IVORY HOURS - ALBUM REVIEW

Ivory Hours - Mary 
Ivory Hours - Mary

Release Date: 3rd June 2014

I got quite excited when I read that these guys were from my old stomping ground of London but then I realised that it's London, Ontario, that they hail from not the land of jellied eels and pearly kings. It's really coming to something when it's more likely that I'll get some great new music from Canada over the centre of popular music for the past few decades.  Luckily enough, Ivory Hours make gorgeous, melodic indie-pop that can win over the sternest of hearts. Opening track 'Hello Honey' is a triumphant melee of skittish guitars and mellow keys with the delightful twin vocals of siblings Luke and Annie Roes laying on some lush harmonies. Title track 'Mary' features the same rippling, A.D.D. guitars and a soaring, indie-pop epic of a chorus that we can all get behind.

'The Attic' starts off like Franz Ferdinand doing country and western which is surprisingly enjoyable while 'Young Blood' has a more mellow feel as the poppy bass line and lyrics about middle class issues give this a real Black Kids meets Arcade Fire feel. The wonderful line of "Oh what's happening to me? I have it all but I'm not happy" shows the thought and awareness that goes in to these lyrics and should be applauded when they go along with such unapologetically poppy melodies. There are two more tracks on this (mini) album starting with 'Nettle' which has a subdued Dutch Uncles meets the Police feel to it as the guitars chug and the drums snap eagerly at their heels. Closing song 'I'll Stay Away' is almost a pop-rock ballad in the shape of the Killers or the Feeling and is smoother than a freshly waxed beaver (I'm talking the four legged variety here. Filthy people). This is high quality song writing with superb melodies that Ivory Hours should be thoroughly proud of, superb stuff.

More information: https://www.facebook.com/IvoryHours

Live Dates:


20th June - CD release party @ Marcellus Wallace & The Gypsy Ghosts 

Comments