Arm's Way is the second studio album by Montreal-based indie rock band Islands. It was released on May 20, 2008,[1] on CD and download. The album's title is a play on the words "harm's way". The album leaked online on April 11, 2008.[10]
Arm's Way | ||||
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Studio album by Islands | ||||
Released | May 20, 2008 | |||
Recorded | April–May 2007[1] | |||
Studio | Bear Creek, Woodinville, WA, and Mixart, Montreal, Canada[1] | |||
Genre | Indie | |||
Length | 68:06 | |||
Label | ANTI-[2] | |||
Producer | Ryan Hadlock and Islands | |||
Islands chronology | ||||
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Aggregate scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 71/100[3] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Drowned in Sound | 9/10[4] |
Pitchfork Media | 6.2/10[5] |
PopMatters | 6/10[6] |
Rolling Stone | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Spin | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Tiny Mix Tapes | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Drummer Aaron Harris outlined the album's concept and the band's songwriting approach thus:
We took a different approach with this album in that the music is focused on the band members – there are not any special appearances. Arm's was conceived in Montreal, we wrote the songs in a room with old NOFX and Insane Clown Posse posters on the wall. As a band we put the music together and then singer Nick Thorburn wrote the lyrics.[11]
The musical style of Arm's Way represents a departure from the Graceland-inspired sound of debut album Return to the Sea. Rebecca Raber of Pitchfork writes, "Gone are the guest rappers, the acoustic nuevo-country twang, and the sunny Afro-Caribbean flourishes ... In their place are theatrical string arrangements, layers of silvery, minor-key guitars, and lots of gothy synthesizers."[5] Most lyrics include references to death and violence, themes which are shared with frontman Nick Thorburn's previous project The Unicorns.[8]
No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "The Arm" | 5:38 |
2. | "Pieces of You" | 4:06 |
3. | "J'aime vous voir quitter" | 3:23 |
4. | "Abominable Snow" | 4:35 |
5. | "Creeper" | 3:15 |
6. | "Kids Don't Know Shit" | 5:11 |
7. | "Life in Jail" | 5:27 |
8. | "In the Rushes" (contains a portion of "A Quick One While He's Away" by The Who) | 7:00 |
9. | "We Swim" | 5:06 |
10. | "To a Bond" | 7:47 |
11. | "I Feel Evil Creeping In" | 5:31 |
12. | "Vertigo (If It's a Crime)" | 11:01 |
Adapted from AllMusic.[12]
Islands | |
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Studio albums |
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Authority control ![]() |
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