The Iveys are pure, down-home Americana, the kind that evoke memories (real or imagined), of a handsome, sun-washed farmhand chewing straw against the sun setting over a golden cornfield, with a wholesome golden-blonde girl running up to him, smiling of course. It’s the kind of feel-good music that makes you happy about the simple pleasures in life.

The album starts strong, with “Leave It To Love”, a happy mid-tempo ditty, complete with harmonizing female vocals to add to the wholesome Americana vibe, with lyrics as lonely and hopeful as the West Texas prairie. The self-titled album takes you out of this time period, back to a simple life and happy, heartwarming times, although in nearly every song there’s a distinct melancholy, even in the uptempo “Back When It Was Our World”. This song idealizes the quintessential Midwestern couple driving out to LA to chase their dreams, arriving to fall even more in love with heart full of wonder and awe until it all inevitably comes crashing down around them. But naturally, in keeping with the spirit of the album, their implied downfall is just that – the lyrics keep the memory pure and happy.

This leads into an upbeat “Running Out”, whose tempo is a relative shot in the arm and breathes life into the latter half of the album. “Whispered Words” provides a stark contrast as the only classifiable ballad of the album, and features the female backup vocal as lead, which earnestly showcases her strength as a lead vocalist. Although this is not her song entirely – the male vocal returns to make it a romantic duet fit for the last song in darkened high school gyms across small town middle America. “Whispered Words” flows into the last song, “Your Love Now” so flawlessly, that if you weren’t paying attention, you’d think it was the same song.

Best defined as cross-over country pop, The Iveys deliver an honest, if idealized version of a romantic wheatfield American that’s quite refreshing and just plain ol’ nice. The Iveys lead you down a nostalgic path, easily tricking you into thinking those memories of an idyllic American life are your memories, which makes The Iveys the band to listen to if you need some great music to escape into. If you like John Cougar Mellancamp, Matchbox 20, and Carrie Underwood, you’ll love The Iveys.

Label: Self-Released – Rating:

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