At first, I really disliked Music @ Work but it was more unreachable than "In Violet Light", but I started listening to this song and the entire album won me over. This is my favorite song off this album, because of the lyricism and the sound. The sound is so beautiful it makes me wonder if their really is a bear roaring in the background. In terms of sheer instrumentation, this rivals "Whale and Wasp" as the best song where music makes animal sounds.
As for the meaning, I think this song is about a deeply disturbed criminal hungering for blood like some demented beast. I am guessing this loner was chased into hiding, and I believe that's why he calls himself the Islander. He isolates himself to stay alive and he will fight until the end. I believe the second-to-last stanza is about him killing off attackers until he's killed himself. That may sound sadistic, but my favorite band can write and play some killer music.
At first, I really disliked Music @ Work but it was more unreachable than "In Violet Light", but I started listening to this song and the entire album won me over. This is my favorite song off this album, because of the lyricism and the sound. The sound is so beautiful it makes me wonder if their really is a bear roaring in the background. In terms of sheer instrumentation, this rivals "Whale and Wasp" as the best song where music makes animal sounds.
As for the meaning, I think this song is about a deeply disturbed criminal hungering for blood like some demented beast. I am guessing this loner was chased into hiding, and I believe that's why he calls himself the Islander. He isolates himself to stay alive and he will fight until the end. I believe the second-to-last stanza is about him killing off attackers until he's killed himself. That may sound sadistic, but my favorite band can write and play some killer music.