The history of the band Islands is so rich that it's almost hard to find where to start. Founded in Montreal in 2005, the band relocated to New York and then eventually moved the long distance to Los Angeles, where frontman Nick Thorburn decided to live after a difficult romantic breakup. In 2006, the group lost co-founding member Jamie Thompson, who said, “I’m just not sure that being in a successful band is all that important to me anymore”, but Thompson returned in 2009 for the band’s third album, Vapours, after a big lineup overhaul, only to leave the band again a couple years later. Thorburn, who has had to keep track of at least a dozen Islands members, has also worked with members of Man Man, Arcade Fire and Wolf Parade on studio recordings. Given all of these changes, Island’s recent album, Ski Mask, is a fine balance of blues, rock and pop music that meanders in many beautiful directions. Check out the band's engaging in-studio performance here:
Full performance:
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