Released in October of 1999, Make Yourself was the fourth album put out by Incubus, an alternative rock band that takes a twist on funk metal. With songs like “Drive” becoming a hit, this album became their third successful record focusing heavily on themes of finding oneself in a world of chaos and replacing uncertainty with optimism. Two years prior, following the release of their second album, S.C.I.E.N.C.E., the band was constantly touring, and after selling over 100,000 copies of the label, the group took a hiatus to work on a new album. Incubus’s style relies heavily on catchy bass riffs and layers of electronic distortion, creating what students have called, “a very unique and organic sound unlike anything else out there.” This quickly captured the attention of big producers like Scott Litt, who worked with bands like R.E.M and Nirvana. Litt especially favored the song “Stellar”. The release of this album ended the band’s break from touring as they quickly hit the roads again alongside Primus and Buckethead. Ironically enough, one of the most popular songs of this album today, was not well received by many major stations. “Pardon Me”, a song almost all of us have heard was only able to gain attention after members Brandon Boyd and Mike Einziger decided to release an acoustic version, which quickly caught the attention of the Los Angeles based radio giant, KROQ-FM. This spotlight would spark yet another tour, this time alongside the rising star, System of a Down in 2000 prior to the release of their hit album, Toxicity, in 2001.
