Back of The Billboards: 'Sons of The Sea' by Sons of The Sea

Society always celebrates the records that top the Billboard 200 album chart. Back of The Billboards is a Music Times weekly segment that looks at the opposite end: the new record that finished closest to the back of the Billboard 200 for the previous week. We hope to give a fighting chance to the bands you haven't heard of.

Week of 10/02/2013

WHO: Sons of The Sea
WHAT: Sons of The Sea
SPOT: 198
WHY?: The band Incubus is one that will never need help find a spot near the top of the Billboard 200. The group's last new release, 2011's "If Not Now, When?," was far removed from the band's most lucrative point, but still peaked at no. 2.

Therefore it's a little surprising when vocalist Brandon Boyd's side project Sons of The Sea only got to no. 197 with its self-titled debut.

Sons of The Sea rock a little less heavy than Incubus, but fans of the latter should still find plenty to enjoy in the former. Boyd has admitted that the Baroque approach to pop exemplified by bands such as the Beach Boys, and the psychedelic approach to tracks like "Space and Time" and "Jet Black Crow" proves it. Boyd handles much of the instrumentation, playing guitar and some drums as well as vocals. Popular session drummer Josh Freese also chips in on the skins.

For Incubus fans: Imagine denser approaches to more ambient tracks such as "Stellar," versus rockers like "Pardon Me."