"The music is moody and atmospheric, the lyrics an attempt to compromise regret over the past with hope for the future. Listening to Islands, I find myself wondering why Ash haven't surpassed certain peers like Weezer and Green Day. Then I remind myself that Ash had to crawl their way out of Downpatrick, Ireland first, and not California. And by that yardstick, they've done more than pretty well for themselves. Islands gives them that extra leap forward".