MUSIC REVIEW: IVY RYANN – A Nonaggressive Extreme Violation Of Boundaries

Label: Independent

Release Date: March 4, 2022

Rating: 90%

Reviewer: Todd “Toddstar” Jolicoeur

You never know when a certain release might strike you, even when it is out in left field from your normal musical fodder.  The debut from Ivy Ryann is one such release, as this one shouldn’t have struck a chord, but that it did.  Disc opener “The Losing” unfolds with an indie edge that builds slowly through the verse and into the chorus.  Don’t get lost in the musical accompaniment and keep your eyes on the lyrical road ahead, as this one will pull at you emotionally, as it hits spots we have all visited or known of at least once.  “The Weight (Rock Version)” is a cool track that gets double treatment on the disc, but his one dubbed the ‘Rock Version’ may not be fists in the air rock and roll, there is ton of attitude and swagger in the vocal that helps elevate the track and hit you in the gut as the song works through the verses and chorus. “Eternity” is a different track sonically, as it opens and rolls through the first verse with just Ivy’s vocals and some acoustic guitar.  As the next verse kicks in, a piano joins the fray and we are taken on a journey into new territory for this collection.  This is one of the songs that recall the emotive sound and delivery of Florence + The Machine, but with a rootsier sound.  The song sonically as the verses and choruses pass and Ryann lets her vocal lead the way through the bridge and to the outro.  “Driveway Prayers” is one of the older tracks on the disc, but was reworked in order to lessen the Country feel that lay in its DNA.  This is one of the tracks I find myself going back to repeatedly thanks to the cool rhythm and cadence of the music and vocals as well as the different layers in the song.  “Walk The Line” is a cool cover that strips back the Johnny Cash classic a bit and allows Ryann the opportunity to pay homage to the track and its message all while putting her own stamp on the songs.

“The Show” starts off with a cool layered vocal overtop a heavy-handed bottom end that feel like a soft droning waves washing over you while Ryann weaves another personal story that lets you inside of her head and heart, even if for a moment, like on the other original compositions on the disc.  Be sure to listen for the musical nuances in the background that help carry the lofty vocal arrangement.  “Take It All Back” has a cool vibe woven into the music that features a swirl of Ivy’s vocals, acoustic guitars, and a thick bass line that works through the intro, takes a break at the verse, and rejoins the mixture at the second verse.  The lyrical content of this is another heavy track that allows Ryann to bare her soul once again… a recurring theme throughout the disc.  “The Best I Can” offers up a vocal that has a slightly different texture from the onset, but morphs into the voice we have come to know over the tracks leading up to this one.  This is another song that I find myself listening to more intently with each pass, as there seems to be new musical morsels that flush out of the mix every time I hear it, especially the vocal that reminds me once again of Florence Welch.  “The Weight (Orchestral Version)” helps take us toward the end of the collection with a different spin on the earlier version.  The vocal is slightly different while the musical arrangement underneath features sweeping orchestration that breathes a little different life into the track, especially the lower register stringed instruments.  Disc closer “In Wanting” is a moody instrumental piece that puts a cool bow on the rest of the package and lets you ponder the last 36 minutes and decide whether you can handle another run through the emotion and openness of Ivy Ryann.

Tracklisting: The Losing – The Weight (Rock Version) – The Show – Eternity – Take It All Back – Driveway Prayers – The Best I Can – Walk The Line – The Weight (Orchestral Version) – In Wanting

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Category: CD Reviews