Islands' Arm's Way isn't a complete disaster, but it flirts with it before ending up as merely a seriously flawed and unenjoyable album. Their debut was a ramshackle mess of kitchen-sink experimentation that worked a treat thanks to the band's endearingly weird arrangements and undeniably catchy songs. Much like an album by front man Nick Thorburn's previous band, the Unicorns, there was humor and devil may care attitude coursing through the grooves. Arm's Way makes the mistake of taking things more seriously, bathing songs in strings and arranging things so slickly and epically that you have to check the liners for a Dave Fridmann production credit. It's not there but it might as well be as large chunks of the record sound like Mercury Rev outtakes. Unfortunately like that band's late period releases, there's a hole where the soul should be. Tracks like "The Arm" and "Kids Don't Know Shit" sound bloated and Thorburn's constant bouts of dramatic over-singing give the album a desperate and affected feel. One of the best aspects of their first album was the playful sonic weirdness that was organically integrated into their sound; here it seems grafted on at the last minute. The faux-Latin jam in the middle of "J'Aime Vous Voir Quitter" sounds like Buster Poindexter wandered into the studio, and the bit on "In the Rushes" where they lift the conclusion of the Who's "A Quick One While He's Away" only serves to remind you of how it's possible to be epic without being over-bearing and cold; these attempts at adventurism fall embarrassingly flat. The songs that do work on Arm's Way are the few that strip back the bombast and show a little bit of restraint like the slinky disco rocker "Creeper," the relatively calm and melodic "To a Bond," or the melancholy ballad "Life in Jail," which incorporates the strings and oboe into the fabric of the song instead of just splashing them on top. Well, the first half of the song, anyway, until they break into a silly swing jam and then proceed to head back to the more familiar over-the-top territory of the rest of the record. Arm's Way is the sound of a band forgetting what made them fun and highly listenable and instead grasping for a grand statement that is far beyond their reach.
Islands Arm's WayRoxy Satarzadeh6 out of 10You went to all of their shows. You sent in the $7 needed to join their fan club. You wore their T-shirt everyday straight for a week. And how did they repay you? By breaking up. Such is the relationship saga of many fans of the phenomenal indie rock band the Unicorns. May they rest in peace. As in other areas of life, however, there are never an...
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Not as readily accessible, eclectic, or catchy as their first album, the Islands new album is, none-the-less, a grower.I found myself with this track embedded in my skull around 2am in bed last night. That's always either a very good sign, or very bad.Since I'm posting it for all the world to see, I think you know which it is...
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I've been hooked on this CD lately. The musical twists and turns throughout the CD always keep you guessing at what's coming next. If you like the downloads and the track I'm posting, listen to the whole CD by clicking the cover. It really is the kind of CD you should listen to in total, start to finish. The Arm - Long VersionCreeperI Feel Evil (Creeping In)
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Islands Arm's WayRoxy Satarzadeh6 out of 10You went to all of their shows. You sent in the $7 needed to join their fan club. You wore their T-shirt everyday straight for a week. And how did they repay you? By breaking up. Such is the relationship saga of many fans of the phenomenal indie rock band the Unicorns. May they rest in peace. As in other areas of life, however, there are never an...
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Here's the new video for "Creeper" the 2nd single from Islands' sophomore album Arm's Way . "Creeper" | download Islands | Myspace | Tour Dates | Buy
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Not as readily accessible, eclectic, or catchy as their first album, the Islands new album is, none-the-less, a grower.I found myself with this track embedded in my skull around 2am in bed last night. That's always either a very good sign, or very bad.Since I'm posting it for all the world to see, I think you know which it is...
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MP3: El Borrachito - Chicha Libre (YSI)Watching Barbarella tonight for the third time in three months. Why not? Islands - Arms Way:MP3: J'aime Vous Voire Quitter - Islands (YSI)Black Kids - Partie Traumatic:MP3: Look At Me (When I Rock Wichoo) - Black Kids (YSI)Bringing it back:MP3: Pale Shelter - Tears for Fears (YSI)Later,D
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When writing about Nick Thorburn's Reefer , we also made sure to mention his work with Human Highway and, his most popular project, Islands. As far as the latter, this creepy "Creeper" clip's the first we've heard from Islands since they covered Brian Eno and themselves at Daytrotter. But forget day -- this is all about night. The guys sit stoically (or stonedly?) in a log cabin until a paper a...
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it tasted like a light going off inside my mind
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I'd almost forgotten how much I loved Islands' Arm's Way, but thanks to their new video for "Creeper", I've been completely sucked back into that amazing album. As you can imagine the video flirts with the bizarre with a trip through Tron and a crazy tar monster that spills a glass of dancing water while [...]
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Dancing people made of water are still fresh 13 years after TLC dropped Waterfalls. More Islands. Via SG.
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Compiled by: hotchagirl I thoroughly enjoyed making this. I'd like to hear this music coming from my cereal in the morning. 01. Islands - "The Arm" (Arm's Way) 02. Architecture in Helsinki - "The Owls Go" (Fingers Crossed) 03. Chairlift - "Bruises" (Does You Inspire You) 04. Feist - "Secret Heart" (Let It Die) 05. Broken Social Scene - "Fire Eye'd Boy" (Broken Social Scene) 06. Flight of...
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| Title | Lyrics | Buy |
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| 1 The Arm |
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| 2 Pieces of You |
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| 3 J'Aime Vous Voire Quitter |
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| 4 Abominable Snow |
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| 5 Creeper |
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| 6 Kids Don't Know Shit |
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| 7 Life in Jail |
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| 8 In the Rushes |
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| 9 We Swim |
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| 10 To a Bond |
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| 11 I Feel Evil Creeping In |
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| 12 Vertigo (If It's a Crime) |
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Click to purchase…
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 "Arm's Way")
