The Islander (album)

The Islander
Studio album by
Released1998
GenreRock
Length52:14
LabelSony BMG
ProducerDave Dobbyn
Dave Dobbyn chronology
Twist
(1995)
The Islander
(1998)
Overnight Success
(1999)
Singles from The Islander
  1. "Beside You"
    Released: June 1999
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic link

The Islander is a 1998 album by New Zealand singer-songwriter Dave Dobbyn. It reached #1 on the New Zealand music charts.[1]

Background

The album's title comes from Dobbyn's reflection what it is to be a New Zealander: "I've come to terms with the fact that I'm a Pacific Islander a long time ago. There's nothing vaguely European about me apart from the colour of my skin. So I've called it The Islander because it's a stamp of identity."[2]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Dave Dobbyn

No.TitleLength
1."Waiting"3:47
2."Mobile Home"2:14
3."Hanging in the Wire"3:05
4."Be Set Free"3:52
5."Beside You"3:43
6."Blindman's Bend"4:44
7."Standing Outside"2:52
8."What Have I Fallen For"3:46
9."I Never Left You"3:24
10."Keep a Light On"3:20
11."Hands"3:54
12."One Proud Minute"5:04
13."Hallelujah Song"4:30

Critical reception

The album has been described as "quintessentially New Zealand" with Dobbyn at the peak of his talents. It is also noted as a culmination of the directness of his pub-rock DD Smash work and later rock albums, while 'Hallelujah Song' signals the start of his Christian influences in future releases.[3]

Credits

  • Bass – Alan Gregg (tracks: 1, 5, 8, 11), Bill McDonald (tracks: 2, 4, 6, 9, 12, 13)
  • Drums – Peter Luscombe (tracks: 2 to 4, 6, 7, 9, 12, 13), Ross Burge (tracks: 1, 5, 8, 11)
  • Guitar – Dave Dobbyn (tracks: 1 to 12), Neil Finn (tracks: 5, 6, 12)
  • Harmonica – Dave Dobbyn (tracks: 5, 12, 13)
  • Organ [Wurlitzer] – Dave Dobbyn (tracks: 4, 7, 8)
  • Percussion – Michael Barker (2) (tracks: 1, 7, 8, 11), Peter Luscombe (tracks: 2 to 4, 6, 7, 9)
  • Piano – Dave Dobbyn (tracks: 1, 5, 9, 12, 13)
  • Producer, Vocals – Dave Dobbyn
  • Recorded By, Mixed By – Sam Gibson

References

  1. ^ "The Islander: Chart Listing". Archive. charts.nz. Retrieved 25 September 2012.
  2. ^ Dobbyn, Dave. "Discography: The Islander". Discography. Sony. Retrieved 23 September 2012.
  3. ^ Bollanger, Nick. "Essential New Zealand Albums: The Islander". Radio show. Radio New Zealand. Retrieved 4 October 2012.