"Absolution Calling" is the lead single for the American rock band

Incubus An Incubus () is a demon, male demon in human form in folklore that seeks to have Sexuality in Christian demonology, sexual intercourse with sleeping women; the corresponding spirit in female form is called a succubus. Parallels exist in many c ...

on their 2015 EP ''

Trust Fall (Side A) ''Trust Fall (Side A)'' is a four-track EP by alternative rock band Incubus, released in 2015 on Island Records. It was the first release from the band since their 2011 album, '' If Not Now, When?''. '' Trust Fall (Side B)'', a follow-up to t ...

''.

Release

On February 5, 2015, Incubus released "Absolution Calling", debuting the track on the

Kevin and Bean ''Kevin and Bean'' was the morning show on KROQ-FM, an alternative rock- format radio station in Los Angeles, California. It was hosted by Kevin Ryder and Gene "Bean" Baxter. The show was on the air from 1990 to 2019 and interspersed music and n ...

show.

Background

In an interview with

KROQ-FM KROQ-FM (106.7 MHz) is a commercial radio station licensed to Pasadena, California, serving Greater Los Angeles. Owned by Audacy, Inc., it broadcasts an alternative rock format known as "The World Famous KROQ" (pronounced "kay-rock"). The sta ...

, Incubus's guitarist

Mike Einziger Michael Aaron Einziger (born June 21, 1976) is an American musician, songwriter and producer. He is best known for being co-founder and guitarist of the rock band Incubus, and has also co-written, produced and collaborated with a wide array of a ...

revealed that "Absolution Calling" was an improvised song that was created while the band's lead singer,

Brandon Boyd Brandon Charles Boyd (born February 15, 1976) is an American musician, best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Incubus, with whom he has recorded eight studio albums. In addition to his work with Incubus, Boyd has released two solo alb ...

, was overseas. After listening to a demo of the song, Boyd was inspired to write a song about an event he had experienced that he could not describe in words.

Composition

"Absolution Calling" was originally a demo based on a melody created by Incubus's bass guitarist Ben Kenney. Brandon Boyd said that Kenney's melody sounded like a song by

The Cure The Cure are an English Rock music, rock band formed in Crawley in 1976 by Robert Smith (musician), Robert Smith (vocals, guitar) and Lol Tolhurst (drums). The band's current line-up comprises Smith, Perry Bamonte (guitar and keyboards), Reev ...

. ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...

'' described the song's sound as having "spaced out ambiance" that is "undercut with gnarled guitars and Brandon Boyd’s ragged vocals.Incubus Hear 'Absolution Calling,' Announce New EP - Rolling Stone
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Music video

On March 5, 2015, a music video for "Absolution Calling" was released. In the video, the band faces a rival gang in a dance battle reminiscent of

Beat It "Beat It" is a song by American singer Michael Jackson from his sixth studio album, ''Thriller (album), Thriller'' (1982). It was written and composed by Jackson, produced by Quincy Jones, and co-produced by Jackson. Jones encouraged Jackson to ...

. In a behind-the-scenes interview with Incubus by iHeartRadio, Boyd said the idea for the music video came when their bass guitarist Ben Kenney suggested having a story similar to

Quadrophenia ''Quadrophenia'' is the sixth studio album by the English rock band the Who, released as a double album on 26 October 1973 by Track Records. It is the group's third rock opera, the previous two being the "mini-opera" song "A Quick One, While ...

. The director for "Absolution Calling" expanded Boyd's interpretation by saying the music video also had elements of

West Side Story ''West Side Story'' is a Musical theatre, musical conceived by Jerome Robbins with music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a Book (musical theatre), book by Arthur Laurents. Inspired by William Shakespeare's play ''Romeo an ...

and

The Lost Boys ''The Lost Boys'' is a 1987 American comedy horror film directed by Joel Schumacher, produced by Harvey Bernhard, and with the screenplay written by Jeffrey Boam, Janice Fischer, and James Jeremias, from a story by Fischer and Jeremias. The ...

. A

lyric video A music video is a video that integrates a song or an album with imagery that is produced for promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device intended to promote the sale of m ...

was released as well.

Reception

"Absolution Calling" received both praise and criticism by reviewers. When reviewing the band's performance, The Buffalo News applauded Boyd for his "exhilarating and inspiring" performance. Similarly, PPCorn believed that Boyd's vocals were strengthened by the "powerful questions and references being asked" in the lyrics of "Absolution Calling". Nevertheless, Naomi Jones of Renowned for Sound said the band almost muffled Boyd's vocals with their music during the chorus. Critics also had a difference in opinions on the shift of Incubus's genre in "Absolution Calling". Anne Fair of Music Unlabeled highlighted that although the song's melody was catchy, she believed the departure from previous Incubus songs could come as a surprise. Alternatively, The Buffalo News complimented Incubus's usage of indie rock and pop in the composition of "Absoulution Calling".

Charts

References

External links

* {{authority control 2015 singles 2015 songs Incubus (band) songs