With their new live DVD, "Look
Alive," soul-searching rock band Incubus offers up personal footage of
high-energy shows and life on the road. Two hours of music include several
songs from the band's 2006 album Light
Grenades, as well as a few older hits and previously unreleased songs. The
footage is filmed like a home video, and its intimacy and simplicity add to the
disc's charm.
"Look Alive" follows Incubus as
they tour the world, traveling from the
States
Europe,
success, however, their egos seem unfazed as footage shows them graciously
accomadating fans and sampling the local culture in each location.
Singles from Light Grenades, including "Anna Molly," "Love Hurts," "Oil and
Water" and "Dig," are featured on the DVD. Although their 2006 album as a whole
was rather forgettable compared to the band's previous records, the live
versions of these songs are more enjoyable. One complaint, however, would be
that the band included three songs from their substandard and more clinical album
A Crow Left Of The Murder, and
virtually nothing from 1999's Make
Yourself or 2001's Morning View. Perhaps
they are trying to deviate from radio hits such as "Drive," but this omission
doesn't serve them well on "Look Alive."
On the disc's final live song,
"Aqueous Transmission," Einzinger plays the pipa, a Chinese plucked-string,
lute-like instrument that provides a tranquil pizzicato melody. The prominence
of this melody, coupled with Einzinger's humorous persona, make the live
version of the song decidedly more refreshing. In addition, this obscure
instrumentation seems to be one of the band's interests — dreadlocked
turntablist and assorted percussionist Chris Kilmore explains how he even uses
an instrument that "no one's ever really heard of, because we sort of invented
it."
Long-time fans will also
appreciate the live tracks from S.C.I.E.N.C.E.,
including a more experimental adaptation of the rap-metal song "Nebula." Other
DVD highlights include an acoustic version of "Redefine" and an energetic,
surprisingly well-done rendition of "Megalomaniac," as well as footage of the
band riding bikes in
and camels in
Though their signature synthesis
of pyschedelic funk and alt-metal has achieved success on mainstream rock
radio, Incubus still remains true to their experimental roots with "Look
Alive." Their live shows even exhibit jam band tendencies as frontman Brandon
Boyd plays the bongos with intense concentration during several songs.
This DVD showcases the band's
quirky spirituality and their passion for music and life. Their lyrically and
musically contemplative songs reflect both an appreciation of what the world
has to offer and the ability to question it. While their song selection is
somewhat questionable, their performance quality is exceptional. Fans should be
pleased with the exploration and experimentation on "Look Alive."
3 out of 5 stars
