Just stumbled across a 2011 review of If Not Now, When?, Incubus most recent studio album to date, as written by a Camilla Pia of the BBC. Now, not usually one to become a defensive fan-boy on behalf of my musical influences (especially now my existence will soon breach its 3rd decade), I feel this review was writtten by somebody never intended to be its target audience.... Incubus used to be a rock band, right? You wouldn’t know it from listening to them these days. Seventh studio opus If Not Now, When? is a sedate, pristinely produced offering, closer in spirit to the U2s and Coldplays of ‘alternative’ music than their early heavy-riffing counterparts. Not a crime, of course, if it’s done with intelligence, killer melodic know-how and some kind of tangible emotion, but Incubus don’t manage any of these with their latest offering. Subsequently we fully expect reactions to it to vary from peeved and disillusioned (fans) to passed-out in a coma (the rest of the world). This garnered a very strong reaction from me. Incubus have for an extremely long time been one of my favourite bands,and long may they continue to be so. Personally, I believe their Morning View album to be their most important work, mainly in the most selfish way that it sounds wonderful and makes my body release endorphins that carry my imprisoned inner-self to transcendent realms of peace and beauty. This is my own preference. If Not Now, When? I cannot say the same for... although at times it is achingly beautiful... the point i am making is that the reviewer had the gall to declare the record unemotional, unintelligent... lacking melodic know-how..?! Anybody who has ever studied composition as a subject during the course of their education will know what a completely unfair and unjustifiable remark this is. There are musical ideas/devices found within these criminally misunderstood works, things not often heard outside the realms of classical composition. Motifs, recitative... the list is far longer but alas, my attention span at this hour is not. To summarise, all I can really say is that they have sent a reviewer with little, if any, knowledge of musical theory (and possibly even less appreciation for the subtleties of sensitively written and thoughtfully composed art) to attempt to pass judgement on something that is quite obviously beyond their comprehension. They sailed right up to an iceberg, chipped off a mere cube to suck on and deemed the whole thing bland and unimpressive. To declare something is not to your personal tastes is not only acceptable, it is wonderful in proving an example of the diversity to be found in this world. However, declaring something that has true artistic merit and a zest for experimentation depressingly dull and sterile is inexcusable. I try not to judge, but I believe the reviewer may have been in over their head. I would suggest that the BBC employ somebody with a creatively open mind to try and understand and appreciate things such as this in future. Gold from the river doesnt manifest in bullion. ;)
Posted on: Sat, 07 Jun 2014 23:12:13 +0000
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