Ivy are a band hailing from Dunedin, and For The Sake Of It is a five song collection which expands on their debut release single Stranger, which came out at the end of 2022.

As might be expected from a band who adds the words “alternative” and “prog” to their description, Ivy are ambitious musically, and have a very broad reach when it comes to lyrical inspiration. Witness opening track Catcher in the Rye for an intelligent and frankly, refreshing, lyrical approach.

The challenge is always in the assimilation of musical influence, and how that combination is combined to allow the effective development of a unique voice. Ivy are emphatic in their approach and it's always exciting hearing a band take some risks. There are tracks where the influences are worn a bit too much ‘on the sleeve’ to sound effective overall - In Requiem is the clearest example of that. But,....

An Omelette isn't made without breaking eggs and For The Sake Of It and Mornings Wake are two songs that absolutely deliver. Standout tracks for sure, in that they are fully realised and without any feeling of contrivance. For The Sake Of It is structured with genuine skill and musical sensitivity. Opening with a Smiths/Radiohead styled vocal melody, underpinned with a sophisticated chord structure, the song heads into a terrific change of gear at the halfway point leading to unexpected second half with all manner of sophisticated music touches. This is a track you really do have to listen to at the end- it has a great ending- and the overall control of the dynamics means that the energy builds steadily and really does jump out of the recording.

Morning’s Wake is even better, frankly and this is where Ivy really sound like themselves. It's a thoroughly realised track, and it's a point where the influences- although overt-feel like starting points rather than end results. It's a long track but nothing here is superfluous, and it's a genuinely compelling listen, having as it does the kind of musical sophistication that might be expected from musicians of considerably more experience. In this track the band have thoroughly absorbed ideas from post OK Computer Radiohead, Diorama era Silverchair and the Yes of Close to the Edge and focused them through a lens that is entirely theirs. It's a strong piece of work dispatched with highly skilled vocal and instrumental delivery.

This is a band with a huge - genuinely huge - amount of potential. They have ambition, skills and sufficient confidence to take chances. The next releases from this group will be required listening

• 1
  L.A.B.
• 2
  Written By Wolves
• 3
  Coridian
• 4
  Devilskin
• 5
  Sir Dave Dobbyn
• 6
  The Bads
• 7
  Katchafire
• 8
  Mi-Sex
• 9
  Stellar*
• 10
  Blindspott

• 
  Music in Parks - Pukekohe @ Bledisloe Park, Pukekohe, Auckland - 25/03/2023
• 
  Sophie-Maude @ Totara St, Mt Maunganui - 24/03/2023
• 
  Gin Wigmore @ Homegrown 2023, Wellington Waterfront - 18/03/2023
• 
  The Veils @ Totara St, Mt Maunganui - 23/03/2023

• 1
  BOY'S A LIAR PT. 2
  PinkPantheress And Ice Spice
• 2
  FLOWERS
  Miley Cyrus
• 3
  KILL BILL
  SZA
• 4
  LAST NIGHT
  Morgan Wallen
• 5
  DIE FOR YOU (REMIX)
  The Weeknd And Ariana Grande
• 6
  SURE THING
  Miguel
• 7
  PEOPLE
  Libianca
• 8
  ESCAPISM.
  RAYE feat. 070 Shake
• 9
  PLAYERS
  Coi Leray
• 10
  CALM DOWN
  Rema And Selena Gomez

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