The Montreal indie rock band Islands catapulted into the stratosphere of the 'the indie rock movement' - as Jay-Z recently called the popular genre - with their 2006 debut, Return to the Sea. That album, easily one of the best indie debuts of that year, featured contributions from members of Arcade Fire and Wolf Parade.

Island's third album, Vapours, is set for release on September 22 via Anti- Records and marks the return of original band member Jamie Thompson (to the relief of many Islands' fans). The title track of the album has been released by the band for public review. If the song "Vapours" is any indication of the rest of the album, the band is likely to yet again - this time for 2009 - make the best albums of the year list in the next couple of months.

The eclectic, diverse line-up of the band, combined with their infectious, even quirky, sounds and styles, make them one of the most interesting indie bands of recent years. Following Islands' triumphant debut, the band turned around in 2007 with their second album, Arm's Way, a commendable follow-up that offered songs with lush orchestrations (which we all know Canadian indie bands have made much use of in recent years) accompanied by bold guitar driven prog-rock.

Thompson's return to the band for the recording of Vapours is evident just on the title track itself, as it flirts back and forth between moody synthesizers and drum-machine-heavy beats and the classic pop sensibilities and melodic hooks of Return to the Sea. 
The song is incredibly catchy and even danceable, with a sound that is similar to Apples In Stereo's obvious Beatles-influence. For an 'indie' song, it has a seductive pop quality that is likely to be appreciated by a wider audience outside of the band's core fan base.

The new album was produced by Nick Diamond and Chris Coady, who has worked with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Blonde Redhead and TV On The Radio. The band kicks off a five week tour across the states with a show in Tampa at the Ritz Ybor later this month. Check out Islands MySpace page for full concert schedule.

"Vapours" - Islands from Vapours (2009)

"Don't Call Me Whitney, Bobby" - Islands from Return to the Sea (2006)

Watch and listen to Islands playing songs from Vapours during an acoustic set on ABC News last month.


Video of Island's 2006 mini-hit single "Rough Gem"

View Islands' profile on Anti- Records' website.

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Labels: Anti Records, Islands, Montreal Bands