Hailing from Montreal, Canada, Islands is a 6 piece band founded in 2005 by The Unicorns co-founder/songwriter Nick Thorburn (often performing as "Nick Diamonds") and drummer J'Aime Tambeur. Following the untimely disbandment of The Unicorns as they teetered on the brink of breaking through, Islands' debut release entitled Return to the Sea, with its quirky sounds and refreshing, catchy melodies includes collaborations with members of Arcade Fire and Wolf Parade. This debut picks up where The Unicorns left off and takes the music to new heights without departing from The Unicorns' unique if sometimes peculiar appeal.
Islands plays beautiful pop melodies, intertwined with elements of afro-pop, hip hop, and indie rock, among others. One of the main gimmicks of the band is the recorder brought over from The Unicorns, which is prominently featured in the song "Jogging Gorgeous Summer." Nick Diamonds rules over the band with an iron fist. Other members include: Patrice Agbokou, Aaron Harris, Alex Chow, Sebastian Chow, and Patrick Gregoire. Return To the Sea, their rookie effort, was released on April 4th, 2006 on the brand new label, Equator Records, and Rough Trade in the UK. Digital Distribution handled by Alpha Pup.
On May 20, 2008, Islands released its second album, Arm's Way, on Anti- Records.
On September 22, 2009 Islands released their third full length album, Vapours.
On February 14, 2012 Islands released their fourth full length album, A Sleep & A Forgetting.
On September 17, 2013 Islands released their fifth full length album, Ski Mask
On May 13, 2016 Islands released their sixth and seventh full length albums, Should I Remain Here, At Sea? and Taste.
Cold Again
Islands Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Through the cold again
It's been cold outside
And it's getting cold again
Wondering
Why won't you let me in
It's been cold outside
Someone is sleeping
Drowning out all that screaming
Of someone's loved ones right outside
The lyrics to Islands' song "Cold Again" is a portrayal of the feelings of the singer who finds themselves wandering through the cold outside all over again. As they do, they begin to wonder why the person they want to let them in won’t do so. The sense of personal isolation and helplessness is palpable as the weather gets colder and they have no one to share their warmth with. The song captures a sense of despair and loneliness as the singer faces the biting cold alone.
Furthermore, the lyrics allude to the fact that even in the depths of our personal despair, we are not alone. As indicated by the final verse, where someone is either dying or giving birth, which causes a scream that the singer can hear. That sense of personal isolation becomes all the more acute when we consider that even in such moments, even with others close by, we can still feel incredibly alone.
Line by Line Meaning
Wandering
Feeling lost and directionless
Through the cold again
Enduring a difficult, unforgiving situation once more
It's been cold outside
The harshness of the external environment has been ongoing
And it's getting cold again
The difficulty is becoming even more intense
Wondering
Pondering and questioning
Why won't you let me in
Why am I being kept at bay or excluded
It's been cold outside
The external environment has remained harsh
And it's getting cold again
The situation is further deteriorating
Someone is sleeping
An individual is resting, presumably oblivious to the chaos around them
Drowning out all that screaming
Overpowering the loud, chaotic distress of others outside
Of someone's loved ones right outside
Of individuals on the periphery whose family members are in crisis
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: NICHOLAS SHANAHAN THORBURN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind