About this item

Originally called 'Love Island' - until "Linus didn't make the audition process so we jumbled it around" (or, possibly, for legal reasons) - Third Man London's first signing settled instead on 'Island of Love'.

For the label, an island within the UK music scene is exactly what Karim, Linus and Daniel are: feedback-fuelled adolescents with a depth of songwriting unheard since Teenage Fanclub's formative 'Catholic Education', and late '80s Dinosaur Jr. So mind-bendingly good are the group that Third Man co-founder and owner Ben Swank presented an offer approximately thirty seconds after they played the opening weekend of Third Man's new Soho digs (...new to the extent that the drummer left the stage with paint up his back).

Bonded by playing in various punk, hardcore and metal bands in their hometown of London, Island of Love's now double frontmen, Linus and Karim, would write and share demos between their family homes. The lo-fi, fuzzy fruits of these sessions melded into 2020's seven song 'Promo Tape', followed by 2021’s Third Man EP ‘Songs of Love’. Now, no longer a bedroom project, they present their adrenaline-filled debut, awashed with guitar distortion, Linus and Karim's dark harmonies and contemplative lyrics beyond their teenage years. This special release is sure to go down in both the TMR history books as well as mosh pits nationwide

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: Island Of Love's debut is a roaring mix of 90's grunge, huge walls of sound and sharp distorted riffs twist under an undeniably tempering vocal performance from both guitarists. 'Grow' is the quintessential mid-point between grunge, pop-punk and indie, full of grit and swimming with earworm melodies.

TRACK LISTING

Side 1
1. Big Whale
2. Fed Rock
3. Grow
4. Blues 2000
5. Sweet Loaf

Side 2
1. I've Got The Secret
2. Losing Streak
3. Weekend At Clive's
4. Charles
5. Never Understand
6. It Was All Ok Forever