Sigh.

The band ambled out gradually, as woodwind Patrick Gregoire did his best James Chance impression in a sharp blazer accessorized with skronky bass clarinet notes. When they had all assembled, there were seven in all, including, a bassist, an extra guitar player, and a pair of matching violinists (both sharing the surname Chow, but no family blood).

The set opener featured an alternating fast/slow structure and climaxed in a three vocalist chorus that was something to the effect of "I feel the evil creeping in…" The strings and horn fleshed the sound out nicely, and transformed the familiar element of Diamonds’ voice into something more overtly pretty than anything in the Unicorns’ songbook. It was followed by another pretty, if subdued number.

The third song picked up the pace a bit. It was centered around a catchy synth melody, and relaxed just in time for Alex Chow to pick a few notes on his violin while jumping around like a salmon. Then, chaos would erupt again. I haven’t a clue what the name might be, but it was a definite highlight of the set and was met with enthusiastic applause.
The Chow brothers (not brothers) were a hit with the audience all night. After a yelled request for a violin solo during a lull between songs, a smart ass version of “Turkey in the Straw” was called up on the spot to the delight of most. They provided delicate texture with their complementary string arrangements on most tracks. When called for, they also plucked or strummed their instruments to interesting effect. They could be pretty or abrasive as needed, and with them in tow, the Islands achieve a more varied, musically mature sound than the more visceral Unicorns.

Ultimately, it seemed that the added nuance and beauty of the band’s sound came at the sacrifice of the break neck inventiveness that made the Unicorns so celebrated. When so many components are added to a mix, it might be more difficult to stop on a dime and let loose with another guitar or keyboard based hook. While this is still Nick Diamond’s band, and his song writing does move around a lot and contain a lot of humorous moments, the end result was less scattershot and goofy. The added instrumentation and general feel of the song writing was sunnier on the whole.

When a guy is perfectly ready to look the crowd straight in the face and declare "This is a song about recycling," before launching into an instrumental keyboard dirge, you have to be a bit wary of taking him at face value. In that light, advance interviews with notorious kidder Nick Diamond expressing a desire to move away from typical indie rock elements seemed fishy. Having seen the Islands in action, I can see what he was talking about, and it is definitely genuine.

Despite missing a previously implied lap-steel player, a couple songs had a country vibe to them. Most noticeably on one announced as “Volcanoes” that threatened to turn into a hoe-down at a couple points as the Chows came close to their earlier “Turkey..” duet. “If” carried forward on a delicate but bouncy piano line that reminded me of the British music hall numbers Paul McCartney used to turn in as Beatles album tracks. The tongue-in-cheek lyrical refrain:

“If you don’t savour me/ I’ll salt you and make you savour-y”

Diamond has claimed that the most pronounced influence on his new music is the rhythm and structure of African pop music. Having to plead ignorance on that front, and forgetting that he had said that, I found my self thinking at various points in the show (most notably during a recorder heavy number) of Paul Simon’s Graceland album. I think it was Patrice Agbokou’s precise bass playing (and stylish cap) coupled with the constant clarinet accompaniment that set off the recognition. Presumably the two acts share a common root influence, but again, you got me.

I loved Simon’s album when I was fifteen and haven’t really thought about it since, but when Islands pulled out its title track as their audience mandated encore I did find myself smiling and recalling the words instantly (and wishing I had told somebody next to me about the Graceland thing earlier before it became obvious). It was a lovingly faithful rendition, showcasing the upbeat if bland melody and better than remembered lyrical turns. Despite the joker’s rep of the Unicorns, it wasn’t at all trotted out for ironic effect, but more as an acknowledgement of a popular artist who stuck his foot in the waters they are currently swimming.

With an adoring room still in place and cheering, Nick and J’aime returned once more by themselves. Nick said their return was the result of arm-twisting by the rest of the band, and launched into a pre-emptive apology. He said they were about to play early leaked (and absent from forthcoming album) track Abominable Snow, and since they hadn’t played it since it was recorded it wasn’t going to be pretty. The resulting cry of recognition from the crowd prompted a head shaking, “Fucking internet,” response form Nick. Then they played it and it was perfect.

With just guitar and drums, they served up all the manic stops, starts, and unexpected turns that I was hoping for from the show’s start. A loose narrative about tracking Yetis in Canadian wilderness was funny, but played straight. The lone guitar work was a thrilling minimal counterpoint to the layered, expansive sound Islands had showcased previously. It dawned on me as the song ended and the guys walked off to another loud round of cheers, that it wasn’t so much the first Islands song (as it was misleadingly presented when leaked months ago) but rather the last Unicorns song.

The Unicorns broke up, man.

Yeah, and that’s a shame, but we’re on Islands time now, and that’ll have to do.

-Jeff Klingman

Tags: Islands, Unicorns