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The Mary Onettes have mastered the art of writing catchy four-minute tunes without compromising themselves, but nor do they take any risks.
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Islands’ dreamy pop features a more general feeling of throwback moodiness. The shift bodes well for Philip Ekström’s longevity as a songwriter, and even though there are times when the nostalgic sound seems to be begging for hooks huge enough to make the band a household name (at least to kids dancing at indie nights a few decades from now), there’s no denying that The Mary Onettes know their way around a dramatic pop song.
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Under The RadarIslands bring the lyrical gravity of a lead weight to the band's gorgeous sonic palettte. [Holiday 2009, p.79]
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Yes, the high points of the previous record are duplicated here-- but so too are the same problems that occasionally bogged down that record.