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.
Disarming The Car Bomb
Islands Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Not so sure I can surmount it
Without losing my head
How about just losing my edge?
Seems easy, it's shared
I'm done, well I think I'm done
Uncross my arms
It's taking too long
Something must be wrong
I had my doubts about it
When I heard your henchmen shouting
We've come looking for you
Wish I'd hid under my bed
With my hands over my head
Uncross my arms
To disarm the car bomb
It's taking too long
Something must be wrong
I cut the white like you said
I cut the blue one like you did
I did almost everything you said
So how come I'm dead?
Uncross my arms
Disarm the car bomb
And what did I get?
The gun to my head
Uncrossed my arms
Disarm the car bomb
And what did I get?
A gun to my head
The song "Disarming the Car Bomb" by Islands is a melancholic narrative of a helpless individual who has been ordered to defuse a ticking car bomb. From the lyrics, it is apparent that the singer is not entirely confident in his ability to solve the problem without losing his life. He contemplates just giving up and losing his edge, signifying that he would much rather get hurt himself than hurt others. Despite his fears, he decides to take action and try to disarm the bomb. However, things don't go as planned, and the bomb is not diffused in time. His words "So how come I'm dead?" suggest that the singer is no more.
The title of the song, “Disarming the Car Bomb,” is an allegory for particular aspects of life where one is forced to take risks, and every decision made carries enormous consequences. Here, the singer is given a task well beyond his expertise, and the pressure to deliver precise results is not only high but also time-bound. In this situation, the victim is caught holding the responsibility for saving not just his life, but those of others. Unfortunately, the singer's inability to succeed leads to his undoing. Islands use metaphors to convey the importance of our decisions in life and their consequences, however dire.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm not so sure about it
I have doubts about the situation.
Not so sure I can surmount it
I'm unsure if I can overcome it.
Without losing my head
Without freaking out or losing composure.
How about just losing my edge?
Maybe I can lose my nerve instead of my mind.
Seems easy, it's shared
The solution seems simple and obvious.
I'm done, well I think I'm done
I'm finished, or at least I think I am.
Uncross my arms
Open myself up to the situation and be accepting or vulnerable.
To disarm the car bomb
To deactivate a weapon designed to explode a vehicle.
It's taking too long
The process is frustrating and taking too much time.
Something must be wrong
An issue or problem must have arisen that is preventing progress.
I had my doubts about it
I was unsure about the situation from the outset.
When I heard your henchmen shouting
When I heard your associates yelling or communicating in a menacing way.
We've come looking for you
We have come to find and confront you.
Wish I'd hid under my bed
I regret not hiding in a place where I wouldn't be found.
With my hands over my head
With my hands raised in a defensive posture.
I cut the white like you said
I followed instructions to cut the white wire.
I cut the blue one like you did
I cut the blue wire in the same way that you did.
I did almost everything you said
I followed nearly all of your directives.
So how come I'm dead?
Why am I now deceased?
Disarm the car bomb
Deactivate the weapon designed to explode a vehicle.
And what did I get?
What was the result of my actions?
The gun to my head
I am now at gunpoint.
Contributed by Owen K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Andros G
love this song
Supercords Music
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jakkelyd
uncross my aaaaa-aaa-aarms to disarm the ca-ar bomb!
Darren Oliver
Nick sounds a little like Chris Martin when he hits the higher notes, but other than that it's absolutely nothing like Coldplay.
midnightskate
@brandonmcmahan they actually sound a lot like islands...
Savannah Saldana
2 ppl will die by a car bomb :)