Boyd’s voice works well on the shimmering pop tunes that he and O’Brien have crafted, but ultimately the album doesn’t leave much of a lasting impression. Only “Great Escape” demonstrates any of Incubus’s intensity or angst.

Where “Sons of the Sea” may fall short for Incubus fans, though, is in its lack of tension. More interestingly, the duo puts its own bouncy spin on the Leonard Cohen tune “ Hey, That’s No Way to Say Goodbye.” That pervasive liveliness wears thin, however, especially on the repetitive “Space and Time” and the breezy “Where All the Songs Come From.” The choral sounds and catchy refrain of album-opener “Jet Black Crow” create an easygoing warmth, while the piano ballad “Avalanche” nearly channels a musical-theater vibe. As a result, Sons of the Sea’s self-titled debut bears a strong pop influence, augmented by Boyd’s soaring vocals.Ībove all, Boyd sounds relaxed here. The new duo is a collaboration with Brendan O’Brien, who produced the last three Incubus records as well as recent releases by Pearl Jam, the Killers and the Fray. Incubus frontman Brandon Boyd’s voice is certainly recognizable in his new project, Sons of the Sea, but the two bands have little else in common. No longer does Incubus sound like the dollar store Faith No More/Primus fusion that they did on Fungus Amongus, and with the band still a long ways away from the radio rock hell their later work would be subjected to, they both refine their initial funk-metal sound, as well as throw so much else at the wall to see what sticks (psychadelia, hip-hop, electro, nu metal). Kindred spirits: Imagine Dragons, Incubus, the Killers

Incubus band review