Incubus - Fungus Amongus

As Incubus themselves note about Epic's 2000 rerelease of 1996's Fungus Amongus: "The recording's are basically a snapshot of our band, circa 1993-1995. As even the most discriminating ear could deduce, [we were] still struggling to find our feet." It's a caveat not really necessary for Incubus fans, of which there are now many, thanks to their diverse, unique, and thoughtful brand of funky, sometimes-acoustic rock, exemplified on 1999's impressive Make Yourself. This early effort, written and recorded when band members were in their teens, smacks heavily of Primus and Faith No More fanaticism, influences which, on later discs, are blended into an evolving signature sound. Songs such as "Speak Free," "Trouble in 421," and the aggressive, linear "The Answer" are decent, but not as heavy, well-written, or thoughtful as the material on Make Yourself. Ultimately, Fungus Amongus is a lightweight, casual, fun, and funky morsel for hardcore fans. --Katherine Turman Amazon.com

 Possibly the best Incubus album ever??
Funk metal at its finest. This record is pure energy all the way through. It's also very fun to listen to. The musicianship is startling, considering that this was written when the band members were still in their teen years. The sweet drumming, groovy bass and super-creative guitar are impressive, with solos and funky instrumental breaks everywhere.

This sounds absolutely nothing like the Incubus most people know and love, but that's not necessarily a bad thing at all. The songs aren't very complex or sophisticated, but most of them are highly entertaining, even if the lyrics can be a little "out there" at times. There's a video for "Take Me to Your Leader" which you can probably find on the internet or one of their DVD's. The silliness there gives you a good idea of what "Fungus Amongus" is all about.

Standout tracks are "Psychopsilocybin," "Trouble in 421," "Hilikus" and "Sink Beneath the Line." March 30, 2008

 Starting Up
This was the music Incubus played before they made it big. Must have for Incubus fans. January 18, 2008

 If youre lookin for the Morning View or Make Yourself Incubus...
move along... Think early RHCP meets Primus mates w/ early Korn... It doesnt suck, just not for me... December 6, 2007

 This sounds like it was made ages ago in some loser's basement. 1 flippin' star!!
And it almost pains me too because Incubus is my absolute favorite alternative band. I don't know why Brandon decided to choose this approach, and I'm not surprised that this CD got anything but mainstream attention. It's a shame really.

What a freakin' waste of precious talent. And when he tries to rap, he instantly fails. I'm glad they polished their sound as they went along.

This CD has no good tracks, and their next release only had one (Summer Romance). So they gradually improved, and hit their hiatus with Make Yourself.

Light Grenades overall is a head-scratcher. But Dig is a rock classic in my eyes.

Have a great night. September 29, 2007

 The Begining and what was to become
If you like Incubus, or you like shrooms then your prolly going to want to find this album. Not to advocate the use of drugs, but this was recommended by many people who have come in contact with said substance. The fans of Incubus, espically those of you who Enjoy Incucus (haha pun), will like this record. Its show their early days, heralding back to when the band first formed. As shown with the liner notes, Brandon Boyd descibes them as being woefully ignorant of their own musical ability. Which to me is a huge suprise because I enjoyed this album. If you like Enjoy Incubs, you'll see some of your favorites including Highlikeus, Shaft, and You Will Be A Hot Dancer. Early recordings and rough mixes may discourage some, but thats only to a select few. All in all a good buy.
July 29, 2007

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