Ivory Hours - Mary
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| 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