Islands Biography

Montreal's Islands consider 'Arm's Way' to be their first 'band' album. It follows 2005's inaugural and magnificent 'Return To The Sea' album. 'Arm's Way' is a sprawling symphonic work of art, it sees Nick Thorburn really coming into his own as a composer, with he and his fellow Islands clearly at the height of their powers.

The Album was recorded in Montreal and Woodinville, Washington State. Engineered by Ryan Hadlock and Produced by Ryan Hadlock and Islands. All the instrumentation was recorded in Montreal and the vocals, lead and backing were then recorded at Ryan's own studio, Bear Creek. A beautiful and spooky converted barn in rural Washington State, roughly an hour from Seattle, it is notable for containing the 'phone booth studio' that has a 45 lathe that records and produces one of a kind records, that Elvis supposedly cut his first recording on. Ryan, a big fan of Joe Meek, performed certain rituals around the studio to ward off evil spirits during these sessions.

Forthcoming single and lead album track 'The Arm' was written in the woods by the side of the road following the band's van having a tire blow out. Marooned three hours outside of London and following an intense thunderstorm, Nick ran into the woods with his guitar and it was 'The Arm' that poured out of him.

The subject matter of 'Pieces Of You' was inspired by the true story of a group of local teenagers and pre-teens that years ago when Nick was at school, attacked and brutally murdered a local fisherman. The group showed no remorse in court, having shaved their heads and spray-painted "murderers 95" on their cell wall. The story shocked the nation. Nick was friends with one of the offenders; that was until he stole his watch at gym class one day, a couple of months before the killing.

The album covers an astounding array of subjects, including a song 'In The Rushes' inspired by the notion of 'Augdenblict', which translated means (roughly) 'Sudden Inflashing', an idea made famous by Martin Heidegger. The last song on the album, 'Vertigo (If It's A Crime)' is a self-proclaimed 'gothic symphony in three acts'. Beginning with a defendant pleading their case in front of a jury. In the second, entirely instrumental section, the wordless narrative follows the defendant "to the gallows", and in the final act, the defendant is hung, and what only lasts a brief moment seems like a psychedelic eternity.


PAST PRAISE FOR ISLAND'S RETURN TO THE SEA LP:

a rollicking, whimsical sound ... The songs meld radio-friendly melodies with alt-folk orchestrations and surrealist lyrics. -SPIN

Islands winks at pop convention but transcends the formulaic pop genre with layers of instrumental solos that teeter on discordant drama and uncontained feverish mirth...Full of frolicking jovial pop ditties - and even tinkering with rap - Return to the Sea brims with childlike whimsy showing that well-executed pop is back. -SOMA

In a modern day world of homogenous indie bands, it is extremely refreshing when introduced to a band that have managed to acheve some originality. - RADAR

Islands are poised to turn heads this year with their brand of manic, uber-catchy pop.
-PITCHFORK MEDIA

It's sprawling, ambitious pop music. - FILTER