Dead Flowers Interviews Ivy

Ivy is a three-piece indie pop group from New York. The three permanent members are singer Dominique Durand, bassist Adam Schlesinger (also of Fountains of Wayne), and guitarist and studio whiz Andy Chase (also of Brookville). Active since the mid 90s, they've maintained a strong cult following with a string of brilliant releases like Apartment Life, Long Distance, and their most recent, 2005's fantastic In the Clear. Andy Chase was kind enough to answer a few questions for Dead Flowers:

Dead Flowers: While it seems that audiences are finally catching up to your sound, do you think there was a time where you were perceived as 'too European' by Americans and 'too American' by Europeans?

Andy Chase: I think in our early days back in the mid 90's that was a common complaint of radio - that they personally loved our sound but it was a hard sell to the listening audience. We've always fallen into that chasm - the void that all bands live in who are too foreign sounding for their own country and too American sounding for those foreign countries. What are you gonna do? We have a NYC based band with a French singer and two guys who grew up on British music. Sort of the nature of the beast.

DF: A guy who I played in a band with in college had a summer internship with Atlantic. I remember he had to promote all these awful bands, but then you had Ivy sticking out like a sore thumb. Can you talk about your time on the label and whether you felt out of place?

AC: We signed to SEED records which was an indie label that operated autonomously even though it was owned by Atlantic. When SEED was closed down we became a TAG (The Atlantic Group) band for a brief moment. That was Atlantic's attempt to keep it's indie cred by creating a niche label. TAG was quickly terminated and all the bands were dropped except for Ivy and Madder Rose, so at that point Atlantic "inherited" us. We had no strong relationship with anyone there at that point and were still really indie kids at heart so... Ron Shapiro the head of Atlantic called us up to his office when we were working on the artwork and tried to convince us to put a sexy shot of Dominique on the cover, saying we'd sell millions if we did but if we didn't listen to him and went with our current cover (the one we ended up going with) we'd never make it. That was a nice dose of encouragement! As it turns out we didn't listen to him...and he was right. We were working on Apartment life at that point so when the album was finished Atlantic released it. Atlantic convinced us to commit to 8 weeks with this terrible British band who had a minor hit on the radio at that point. Not wanting to disappoint our new label we agreed. We packed up the van and drove across the country to start the tour and on the third day of the tour Atlantic dropped us. We spent the next 7.6 weeks on that tour cursing their name and running into Atlantic Ivy fans who had come to the show to say how psyched they were to be working on the record, with no idea of what had happened. That's our Atlantic experience.

Listen/Download:
"The Best Thing" from Apartment Life

DF: I asked Swervedriver a similar question, because they also went through the label shake-ups of the late 90s (with more tragic consequences), but how much different do you think your experience would have been had things like Myspace, Facebook, and blogs been around back then?

AC: I think we would have been huuuuuuuuge! No, I think we certainly would have been more widely known, since when we started we were all over college radio and the press, so that would have been wonderfully viral on the Internet had the Net been what it is today.

DF: What sort of opportunities open up for you as a songwriter with a singer like Dominique?

AC: I get to write with my head in someone else's shoes, which is fun. Very liberating. It's a great exercise for writing songs that are somewhat personal but not too so that they become so earnest and literal.

DF: You have a side project called Brookville. Do you write songs with a certain band in mind, or is it pretty much random which band gets which song?

AC: Brookville songs and lyrics are very, very much about my own personal experiences. Those songs are quite autobiographical. So I know instantly when a song I'm writing is for one band or the other. Ivy is not at all as personal, other than sometimes I might delve into a mood or feeling - for Ivy what I write about is always something I know will resonate with Dominique.

DF: In Ivy's upbeat songs, the influence of The Smiths is very pronounced. The slower songs, especially on "In the Clear", are more atmospheric and seem to be coming from a bit different place musically. What artists influence those slower songs?

AC: Prefab Sprout, Everything But The Girl, Nico...

