And That's Why Dolphins Lost Their Legs

by Islands

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quokkakami A masterpiece. Every component of this album is thoughtfully and intentionally so, and strikes a perfect balance between the shadow and the light. Also the sax solo gets me every time 🎷 Favorite track: Up The Down Staircase.

New Music Jason This album is my Feature Pick for August 19 - 25/23 on my New Music page:

newmusicjason.wordpress.com/2023/08/25/the-new-music-im-listening-to-unequivocally-this-week-august-19-25-2023/ Favorite track: Superstitious.

daneco It is light hearted and funny......not enough on earth these days, need more more more laughter more more more fun

christyskulls I will never stop waiting for new islands tunes. life's a joke is a total hit. now I just need to hit myself in the face with a shovel and have someone wake me up on 25 August. islands are forever. 💎💀🤍

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12" Red Colored Vinyl
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Includes unlimited streaming of And That's Why Dolphins Lost Their Legs via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

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1.	Life's A Joke 02:48 video	lyrics	buy track
LIFE’S A JOKE the pain feel the pain of it coming on and just like that it turns the young lovers on one day your horse is up the next it’s been put down nothing seems to matter anyhow all the things that I could do without what’s a clam got to be so happy about? one day you’re up the next day you lay down and croak he said “life’s a gas” but I say life’s a joke la la life’s a joke la la la la life’s a joke the pain that comes with love is what’s in store wake up to find him on the bathroom floor and now the heart breaks into four fuck your god he closed a window and shut the door life’s a joke la la la la la la la la la life’s a joke la la la la la life’s a joke
2.	And All You Can Do Is Laugh 03:42		buy track
3.	Headlines 03:04		buy track
4.	Superstitious 03:57		buy track
5.	Hard to Argue 02:12		buy track
6.	Pelican 03:24		buy track
7.	Driven Snow 03:18		buy track
8.	Bite My Tongue 03:39		buy track
9.	Violet 03:50		buy track
10.	Too Far Gone 03:39		buy track
11.	Up The Down Staircase 03:33		buy track

about

If Islands' last record, (2021's Islomania) was a Saturday Night Fever dream, then the follow up--2023's And That's Why Dolphins Lost Their Legs--is the Sunday Morning comedown.

Taking a giant leap forward, replete with addictive hooks at every turn, Dolphins (the 9th in the catalogue), stands out as the strongest and most articulate Islands record yet. Nick Thorburn and band manage to slyly tap into both the pain and the joy of living, often simultaneously, while stripping the music down to its simplest element: a strange sample rubbing up against a bouncing bassline, a snappy kick and snare firing off against a persistent, hooky guitar line.

Though refined and deliberate, the music has a certain playfulness that Thorburn hasn’t tapped into in quite some time. The record is a notable departure from previous outings, but the DNA of Thorburn's early work, namely his first band The Unicorns, can be heard clearly throughout songs like "Headlines", "Life's A Joke" and "And All You Can Do is Laugh”.

Dolphins, which came together over a methodical, carefully considered multi-year process, continues Thorburn's fruitful collaboration with co-producer Patrick Ford (!!!), and features production on a few songs from Chris Coady (Beach House) and Mike Stroud (Ratatat).

credits

released August 25, 2023

ISLANDS:
Nick Thorburn
Adam Halferty
Geordie Gordon
Evan Gordon

All songs written by Nick Thorburn
except
And All You Can Do is Laugh by Nick Thorburn, Mark & Clive Ives, and Mike Stroud

Produced by Patrick Ford & Nick Thorburn
except "Too Far Gone" by Patrick Ford
& "Pelican" By Mike Stroud

Mixed by Omar Yakar
Mastered by Mark Chalecki

license

about

Islands Los Angeles, California

shows

Apr 27

The Workman's Cellar

Dublin, Ireland
Apr 28

Prim's Bookshop

Cork, Ireland
May 3

8mm Bar

Berlin, Germany

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