Future Islands = Current Obsession

I am a man prone to musical obsessions. Something great will come along and I will hear it on TV or somewhere and that will be all I listen to for months on end. When I heard a Wilco song at the end of some TV show, I listened the their entire catalogue over the following days. The Hamilton soundtrack has been running around my turntable, earbuds, and head pretty much nonstop for the last four months. I find things that speak to me, things that are really able to burrow into my heart and brain and then I ride that shit 24 hours a day. It may not always be the best music, but I just look for things that elicit and emotional reaction from me and let it take me down the rabbit hole free of judgement or preconceived notions.

My current obsession is Future Islands. If you are hip and in the know, unlike myself, you probably know these guys from their performance on Letterman a few years back that went viral on the ole internet. I don’t know how I missing it the first time around (j/k, I miss almost everything the first time around because I never talk to people or go to places). Rest assured, I am completely onboard with these fellas now. If any of my hip friends told me about them years ago, I apologize for not taking your advice, though you will receive no credit for how I stumbled upon them because that would render everything I’m about to type completely irrelevant.

My first Future Islands exposure came with their single “Ran” off their latest release The Far Field. I’ve heard this jam on the radio here and there and liked it enough to put it on my Favorites of 2017 playlist. If this blog is still a thing at the end of the year, you may just get to see the full list. I enjoyed the synth-pop grooves and was particularly taken with singer Samuel T. Herrings distinct voice. He sounds like an old school crooner and I had a hard time getting that voice out of my head. This dude sounded so emotional, it was impossible to not be swept along in his current. I didn’t even know that half of it, not until I caught their performance on Conan last week. Take a look.

Holy shit. What the hell did I just see? Go back and watch it again, it’s okay, I did the exact same thing. This man is a wild beast who is possessed by the music and turns into a demon troubadour on stage. My first impression was an ugly troll who is deeply in love with a beautiful princess who doesn’t even know he exists. I wasn’t sure if I liked it or not, I just knew I had to see more of this band. I turned to the old, trusty internet and found the previously mentioned Letterman performance at the very top of my Google inquiry. Why don’t we take a second to check that out. 

 Holy shit again. If you’re anything like me, you just watched that five times in a row and then stopped reading this blog to go find more videos of these dudes doing what they do. More likely, you’ve already seen this video and are amused at how worked up I’m getting about something that happened about three years ago. Either way, I’m going to take a break from writing to watch this again.

Hot damn, still awesome. First, it’s just a really good song. Without a compelling song, this dude is just annoying and I want change the channel. “Season (Waiting on You)” is catchy and pulls all the feelings from deep down inside. “When people change, they gain a piece but they lose one, too.” That line could have been sucked right out of my soul as I struggle with becoming the man I want to be without giving up the things that used to define me. What pieces are we willing to part with as we evolve? What things or people need to be left behind so we can move forward? These questions haunt me in those moments between being asleep and awake when your brain does all its most annoying self-assessment.

There is also the element of trying to force a love by jamming a square peg in a round hole (go crazy with the sex joke here, folks, I know I did immediately after writing that). “I’ve tried hard just to soften you.” “I’ve grown tired trying to change for you.” I think we all know how mind-numbingly frustrating and heartbreaking it can be trying to change for someone or hoping they will eventually change for you. This is just an incredibly touching song.

Second, this motherfucker has got some moves. I want to watch Samuel T. Herring dance all day for the rest of my life. I have a vague notion that that is what I look like when I try to dance, though I am usually pretty drunk and probably just think I look that cool. He lets the music take control of his body and doesn’t worry one damn bit about what the outcome is, his moves are just honest and mesmerizing.

Let’s add in the emotion that exudes from his face while he is singing. Herring is living every memory and every hurt that went into the lyrics over and over and over again every time he sings. Fists in the air, pounding his chest, just don’t hold back, HEEEYAAAA! I wish I could spend one moment of my life being an uninhibited as Herring is every time he performs.

Finally, there is the voice. His velvety croon stands out in the modern music scenes and pairs well with his theatrical style. Wait, did this motherfucker just growl? Is he turning into a hunchback who is scary, though tragically misunderstood by villagers with torches and pitchforks? I would be annoyed with that kind of bullshit from anyone else, seeing it as a cheap novelty to cover up for shitty music, but it just seems to work coming from him and damn if I don’t absolutely love it. When you put that kind of fire and emotion on top of a great song you get a performance that is wild, passionate, and, I think, a little insane. I would pay very good money to see them live.       

-Dustin