Ivy

I probably wouldn’t have heard of and certainly wouldn’t have dropped dough on Ivy if it weren’t for Fountains of Wayne. Regular visitors to Water who read my posts (there’s gotta be at least one of you….......right?) know of my affection for FofW. Well, FofW bassist and co-songwriter Adam Schlesinger doubles as the drummer for Ivy.

But be warned:

If you’re expecting “Radiation Vibe,” “Red Dragon Tattoo,” and “Mexican Wine,” you’ll be disappointed. Ivy’s sound is nothing like FofW. The best way I can describe it: Take 70s AOR, late 60s movie soundtracks, contemporary indie pop, and the silky voice of a female lounge singer, throw ‘em all in a donut-dusting bag, and shake it around. You’ll end up with something close to Ivy.

Too, Adam Schlesinger takes a back (drum) seat in this band. The real star of is French-born Dominique Durand. It’s her beautiful voice that translates all of their songs – and her beautiful visage that dominates all of their photo ops.

The following tracks are from 1997’s Apartment Life, which is generally considered Ivy’s best disc.

[MP3] Ivy – “This Is the Day” EXPIRED
[MP3] Ivy – “I Get the Message” EXPIRED
[MP3] Ivy – “You Don’t Know Anything” EXPIRED

Buy Ivy’s Apartment Life