Islands, the long-running indie-pop band led by the Unicorns’ Nick Thorburn, have announced a new album. And That’s Why Dolphins Lost Their Legs will arrive August 25. The band has also shared a music video for the new song “Life’s a Joke.” The clip was created by found-video collage artist Malt Disney. Watch it below. Also below, find Islands’ upcoming tour dates.
And That’s Why Dolphins Lost Their Legs is Islands’ ninth album, following the 2021 comeback album Islomania. “[Islomania] was exuberant and hopeful, and Dolphins is like the grim rejoinder,” Thorburn said in a statement. “The songs attempt to tap into some of our darker impulses. The grim, unshakeable feeling that we live in hell, that there is no future, that all hope is lost. I wanted to explore those depths and see where it lead me.”
Thorburn worked on And That’s Why Dolphins Lost Their Legs at his home in Los Angeles, as well as at Hollywood’s Sunset Sound with Chris Coady, in upstate New York with Ratatat’s Mike Stroud, and in Los Feliz with Patrick Ford.
And That’s Why Dolphins Lost Their Legs:
01 Life’s a Joke
02 And All You Can Do Is Laugh
03 Headlines
04 Superstitious
05 Hard to Argue
06 Pelican
07 Driven Snow
08 Bite My Tongue
09 Violet
10 Too Far Gone
11 Up the Down Staircase
Islands:
09-12 San Diego, CA – Casbah
09-13 Phoenix, AZ – Valley Bar
09-15 Denton, TX – Rubber Gloves
09-16 Austin, TX – Empire Control Room
09-17 Houston, TX – White Oak Music Hall
09-19 Atlanta, GA – The Earl
09-20 Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle Back Room
09-21 Washington, D.C. – Songbyrd Music House
09-22 Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda’s
09-23 New York, NY – The Bowery Ballroom
09-24 Medford, MA – Deep Cuts
09-25 Portland, ME – Space
09-27 Montreal, Quebec – Pop Montreal
09-28 Toronto, Ontario – Horseshoe Tavern
09-29 Ferndale, MI – Magic Bag
09-30 Chicago, IL – Sleeping Village
10-01 Saint Paul , MN – Turf Club
10-03 Denver , CO – Marquis Theater
10-04 Salt Lake City, UT – Urban Lounge
10-05 Boise, ID – The Olympic
10-07 Vancouver, British Columbia – Wise Hall
10-08 Seattle, WA – Madame Lou’s
10-09 Portland, OR – The Get Down
10-11 San Francisco, CA – The Chapel
10-13 Los Angeles, CA – Teragram Ballroom
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