Search - Ivy :: Lately

Don't miss this! The ultimate in pop music.

Eric J. Anderson | Ankeny, Iowa | 04/04/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you are familiar with Ivy from their great Long Distance and Apartment Life CDs, you won't want to be without this, their first EP. Every song here is a gem of sweet music with a sarcastic, ironic lyrical twist that keeps it from getting saccharine. This rocks a bit more than Long Distance. The recording is very good. It is a skillful, assured half-album at a nice half-album price. The perfect debut of a wonderful band, a harbinger of much pleasurable music that was (and we hope still is) to come. These are some of my favorite Ivy tunes.$6.98? What are you waiting for?"

Just wish it all away

E. A Solinas | MD USA | 04/09/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This was Ivy, as they were over ten years ago. The enchanting indiepop band debuted in 1994 with "Lately," a five-song EP that is still fresh today. Not a lot about their sound has changed, except that "Lately" is a bit more rock-tinged than their later efforts.



It opens with the bouncy, catchy "Wish It all Away," with Dominique Durand singing about someone who is too sensitive to deal with the nastier things in life. "Breathe the scent of a world gone sour/Turn your head as the last spring flower dies now/Close your eyes now/And wish it all away," she croons over the guitar melody.



What follows is just as good: the rippling "Twisting," the quicksilver rhythms of "I Hate December," the solid guitar pop of "Can't Even Fake It," and finally wrapping up with the mildly distorted Edwyn Collins ballad, "I Guess I'm Just A Little Too Sensitive," a song that emphasizes piano and guitar, lyricism and melody above catchiness.



Ivy is one of those bands where, as a start, you can check out any of their albums -- it doesn't really matter. While they do have an evolving sound, that sound is quite similar from one album to the next. It's anyone's guess how they have managed not to stagnate.



Guitar pop is the best description of Ivy's sound, with a bit of keyboard thrown in. "Lately" shows the band's versatility as well, with catchy pop that you can dance to alongside the ethereal ballads. Dominique Durand's vocals are the crowning touch -- very pretty, strong and flexible, although admittedly they don't get too much of a workout here.



"Lately" was an auspicious debut EP for Ivy, and is a good starting point for fans and newcomers alike. Lovely."