On occasion, I choose an album blindly. I’ll simply peruse the databases of Allmusic.com and Amazon.com and see what albums are recommended to me based on what artists I already have a connection with. This is the way I discovered the French/New York trio Ivy.
Resting at the heart of Ivy is French-born vocalist Dominique Durand. Upon moving to the states and most specifically to New York City, Durand joined forces with Andy Chase in 1989 to form Ivy. The duo went on to recruit Adam Schlesinger (bass) and eventually stepped into the studio to record their debut single (Lately) and subsequently their debut album Realistic.
Those early recordings gained the heart of both U.S. and British music press thus allowing them the luxury of singing with major label Atlantic. While at Atlantic, Ivy recorded and released their sophomore effort Apartment Life. Their most positively regarded album to date, Apartment Life was a tidy exploration into the depths of indie pop. With a sound that is reminiscent of The Cardigans, Stereolab, and Everything But the Girl, Ivy is very appealing to fans of indie pop and rock.
Apartment Life (1997) is an exceptionally strong yet too often ignored album. At twelve songs in length, the album is a sweet blend of melancholic melodies, bittersweet ballads, and ethereal energy. Durand is really the centerpiece. She has a quality to her voice that few singers can pull off. She sounds sweet and sorrowful without seeming forced or cliché. Ivy definitely deserves a listen whether or not you’ve even heard one note of one song.
The Best Thing starts the album off in perfect sophisticated style. Understated and classic, the song resonates as one of the most perfect from an otherwise very noteworthy album. Durand sounds relaxed with shimmering vocals and backed by a non-abrasive rhythm and music section. It’s the kind of track that beckons you to close your eyes, open your ears, and listen.
She's reformed.
Just like the neighbor's girl.
She's coming home
wearing her fine-pressed curls.
She's driving fast.
She took the family car.
She's getting high.
She's never slipped so far.
Continuing down this lovely path, Ivy follows up with the memorable pop track I’ve Got A Feeling. The melody is immediately comfortable and ridiculously catchy. Once again, it’s apparent that the main focus of Ivy is Durand with her polished, effortless, and controlled voice. This isn’t pop music that most Americans are accustomed to. Rather, this is indie pop…the kind of pop that actually has long lasting musical merit instead of instantaneous and manufactured appeal.
I can’t say anything bad really about any of the tracks. This Is the Day is another amazing track containing (in contrast to the majority of Ivy tracks) and energetic melody marked by a trumpet. The backing vocals are reminiscent of 1960’s pop. Few bands and artists can pull of the feat of making a classic song without sounding like a lackluster copy of the original. Ivy is one of these bands. I’m continually impressed by the material on Apartment Life.
Never Do That Again is one of the weaker tracks on the album…but it isn’t bad. Just not as appealing on the surface as the others. Fortunately, I Get The Message is another gorgeously engaging pop track. But what I enjoy even more is Baker. A definite homage to 1960’s pop, the track includes Durand’s keen vocals and a beautifully executed trumpet and strings section. If you’re going to listed to Apartment Life don’t bypass this one.
You Don’t Know Anything immediately reminds me to Garbage. It’s got a wicked electric guitar and thumping drums. But, once Durand kicks in it’s something much different and much more relaxed. This is about as rock and roll as this otherwise rather calm band ever becomes. Ba Ba Ba is another return to the aforementioned 1960’s pop style. Not a bad thing, but the formula of this track does get a bit old.
The rest of the album is representative of what I’ve already spoken about. There are some songs more creative than others. Some are a bit more experimental, while others are simply glimmering reexaminations of 1960’s pop. The Are the Things About You is a great track. Also notable is Back in Our Town which features James Iha of Smashing Pumpkins fame.
So yeah. I enjoy Apartment Life. It’s not a perfect album, but it is nonetheless an important addition to my growing collection of brit-pop and indie pop/rock. I’m not always keen on the mellowness of Ivy. I wish they would just break out of their shells and grind on the electric guitar on occasion. But then again, that’s not the concept of the band. It’s meant to be easygoing and light.
Apartment Life is worth a purchase. I do indeed recommend it to all fans of indie pop and any of those bands I’ve mentioned above. As a sidenote, Ivy has since released two albums. Long Distance first saw light in 2000 while Guestroom actually hits shelves tomorrow.
Rating: 4/5 stars
Track Listing:
01. The Best Thing
02. I’ve Got A Feeling
03. This Is The Day
04. Never Do That Again
05. I Get The Message
06. Baker
07. You Don’t Know Anything
08. Ba Ba Ba
09. Get Out Of The City
10. These Are The Things About You
11. Quick, Painless and Easy
12. Back In Our Town
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