DF: How important is playing live for the band?

AC: For me VERY. For Dominique SOMEWHAT. For Adam NOT VERY.

"Thinking About You", from In the Clear, Live:

DF: You've always had a lot of collaborators on your records. How do you maintain a certain musical consistency with so many people being involved?

AC: Most of what you hear is me, Adam and Dominique. If you add up our musical contributions it's always at least 75% of what you hear, maybe more. All our friends simply add some bells & whistles.

DF: You have a strong musical connection with James Iha. I recently heard an interview with Butch Vig and he was talking about with the early Smashing Pumplins records, people didn't realize how important Iha was in influencing the band's sound and feel. Any thoughts?

AC: He has such an amazing musical aesthetic and a very unique way of playing the guitar. I think this all flew under the radar for most Pumpkins fans. Knowing him as I do outside of the Pumpkins I'm always marveling at his great sensibility and appreciation for good music - or at least the music I think is good. I'm much more of a fan of HIS stuff that I ever was of the Pumpkins.

Listen/Download:
"Tess Don't Tell" w/ James Iha, from In the Clear

DF: When can we expect the next record? What can we expect musically?

AC: We're working on a new Ivy album right now. Probably will be out in late 2009. Musically? We're still figuring it out! But it will be the best record we ever made!

Thanks to Andy for sitting down with Dead Flowers.

[Ivy Website]
[Ivy Myspace]
[Ivy Wiki]
[Brookville Myspace]
[Fountains of Wayne Myspace]

Dead Flowers: 10 Tracks from 2007

[Artwork by Marcel Dzama]

Putting together a year-end 'Best Of' list is always a tricky proposition. An album might have been on constant rotation at the beginning of the year, only to fall off one's musical map by the time December rolls around. With that in mind, here was the music that most impressed me during the year, and the music that got the most plays.

The Mix:

[Download it Here]
[Use Winrar to unpack the file]

Radiohead: "In Rainbows" (Album)
Was this the album that launched a thousand downloads,
And burnt the topless tower of Hollywood and Vine?

[Band Website]
[Band Wiki]
"Bodysnatchers" from the "Thumbs Down" Webcast:

Babyshambles: "Shotters Nation" (Album)
Finally, the people who only got interested because of Kate Moss had some evidence of what it was all about in the first place. This wasn't a perfect record, but when it worked it was laugh-out-loud funny and undeniably catchy. Maybe the handful of rubbish choruses ("You Talk", "French Dog Blues") wouldn't have been so bad with Carl Barat singing them? One will never know...

[Band Website]
[Band Wiki]

The Good The Bad and The Queen (Album)

In the end, many listeners seemed surprised by how subdued this record was. Live performances (where the band usually played the album in its entirety) are worth looking into, because they display the sort of raw energy that was a bit smothered by Danger Mouse's muted production. Still, it's hard to deny that Damon has a way with melody and a gift for evoking a certain time and place--the record sounds like 2007 felt: weary, melancholy, yet, if only in the slightest way, ultimately hopeful.

[Band Website]
[Band Wiki]
"Green Fields" Live:

The Veils: "Nux Vomica" (Album)

Sure, no self-respecting Anglophile would put a 2006 UK release on his best of 2007 list, but come on, it wasn't exactly a banner year for music. Finn Andrews and Co. dramatically upped their game on this release, which showed a sharpening of focus after their at-times uninspired debut. As far as up-and-coming groups go, this listener would bet on The Veils to make the first truly great record of the decade.

[Band Website]
[Band Wiki]
"Not Yet" Acoustic:

Tunng: "Take" (Song)

Sounding like The Beta Band gone off their meds, this had all the makings of a campfire sing-a-long (if said campfire was a burning car).

[Band Website]
[Band Wiki]
BBC Collective Version:

Foreign Born: "In the Shape" (Song)
Probably this reviewer's single most-played track this year. This definitely had something to do with the song's phenomenal second-half, which is brimming with percussion, acoustic guitar, and well-timed squawks from singer Matt P. Absolutely infectious and a sign of great things to come from this young LA group.

