Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Ivan & Alyosha - Fathers Be Kind EP (2011)

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Almost four years into their career and Seattle based duo Ivan & Alyosha don't have an album to show for it just yet. But what they do have are two EPs and the latest one Fathers Be Kind, expands their catchy retro rock sensibilities to much more than that. Adding two new members to the group, the songs remain simple and yet noticeably more complex. With "Glorify", Ivan & Alyosha allude to the contrasts between their namesake with lyrics that are both faith-filed and faithless. The whole EP builds from sweet, jangly pop and catchy love songs to majestic grandeur with occasional glimpses of the growth in between. "Everything Is Burning" with its sweeping vocal lines and pervasive melancholy is the first hint that there's much more to the EP than fun, pop songs. When "Glorify" does start, with it's harmonica solo, soft strumming guitar and lead vocals that sprawl into multi-part harmony, it's clear there's something positively magical at work. Ivan & Alyosha effortless craft a gospel-esque masterpiece whose real power is its simplicity.

Listen to the 5 song Fathers Be Kind EP and if you like it, grab it.









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