The Oxford band ISLAND has been on my radar since their breathtaking debut album Feels Like Air, which came out in 2018. Seems such a long time ago.
When I first listened to the album I quickly realised I had never heard anything similar before. It is a mellow, soothing and incredibly romantic indie rock. It hits you in the soul. And three years later, nothing has really changed.
‘My Brother’ is, in one word, heartbreaking. With the statement “I said one day we’d run from this old town of ours”, the track starts with glistening guitars and lead singer Rollo Doherty’s scratching voice, making a very prominent entrance. I would not say there has been a particular style evolution, but there has been one of production. In fact, the reverb is more prominent and there are more silent moments in the song that give the listener a break from the remaining, theatrical surroundings.
The music video shows two old men – presumably brothers – who get in their car and explore the countryside. The video itself is pretty familiar, and it is accompanied by this song makes it look like a movie scene sound-tracked by a forgettable ambient-rock song. However, ‘My Brother’ is hardly forgettable.
So take this hand, touch this blood
You’re my brother, run for me, ’cause I can’t get out
Take it now; I’m telling you
I saw your eyes see the whole sky for the first time
The lyrics are melancholic and they almost sound like a goodbye. One brother can’t make it anymore so he begs the other to be his eyes. A lot of promises were broken and a lot of time was wasted, but a brother is a brother nevertheless. I believe that the intrinsic message between this heartbreaking song is that time flies, and you only get to live one life; we always need to make the most of it, see the world, hold each other’s hands. Because everything could be gone tomorrow.
So with echoed guitars and strong vocals, ISLAND deliver the performance of a lifetime with their new single ‘My Brother’, the best out of the three they have shared so far. This is exactly what I was waiting for to hear with this new project of theirs and, if the next album is going to follow My Brother’s footsteps, I cannot wait to experience it.