Listen:

[Download the MP3 Here]
[Band Website]

Tokyo Police Club: "Your English is Good" (Song)

Maybe it's nostalgia for the rural Ontario of my youth, but this song evokes lazy summer days and youthful ignorance/stupidity. This band's first two singles have been rather brilliant; it remains to be seen, however, if they can maintain such incredible momentum over the course of an album.

[Band Website]
[Band Wiki]
Promo:

The Raveonettes: "Lust Lust Lust" (Album)
The Raveonettes pretty much do one thing, but they do it very well. This was their strongest album yet. Maybe they could give their Danish compatriots Mew lessons on how not to become shit.

[Band Website]
[Band Wiki]

Vessels: "Yuki" (Song)
Crafting a mood of icy desolation, this post-rock act from Leeds raised expectations for their first full-length album. If it follows this blueprint: scattershot percussion, delayed keyboard, and subtle mastery of dynamics, it will be one of the best things in 2008.

[Band Website]

Mystery Jets: "Flakes" (Song)
On this track, this unruly band of misfits (and the singer's dad) traded gimmicky for maturity, reclaiming the Buckley legacy from a million hapless bedwetters. While it was a late entry, this was a serious candidate for song of the year.

[Band Website]
[Band Wiki]
Promo:

Thanks for visiting Dead Flowers in 2007. See you in 2008!

Reviewing the Reviews

If there's one thing that's consistently frustrating about music writers, it's their lack of willingness to go back and reevaluate their opinions once the initial excitement (or disappointment) of an album has worn off. In order to further the cause of journalistic humility, here's my take today on reviews I wrote this year.

(Click on the album title for the original review)

The Good The Bad and The Queen

Original Rating: n/a

What I said then: As hard as it is for this Radiohead fan to admit, while everyone was looking elsewhere, Damon Albarn established himself as Britrock's most consistent and innovative artist. His motives may have been questioned since he told us that there's no other way, but the results speak for themselves: the Blur behemoth, obviously, but also Gorillaz--a hugely popular group that manage to remain indie in the best sense of the word. Albarn's voice and melodies now have an instant familiarity that make his albums the aural equivalent of comfort food. In other words, he's become the Sting that doesn't suck.

What I say now: Well, this is obviously pre-"In Rainbows", so make that second most consistent and innovative artist. This album was quite good, but after playing it to death for the first couple weeks after its release, I haven't had the desire to return to it. Not sure why that is, really. Should've gotten an 8.

Arcade Fire: Neon Bible

Original Rating: n/a

What I said then: I wanted to like this record more than I actually did. "Neon Bible" gave me few reasons to return after my initial couple of listens. Arcade Fire's flaws are born of the best intentions, so it feels unfair to completely write them off. But after slaving away in that office downtown, you might not want to spend your hard-earned money on such a joyless and ultimately forgettable collection of songs.

What I say now: I don't even want to like this record anymore. That might have something to do with it being a steaming pile of dog shit. I took a lot of flak for this review, but I think I got it right. Should've gotten a 3.

The Veils: Nux Vomica

Original Rating: 7 out of 10

What I said then: Elsewhere, Andrews puts his distinctive warble to good use. While it's very likely a love/hate proposition for many listeners, this reviewer finds that he's usually careful not to overdo it. Yes, he often errs on the side of melodrama, but somehow it fits these songs. There is still a noticeable Buckley influence here, but one that's more "Sketches" than "Grace". Tracks like "Jesus for the Jugular" and the title track have a dark, bluesy feel reminiscent of Buckley's "The Sky Is A Landfill" or "Nightmares By The Sea" before them.

What I say now: This was a really solid album: complicated, compelling, and satisfying. If anything, I was too hard on it. Should've gotten an 8.

