Islands' first album, Return to the Sea, was a fun continuation of the promise of the Canadian indie band the Unicorns, from whose demise Islands began. While not quite as relentlessy inventive or indelibly catchy as the Unicorns, Return to the Sea still had a number of pop gems. That a number of songs were calypso inspired (the nautical themes carried to the sound) was a surprise, but not a shock given the eclectic and restless character of the Unicorns' only album, Who Will Cut Our Hair When We're Gone? Islands have shifted again on Arm's Way towards a more straightforward indie rock sound, albeit one augmented by a bigger sound courtesy of piano and violin on a number of tracks (Islands is now a six-piece). There is an interlude on "J’aime Vous Voir Quitter" that is in keeping with the Islands’ islander theme, but otherwise, the template is much more traditional rock.
It might be a slight exaggeration to compare Arm's Way to another grand scale indie rock group from Montreal, but it does feel at times that Islands are attempting the Arcade Fire “big dramatic sound” on this album. To my ear, this works against what has always been so endearing about their music. Unicorns were like bubblegum pop if it was possible to simultaneously chew three differently flavored pieces at once. Return to the Sea was more serious, but still had the effusive charm of a song like "Don't Call Me Whitney, Bobby" (which was much more than a clever title). The tone here seems to aim for a broader appeal. "Creeper" is listener friendly with its '80s dance tempo and sing-along chorus, but it feels a bit safe from a group that's been so inventive in the past.
Islands leader/songwriter Nick Thorburn (formerly Nick Diamonds) is without a doubt a talented guy and even at its worst, Arm's Way is still consistently enjoyable. "Kids Don't Know Shit" is a very spirited blast. The beginning section of "Life in Jail" is attractive and sensitive in a way previous incarnations of the band have not been. This has always been the double-edged sword of indie rock irony. Unicorns/Islands have traded in this sort of quirky jokester identity with smart-ass interviews and silly stage names. However, it also suited them well and gave the whole proceedings a fun temperament. Much of that carefree joie de vivre is missing from Arm's Way, and it does flatten Islands' sound into something less unique.
The saving grace of this, however, is that Thorburn seems more willing to write sincere songs without winking. Lyrically, they are still clever and dense, but also more open. If only the music wasn't so damn serious. Anthem rockers do not seem to be Islands' strength, but a number of the songs like "In The Rushes" and "Pieces of You" tend in that direction (even with their occasional interesting diversions). Also, the serious "artiness" of Arm's Way leads to some over-reaching, such as the eleven-minute album closer "Vertigo (If It's a Crime)." While a good song, there's no particular need for it to be this long except Islands overestimating the importance of the song. When Thorburn uses the ambition to be musically daring and unconventional, such as on the complex "We Swim," it is a new direction that is stirring. The majority of Arm's Way doesn't push far enough in this direction, though. Instead, they settle for songs that, while being well-crafted and listener friendly, aren't as challenging. Islands demonstrate a good amount of musical ability and dexterity on Arm's Way, but their own legacy of exciting records unfortunately outshines their latest efforts in this case.
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