I’m no scientist, but I’m pretty sure that the dudes from Ivan & Alyosha have the same singing coach as My Morning Jacket’s Jim James or, at least, the dudes try to copy him.
With the release of their second EP, Fathers Be Kind, the quartet band from Seattle fuses a flair for pop into vocals and lyrics rooted deeply in folk. In short, they’re a little more fun than they’re PNW brethren, Fleet Foxes. Now that I've dropped all those names and gotten it out of the way, I swear the comparisons to other bands will stop.
The band’s second EP is a nice collection of five songs that employs the uses of an 808 (I think), harmonicas, pianos and the sacred cow of folk: vocal harmonies. The litany of instruments makes for an upbeat sound which manages to keep its folk aesthetic. I think that these guys could even make it out of the douche factory that is your local coffee shop. They seem to be versed well enough in making the kind of music that you don’t need to drink caffeine to be amped up for. Fathers is the kind of EP that a rebellious barista may carry with him/her to the car, instead of solely knowing it as a reminder that they spend their days wasting the time they should be spending on developing their whole promise of talent. This isn’t getting personal, I swear. I have no talent.
The title track, “Fathers Be Kind” has a nice pace to it, and a simple message: don’t be an asshole dad. My favorite track on the EP is “Living for Someone,” mainly because I’m a sucker for things that sound like an 808 beat box.
Ivan & Alyosha are seemingly on the radar of the tastemakers in this country and I’m sure it won’t be long before the blogs start making more out of their sound than there is to make. Besides, it seems like the Northwest needs a new musical movement. It’s been fifteen years since the darkest day in grunge. They could use a little cheer up there. I think this folk-pop stuff just may do it.
Artist:
www.ivanandalyosha.com/
www.myspace.com/ivanandalyosha
www.facebook.com/pages/Ivan-Alyosha/
www.twitter.com/ivanandalyosha
Album:
The Fathers Be Kind EP is out now. Buy it here on Amazon .
