Pitchfork

Islands songwriter/frontman Nick Thorburn now has another name to add to a musical oeuvre that includes his main band, Th' Corn Gangg, Juiced Elfers, and Reefer (not to mention his previous work in the Unicorns).

The new group is called Human Highway, and it's a duo consisting of Thorburn and fellow Canadian songwriter Jim Guthrie. Guthrie is the man responsible for 2003's quite nice Now, More Than Ever.

Moody Motorcycle is Human Highway's debut album, and it was crafted in a week of sleeping and recording on Guthrie's couch in downtown Toronto. Thorburn told ChartAttack.com, "the Human Highway album is gentle, like lullaby-type stuff. We're really inspired by Everly Brothers harmonies, singing. And Jim is just such an amazing singer... It's really low-key, just like good times."

A press release describes the group's music as "a sound reminiscent to that of 50s/60s soul and doo-wop." Guthrie says that the album features "hot man-on-man vocal action."

Suicide Squeeze will release Moody Motorcycle in the U.S. on August 19. Secret City will release the album in Canada on the same date.

Islands' Arm's Way comes out May 20 via Anti-, and the band has a big tour going on right now.

Islands:

04-24 Los Angeles, CA - UCLA
04-26 Indio, CA - Empire Polo Field (Coachella)
04-30 Memphis, TN - Hi-Tone
05-01 Birmingham, AL - Bottletree
05-22 Washington, DC - Black Cat
05-23 Philadelphia, PA - First Unitarian Church
05-24 New York, NY - Webster Hall
05-25 Boston, MA - Middle East
05-27 Ottawa, Ontario - Babylon
05-28 Montreal, Quebec - Le National
05-29 Toronto, Ontario - Phoenix
05-30 London, Ontario - Call the Office
05-31 Waterloo, Ontario - Starlight
06-01 Detroit, MI - Crofoot
06-02 Chicago, IL - Logan Square Auditorium
06-03 Minneapolis, MN - First Ave
06-04 Fargo, ND - The Aquarium
06-05 Winnipeg, Manitoba - West End Cultural Centre
06-06 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan - Amigo's
06-07 Edmonton, Alberta - Starlite
06-08 Calgary, Alberta - Warehouse
06-10 Vancouver, British Columbia - Plaza Club
06-12 Seattle, WA - Neumos *
06-13 Portland, OR - Hawthorne *
06-14 Eugene, OR - University of Oregon Grad Fest *
06-16 San Francisco, CA - Bimbo's *
06-17 Los Angeles, CA - Henry Fonda Theatre *
06-19 San Diego, CA - Epicentre *
06-20 Tucson, AZ - Club Congress *
06-21 Phoenix, AZ - Clubhouse *
06-23 Austin, TX - Emo's *
06-24 Dallas, TX - Granada Theater *
06-25 Houston, TX - Walter's *
06-26 Baton Rouge, LA - Chelsea's Cafe *
06-27 Atlanta, GA - Masquerade *
06-28 Charlotte, NC - Neighborhood Theatre *

* with Crayonsmith