turn it off when it comes on, or skip when I'm listening to the album.
I think Incubus gets unfairly lumped in with the garbage heap of nu-metal and rap-rock. They have both a wider emotional range and a better musicality than the average band from that scene. Brandon Boyd's voice is incredible. There are some really cool chord progressions and guitar sequences across this album. "Drive" has gotta be one of the best singles of the late '90s -- what a melody. It still hits. Even the maligned "Battlestar Scralatchtica" sounds good, it just has a dumb title. I think overall this album gets an unfair level of hate. It's good. Just because the scene they were in was cringey doesn't mean everything in it necessarily was. I think this is a must-listen (#220).
Potentissimi, li definisco rock/nu metal e ci sta. Più accessibili di limp Bizkit direi!
1999. Awesome album, its not ranked by rolling stones but it close to my heart and is a notable departure for Incubus to dig into a softer alt rock sound to finish out the 90's.
Great album. Lots of incredible musicianship embedded in unbelievably catchy tunes.
It was a slow start but second half of this album was great
4/5 - The shroom surfers who were into nu-metal on Fungus and S.C.I.E.N.C.E. have become rockers who are beginning to dream of a new sound. - Strong rock album with many lucid moments throughout, though it never quite reaches the crescendo of the tapes that follow it. - "Drive," "Stellar," and "Pardon Me" were the big radio hits, but don't overlook "Privilege" and "Make Yourself"
A supplementary '90s rock album, not the most necessary, not the most interesting but I had fun listening to it
Incubus was certainly in the Zeitgeist as I was entering my teenage years around the turn of the millennium, but I’d never actually listened. It just wasn’t really my vibe, wasn’t really my crowd. So I entered this with a preconceived idea of what it was going to be, and I was somehow right and wrong. The essence of it was what I expected. But somehow the execution was far beyond anything I anticipated, and it left me realizing I was depriving myself of some really great stuff by writing off this entire brand of music. There were several times as I listened where I found myself asking, “Wait wtf? How is this so good?” I didn’t expect it to be so funky. Almost felt like ska without the horns at times. And while the turntable scratching feels very of-a-time and works better on some tracks than others, I have very little I could even think of to criticize this album. I can’t believe it, but this was almost a 5 for me. If not for one too many forgettable tracks, it would’ve been. But thoroughly enjoyed this one. Happy for the new discovery. 4/5 Highlights: Privilege The Warmth Make Yourself Drive Battlestar Scralatchtica
I wouldn't have called myself an Incubus fan, but there are several songs I've always enjoyed. After listening to this album, I now consider myself a fan. Would think most casual folks are aware of Pardon Me and Drive, but there are several other songs off this album that are equally good if not better. First, Pardon Me is a song I will always listen if I hear on the radio. Probably my favorite Incubus song after Wish You Were Here. I thought this album was solid from start to finish. Maybe because I've been ready to kill my management team at work, but this album just felt right the last few days. Some really good bangers with the ability to mix it up with mellower tunes. Speaking of, I Miss You was up there with my favorites. Other tunes that stood out, Stellar, Make Yourself and Out From Under. Just a good album. Pleasant surprise for sure. 4
Very surprised by how much I liked this. Some jazzy and funky influences. The songs all follow the same formula, staccato verse and legato chorus, but each song is distinct enough that it doesn’t get tiring.
Enjoyed this!
Surprisingly enjoyable
I was already familiar with this album before listening. It's a good album. It is more accessible than their previous material but still has a hard edge that defines this album. One of the more mellow songs on the album, Drive, is an instant classic and hints at where they would go with the next album Morning View, but it does feel a little out of place on this album. I will listen to this album again for sure.
Kind of surprised but pleased to see this album on the list. Objectively this album probably doesn't deserve a 4/5, but its nostalgic and I love Incubus.
As far as nu metal goes, Incubus was surely one of the more serious, 'adult', and quality-oriented bands. Of course, the alternative would be a higher 'fun factor' and there's something to be said for that too. Musicianship is solid on this one and I really enjoyed it for a single spin. Easy 4 stars for that. But in the end, this is not a memorable album either. Not only will I have forgotten all about Incubus again a few hours from now, but I'm pretty sure this is not a must-listen album, solid as it may be.
great opener.
liked the first songs. A bit differt that all on the previous boy bands. maybe could listen to their other songs
I definitely likes this in high school, and it's certainly the best example of what alternative music was doing at the time. I think most folks could probably live without Make Yourself though.
Solid alt rock album
This feels so much like childhood. It came out at a perfect time in my life. The record has way more songs I remember than I ever would have thought. Oh its just pardon me and drive. No way dude. Stellar and the warmth join the chat. Some banger songs. Its alot overall though. You get some hip hop inspired turntables, metal guitars, the ethereal singing that maybe has a pop punky vibe to it, and put it all together in an unholy amalgamation and you end up here. Oh and some funny burt Reynolds. No wonder I like weird fusion shit. Way better album than I thought I was getting into. Pleasant surprise
It’s Korn with a guy who sings instead of cries
I don’t hear a lot of difference between Incubus albums but they are always good.
311 walked so that these guys could.. jog. A household name that never made it to my household. One massive hit that transcends the band any of their other music which is kind of a shame because Drive is iconic but doesn’t really seem to reflect the rest of their music. It’s kind of an anomaly among this album as it comes across as a radio hit while the rest of the songs are more interesting and maybe not so much radio friendly. 8/10
Another album that will probably piss off a bunch of people. I enjoy Incubus and think most of their albums are good. This one is their best IMO. Lots of really good songs on here. You may not like Incubus, but you should acknowledge that this album should be on this list. Can't Miss tracks: Privilege Nowhere Fast Make Yourself Drive Stellar 3.88/5 stars = 4.
Pretty cool album with diverse tracks and unique production.
Never mad about Brandon Boyd
Calling this album nu-metal is disingenuous, as it clearly moves away from the sound of their previous record. Alternative metal at best, but I would shy away from calling it metal at all and would just land on alternative rock. Overall, it is a pretty good album and one that I own. One of my wife's favorites.
Fascinating album from a versatile band at the crossroads of so many styles. They do them all quite well but I like some more than others. 3.9
Better than I was expecting!
Electronic-infused nu metal/alt rock. The hip-hop influenced verses aren't my favorite, but the riffs and driving choruses are a fun take on alt rock. Prefer their next record Morning View to this one but it's still decent, especially the standout "Pardon Me" and catchy radio-hit "Drive".
This reminded me so much of Mike Patton and Faith No More. As I like FNM, I also liked this album. Not a 5, but a solid 4.
3.5 I always wrote Incubus as a poor man's Deftones, despite being fond of the genre. Being made to listen properly was nice to be honest. I was perhaps a little harsh with my gut instinct. Isn't something I'd get into now, but if I was 14 I'd have actually loved it. Can't recall Deftones on this list, if this made it above them then that's slightly criminal.