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Album Details

• Artist: Ivy
• Album: In The Clear
• Label: Nettwerk
• Year of Release: 2005
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: dscanland on 2005-03-16

You would think that Adam Schlesinger feels like the odd man out in Ivy with Andy Chase and Dominique Durand as a couple. Regardless, this trio makes some picture perfect pop music that should be on every radio station in a perfect world. Ivy has been a band that has been sadly overlooked and I'm not really sure why. In The Clear is the band's fifth album in a decade. Adam is busy with other projects so this is not really that unrealistic. Apartment Life was their only major label album on Atlantic and that didn't really amount to much in the way of recognition. Critics loved it but it didn't really do much to expand their fan base. In The Clear presents Ivy in an even more digestible form. The album starts out with a pleasant instrumental entitled "Nothing But The Sky", setting the gentle, atmospheric feel for the rest of the album. The guitars kick in on "Thinking About You" as do Dominique's lovely vocals. It is probably the most upbeat track on In The Clear. Ivy manages to keep things fairly sombre and lush but still keep some variety in the songs. "Tess Don't Tell" is one of the many tracks here that is ready for radio just as it is. I didn't care for "Clear My Head". It was a little too monotonous. That song aside, In The Clear is a really beautiful and lush album that many atmospheric pop fans would love. Ivy is a band that is here for the long run even if people don't pay attention. Miss the old Cardigans, try Ivy out.

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