Interpol: Our Love to Admire

Original Rating: 6 out of 10

What I said then: The intricate "Mammoth" is like a finely crafted piece of origami, impressive in its complexity, yet ultimately hollow. "Rest my Chemistry" and "The Scale" are uneventful retreads of songs done better on "Turn on the Bright Lights". "Wrecking Ball" tries to incorporate compelling elements like a brass section, minimalist drums, and multi-tracked vocals, but the end result is a musical mess. This sort of failed experiment is why God created b-sides; for Interpol, a band never known for its prolificacy, it has become a crucial album cut.

What I say now: This album was truly terrible--a 6 was being incredibly charitable. Maybe I was hoodwinked by admittedly great first single "The Heinrich Maneuver". Everything else was shit. Should've gotten a 3.

Foreign Born: On the Wing Now

Original Rating: 7 out of 10

What I said then: Foreign Born are like a musical Rorschach test. U2 fans hear Bono in Matt Popieluch's soaring vocals and the Edge in Lewis Pesacov's effects-laden guitar. Joy Division devotees hear Ariel Rechtshaid's driving bass and immediately think of Peter Hook. For this reviewer, Foreign Born conjure up the nervous energy of the West-Coast groups heard on the Nuggets compilation: Maybe it's Popieluch's manic acoustic guitar throughout the album, or the propulsive drums of Garret Ray on tracks like "It Wasn't Said to Ask" and "Into Your Dream". However you peg them, it's clear that Foreign Born are mining a rich musical tradition: The chorus guitar on "In the Shape" is pure "Dirty"-era Sonic Youth; on the aforementioned "Into Your Dream", Popieluch evokes the spirit Lou Reed in his prime.

What I say now: That 7 was sort of an 'A for effort'. Foreign Born certainly have a lot of potential, but there were simply too many forgettable moments (or not enough memorable ones) on this record. Should've gotten a 6.

Babyshambles: Shotters Nation

Original Rating: 9 out of 10

What I said then: There are so many striking moments of spontaneity on the record that it's hard to mention them all here: the way the verse in "Deft Left Hand" is transformed into something quite special, taking the rest of the song along with it; the way the sparkling middle eight in "French Dog Blues" resolves into a Who-inspired breakdown; or the way "Crumb Begging Badhead" references obscure inter-war-period Polish writer Bruno Schulz before exploding into a 60s-organ-based freakout. This is why people originally gravitated towards Doherty, these little moments that make the listener chuckle at his nerve and marvel at his talent.

There's nothing more boring than a band that tries to make a "perfect" album, and you could never accuse Babyshambles of doing such a thing. This album has its flaws, whether it's the clumsy drumming on "Unstookietitled", the predicatable, Oasis-lite opening riff of the aforementioned "Deft Left Hand", or the relatively weak choruses on several of the tracks. But these are minor complaints.

What I say now: While this was definitely one of the most enjoyable records released all year, I may have gotten a little overzealous here. In retrospect, those choruses weren't just relatively weak, they were downright anemic. Should've gotten a 7.

Radiohead: "In Rainbows"

Original Rating: 10 out of 10

What I said then: One of the most interesting developments on "Kid A" and "Amnesiac" was the way in which the band learned to be so economical in their use of instruments: every piece of the arrangement played a distinct role. One example of this is "Like Spinning Plates", the sparse cymbal hits of which stand as one of Phil Selway's most evocative performances. The band got away from this on "HTTT" (see: laserbeams) and the record suffered as a result. "In Rainbows" benefits from an overall more minimalist approach: it's difficult to imagine Chris Martin having the courage to write something so deceptively simple as "Jigsaw Falling into Place" or "House of Cards".

What I say now: Sure it hasn't been very long since it was released, but my appreciation for this record continues to grow. There are no weak tracks here, and the likes of "Bodysnatchers" and "Reckoner" rank up there with the best songs the band has produced. Should've gotten an...11!


Think I got something wrong? Discuss it in comments...

Listen to "History Song" by TGTBATQ:

[Download the MP3 Here]