Nicholas Thorburn

Nicholas Thorburn
Nick Thorburn performing with Islands in Stockholm, 2012.
Background information
Also known as	Nick Thorburn Nick Diamonds
Born	27 November 1981 Campbell River, British Columbia, Canada
Genres	Indie rock, alternative rock, indie pop, lo-fi, electronica, alternative hip hop, hip hop, rock, art rock
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter, producer
Instruments	vocals, Guitar, Bass, Keyboards, Drums, Drum Machine, Percussion, Toy Piano, Toy Organ, echoplex, melodian, recorder, glockenspiel, accordion
Years active	2002–present
Labels	Hop Hop
Associated acts	The Unicorns Th' Corn Gangg Islands Reefer Human Highway Mister Heavenly

Nicholas Thorburn (born 27 November 1981) is a Canadian musician originally from Campbell River. He has fronted numerous bands such as The Unicorns, Th' Corn Gangg, Islands, Reefer, and Human Highway. Thorburn occasionally goes by the stage name "Nick Diamonds".

History

Thorburn was born in 1981 in Campbell River, British Columbia, Canada, which he says has influenced his songwriting.^[1] Nature, in particular whales, are a subject of interest;^[2] his lyrics include references to rivers, swans and frogs. He also had a formative experience in a visit, along with his father, to see the killer whale Luna; his memories of the visit became an influential part of Islands' debut album Return to the Sea.^[1]

Thorburn has fronted The Unicorns, Th' Corn Gangg, Islands, Reefer, and Human Highway.^[3] Thorburn has gone by the stage name "Nick Diamonds."^[1][4]

His vocals have been noted as a distinguishing feature of The Unicorns and Islands.^[5][6] His production technique involves dark personification over enjoyable music, though he is "usually wary of composing dance tracks."^[7] This contrast is observed in his live performance as well.^[8]

In 2005, he co-wrote with Adam Gollner the satirical charity song "Do They Know It's Hallowe'en?" organizing the collaboration of many artists.^[9] He guest performed on Les Savy Fav's 2007 album Let's Stay Friends.^[10] Reefer, his collaborative album with producer Daddy Kev as Reefer, was released on Alpha Pup Records in 2008.^[11]

Thorburn has made an album with Honus Honus (aka Ryan Kattner) of the band Man Man: "One thing that has been floated around is Honus Honus from Man Man and I making a record in a new (sub)genre we are developing, called Doom Wop, which is essentially low frequency, and extremely slowed down music atop traditional doo wop harmonies. Or something."^[12][13] The project, called Mister Heavenly, also involves drummer Joe Plummer of Modest Mouse and The Black Heart Procession and has had actor Michael Cera playing bass on the tour.^[14]

He released the solo album, I Am an Attic, on his Bandcamp page in 2011.^[15] Thorburn was featured on the 2012 El-P album Cancer 4 Cure, singing the chorus of the track "Stay Down".^[16] In 2014, Thorburn composed the theme music and score for the critically acclaimed podcast Serial.^[17] In 2015, he released a second solo album titled City of Quartz.^[18]

Discography

Albums

• Unicorns Are People Too with Alden Penner and Jamie Thompson as The Unicorns (2003)
• Who Will Cut Our Hair When We're Gone? with Alden Penner and Jamie Thompson as The Unicorns (2003)
• Return to the Sea as Islands (2006)
• Arm's Way as Islands (2008)
• Reefer with Daddy Kev as Reefer (2008)
• Moody Motorcycle with Jim Guthrie as Human Highway (2008)
• Vapours as Islands (2009)
• Out of Love with Honus Honus and Joe Plummer as Mister Heavenly (2011)
• I Am an Attic solo album as Nick Diamonds (2011)
• A Sleep & a Forgetting as Islands (2012)
• Ski Mask as Islands (2013)
• Music from SERIAL (2014)
• City of Quartz as Nick Diamonds (2015)^[19]
• Should I Remain Here, At Sea? as Islands (2016)
• Taste as Islands (2016)

Guest appearances

• Busdriver - "Happy Insider" from Jhelli Beam (2009)
• Nocando - "You Got Some Nerve" from Jimmy the Lock (2010)
• Buck 65 - "Gee Whiz" from 20 Odd Years (2011)
• Fat Tony and Tom Cruz - "Bad Habits" from Double Dragon (2012)
• El-P - "Stay Down" from Cancer 4 Cure (2012)

