When we last heard from the precocious youths of The Unicorns, they were disbanding after a surprise hit debut, the spastically infectious “Who Will Cut Our Hair When We’re Gone.” Directly following, there was the announcement of a hip-hop project, dubiously called Th’Corn Gangg (which never seemed to go anywhere), and now the proper follow up. However, this isn’t The Unicorns, it’s Islands, featuring two-thirds of the Unicorns lineup – Nick Diamonds and J’aime Tambeur. It might seem superfluous to disband and then release a new album under a new band name, but in the case of Islands, the change is appropriate. “Return to the Sea” differs drastically from “Who Will Cut Our Hair…” though it contains enough shiny indie-pop moments to carry many Unicorns fans.
The most immediate difference on “Return to the Sea” is that the group sounds more, for lack of a more descriptive term, mature. This might be welcome to those who found “Who Will Cut Our Hair” annoyingly coy. Islands is a more straightforward pop band – less ADD and goofy. Nowhere is the difference clearer than on opening track “Swans (Life After Death).” Whereas The Unicorns might attempt to fit nine parts into a three-minute song, “Swans” essentially carries three parts over nine and a half minutes. Sure, it’s a bit overkill, but it’s also very catchy in a mellow way, and approaches the term “epic” in a way that The Unicorns never did.
“Return to the Sea” is a far less caffeinated sound, with many of the songs carrying a more traditionally cyclical structure, three or four minute running time, and relying on pretty melodies and interesting rhythmic interplay. In contrast to the first two tracks released by Island to the internet, the more Unicorns influenced “Abominable Snowman” and “Flesh” (neither of which appear on “Return to the Sea”), this album is much less hard and in no ways punky. There’s hardly distortion at all. There’s also a bit more the maritime themes (think of Homer singing “Under the Sea”). Diamonds has described the album as having more calypso influence, and Corn’Ganggit if he’s not right, down to the steel drums. Islands hasn’t completely lost their sense of humor, as standout romp “Don’t Call Me Whitney, Bobby” proves. Likewise, unlisted track “Bucky Little Wing,” a pretty piano ballad about a friend who is apparently decapitated by a car but not really, is by turns absurd and touching.
If there’s a fault to “Return to the Sea,” it’s that Islands is trying to become too grown-up. There was something irrepressibly cheerful about “Who Will Cut Our Hair.” As pretty as Islands can be, I could do for more frenetic pop chops and up-tempo hijinks. A song like the jazz bar noodler “If” is all well and good, but it’s no “Tuff Ghost.” However, I suppose the whole point is to demonstrate just how different Islands is from The Unicorns, to prove they are different bands. “Return to the Sea” does boast a number of guest appearances, including members of the Arcade Fire, and on the enjoyable “If There’s A Will There’s A Whalebone,” indie rappers Subtitle and Busdriver spittin’ rhymes. Ultimately, Islands is good to hear, despite its leisurely pace, because at its core these guys, like their Unicorns permutations, have an innate talent with pop songs that’s hard to duplicate. |