Islands’ Thorburn working with a broken heart — still
He stretches the word out, elongating the longing.
“S-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-d as a pretty lake, dried up and frozen into a snowflake,” Islands frontman Nicholas Thorburn sings on “Here Here,” a pretty, prolonged sigh whose delicate sound matches the fragility of Thorburn’s emotions on the indie popsters’ latest record, “Ski Mask.”
“Are you impressed with how depressed I’ve become?” Thorburn wonders on “Nil,” a much more upbeat, lively tune — at least in terms of sonics, if not temperament.
“Ski Mask” is Islands’ second record album after Thorburn underwent an obviously painful divorce, and time has clearly not healed his emotional wounds.
But if his heart is still in bad shape, his songs have remained perfectly sound.
Contact reporter Jason Bracelin at jbracelin@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0476. Follow on Twitter @JasonBracelin.
Preview
Islands
9 p.m. Friday
Beauty Bar, 517 Fremont St.
$10 (702-598-3757)
