[rating=7.00]
It takes a certain amount of bravado to release two albums simultaneously, but then again, Islands was bred from a decided indie ethos. The Montreal-bred/L.A.-residing combo partially recorded their first album in a bedroom before moving on to more formal settings. The band went through several transitions, leaving founder/vocalist/multi-instrumentalist/producer Nick Thorburn its sole continuing member, strengthening his hand and allowing him to follow his whims when it comes to creating the band’s eclectic musical mix.
It makes sense then that Taste and Should I Remain Here At Sea? not only boast suggestive titles but also varying templates. The former is a mostly synthesized tableau with undulating melodies. However while “Outspoken Dirt Rider” and “Snowflake” are more engaging examples of Island’s techno turn, the rest of the set shows little variation when it comes to sound and treatment. That makes Should I Remain Here At Sea? the better of the two, not only due to its greater variety, but also because the songs clearly stand out. The upbeat, emphatic opener “Back Into It,” the surprisingly spunky “Fiction” and the rapid fire refrains of “Innocent Man” all testify to this uptick of energy, even though the lyric to “Fear” in particular tends to paint an ominous image as well. “America, you’re so unkind/Break the body, chain the mind.”
The rest of the songs on that latter album coalesce rather nicely as well, with the heavenly hush of “At Sea” and the angelic “Hawaii’ bowing to the album’s wistfully romantic banner. Thankfully, as both these efforts demonstrate, Islands are never prone to give their intents away, opting instead to follow their muse regardless of where it leads them. It’s a rare outfit that opts for such obvious intrigue.