Filmography

• Only the Young (film) (2012) - composer - "Cherries", "Aloe Hills are Blooming", "Aloe Hills are Blooming (Instrumental)^[20]
• Everyday Is Like Sunday (2013) - actor^[21]
• Lennon or McCartney (film) (2013) - actor -^[22]
• Bitch (film) (2013) - actor -^[23]
• Diamond Tongues (2015) - actor -^[24]
• That Dog (film) (2015) - director - writer -^[25]
• Golden Vanity (film) (2016) - composer - "Curtain Call"^[26]

Other Appearances

• Drunk History (2013) -extra-^[27]

See also

• Music of Canada
• Canadian rock
• List of Canadian musicians

References

1. Van Evra, Jennifer (3 November 2006). "One man's Islands". The Globe and Mail (Toronto: Bell Globemedia). theglobeandmail.com. p. R6. ISSN 0319-0714.
2. Pareles, Jon (11 October 2006). "A Barrage of Calamities Set to a Vintage Soundtrack". The New York Times (Arthur Ochs Sulzberger, Jr.). nytimes.com. ISSN 0362-4331. OCLC 1645522. Retrieved 30 December 2007.
3. "Nicholas Thorburn Credits". www.allmusic.com. Allmusic. Retrieved 6 December 2011. External link in |work= (help)
4. Carew, Anthony (10 December 2004). "Horned wonder". The Age (Melbourne: Fairfax Media). theage.com.au. ISSN 0312-6307. Retrieved 30 December 2007.
5. Jordan Hickey (11 April 2006). "Islands worth a visit". The Maneater. Retrieved 30 December 2007.
6. Jim Withington (12 July 2007). "Up & Coming". The Portland Mercury. Retrieved 30 December 2007.
7. Ben Breier (5 October 2005). "Islands: All metaphorical, not at all tropical". University Wire. Retrieved 30 December 2007.
8. Lauren Hill (20 October 2006). "Islands' show reveals a disappointing mediocrity". The Johns Hopkins News-Letter. Retrieved 30 December 2007. Out to pick a fight, Diamonds quickly found an audience member to bicker with early in the set. His sulky demeanor contrasted oddly with the band's peppy pop songs.
9. CHARTattack, Staff (22 August 2005). "Sum 41, The Arcade Fire And Beck Collaborate On Anti-Halloween Single". Chart (Toronto: Chart Communications). chartattack.com. ISSN 1198-7235. Retrieved 30 December 2007.
10. Katie Hasty (21 August 2007). "Les Savy Fav Thinks Big On First Album Since '01". Billboard. Retrieved 30 December 2007.
11. Grandy, Eric (23 October 2008). "Album Review - Reefer: Reefer". The Stranger.
12. Weiss, Evan (20 October 2009). "Music: "Vapours" by Islands". theartssection.com. The Arts Section (blog). Retrieved 20 October 2009. External link in |work= (help)
13. Charlesworth, Jenny (29 December 2009). "Islands and Man Man Join Forces for 'Doom-Wop' Project". spinner.ca. Spinner. Retrieved 6 December 2011. External link in |work= (help)
14. Michaels, Sean (2 December 2010). "Michael Cera joins real-life indie band". The Guardian (London: Guardian News and Media). guardian.co.uk. ISSN 0261-3077. OCLC 60623878.
15. Bevan, David (26 August 2011). "Nick Diamonds: I Am an Attic". Pitchfork Media.
16. Weiss, Sam (15 October 2012). "Video: El-P f/ Nick Diamonds "Stay Down"". Complex.
17. "Serial Podcast Website".
18. http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/20623-city-of-quartz/
19. Nickdiamonds.bandcamp.com
20. Internet Movie Database
21. Scott, Kevin (15 August 2013). "Everyday is Like Sunday - Directed by Pavan Moondi". Exclaim!.
22. "IMDB: Lennon or McCartney".
23. "IMDB: Bitch (Short film)".
24. "IMDB: Diamond Tongues".
25. "IMDB: That Dog".
26. "IMDB: Golden Vanity".
27. "Calgary Herald: Islands Still Floating Closely, Optimistically Towards Mainstream Success".

External links

• Thorburn/ Nicholas Thorburn at the Internet Movie Database
• Human Highway at CBC Radio 3