Playing it safe works for Islands

Islands, the Canadian indie pop band, welcomed back original drummer Jamie Thompson to play on its third album, “Vapours,” out now.

TRIVIA: The group’s frontman, Nicholas Thorburn, plays in three other groups.

STANDOUTS: A bouncy synthesizer gives a bright feel to “Tender Torture,” a song that argues distance makes the heart grow fonder.

FANS DIG: Sequined capes

ANDY SAYS: This is probably Islands’ safest disc to date. There are no nine-minute epics and the orchestral flourishes are kept in check. Instead, the group focuses its considerable talent on delivering 12 tightly written pop songs, with most offering a skewed take on the Thorburn’s seeming obsessions, love and death.

GRADE: B-plus

Andy Rathbun: 425-339-3455, arathbun@heraldnet.com