Light Grenades

As evidenced by “Quicksand,” the brief and atmospheric opening track, <i>Light Grenades</i> signals yet another new direction — or directions — for Incubus. Incorporating a variety of styles, the band shifts gears several times here, and they sound remarkably different from song to song. They can still rock as hard as ever (the title track, “Pendulous Threads”), but most of the tunes are catchy, radio-friendly fare (“Dig,” “Anna Molly,” “Diamonds and Coal,” “Paper Shoes”) and heavy ballads (“Love Hurts,” “Oil and Water”) that are less reliant on intensity and speed and more focused on dynamics and melody. Produced by Brendan O’Brien (Pearl Jam, Audioslave, Rage Against the Machine, many others) the overall sound is crisp and clean, and Brandon Boyd’s vocals are particularly good. <i>Light Grenades</i>, Incubus’ sixth album, is accessible enough to gain new listeners without disappointing their many existing fans, which is another way of saying that the band continues to evolve.