Islands Hopping at the Bell House

After making the trek to The Bell House in Brooklyn last night to witness the indie rock foursome Islands whip up a schizophrenic, sticky-sweet cocktail of styles, sounds, and genres, we initially felt like the cheap drowning olive in their plastic martini glass. Similar to the clusterfuck clash of anatomy-hugging white skinny jeans and waspy sky-blue polos (plus one shimmering cape) seen on stage, we fully expected the dash of throwback, pinch of electronic, and vat of indie-pop that seeped from the bodies beneath them to explode into a cacophonous pile of sparkling vomit. However, the resulting combination was, to our utter astonishment, a pleasantly silvery and euphonious symphony of sound, albeit one with an identity crisis. By the end of the show, we were begging to soak up whatever else they damn felt like pouring.

In a month, Islands heads out on tour to open for the Happy Mondays and the Psychedelic Furs. Their performance last night was a sure sign that the co-headliners should keep an eye out for this Montreal foursome—who could very well steal some thunder, leaving a trail of glitter in the wake. Islands gave the Bell House crowd enough variety for three (maybe four) separate bands, leaving fans coated in an addictive layer of cotton candy crack. With sticky melodic hooks that transport Vampire Weekend to an electro-pop tropical spaceship with MGMT on the roof, the new album propels forward thanks to snappy, mid-tempo drumbeats. The band’s third LP, Vapours drops September 22nd, and tour dates start September 28.


Chicago Symphony Orchestra Tickets
Carnegie Hall - Isaac Stern Auditorium Tickets
New York Tickets Tickets