Seattle faves Ivan & Alyosha release The Verse, The Chorus
on Cheap Lullaby Records out October 20
on Cheap Lullaby Records out October 20
and play a very special album release show
at Seattle's Tractor Tavern on October 22
with label and release-date mate
Josh Ottum and his "personal greatest hits album" Like the Seasons.
Check out Ivan & Alyosha's single “Easy to Love” HERE
and Josh Ottum's "It's Alright" HERE!
Tractor Tavern on October 22!
Ivan & Alyosha
Josh Ottum
The Republic
Who are Ivan & Alyosha?
Ivan & Alyosha is comprised of lead vocalist Tim Wilson (formerly of Izabelle), and multi-instrumentalist Ryan Carbary. Heavy 60's and 70's European influence coupled with their own brand of Americana with a touch of the blues, these brothers of song are sure to perk ears with a fresh take on west coast sound. An unmistakable emphasis on song and melody, instrumentation and arrangement, Ivan and Alyosha offer their well-crafted pop perfection paying subtle homage to a long list of influences whilst not wearing too much on ones' sleeve.
Ivan & Alyosha got together in 2007, playing their first show at Chop Suey in Seattle on July 2, 2007.
Taking roughly a year to write & record their debut EP, The Verse, The Chorus the boys got to spend a few weeks in Los Angeles tracking with producer Eli Thomson (Richard Swift, Delta Spirit, Sylvie Lewis) & drummer Frank Lenz (Starflyer 59, The Headphones, Richard Swift).
“Easy to Love,” though, is the unlikely hit, slowly appearing with a muted stomp and a simple acoustic guitar strum, radiating a simple beauty as the line “You’re really easy to love” is repeated over and over again. Then the song disappears just as seamlessly. Along with the Tacoma’s always purple-lit Mono in VCF, who headlined Ivan & Alyosha’s EP release, there seems to be a new Northwest Anglo-pop invasion comin’ on."
The arrival of their debut EP brings stories of love, social change, spirituality and escape from the normal. Painting their sonic idealism with sweeping acoustic ballads and up-tempo, guitar-driven numbers, carefully maintaining subtle tenderness and romance.
Who are Ivan & Alyosha?
Ivan & Alyosha is comprised of lead vocalist Tim Wilson (formerly of Izabelle), and multi-instrumentalist Ryan Carbary. Heavy 60's and 70's European influence coupled with their own brand of Americana with a touch of the blues, these brothers of song are sure to perk ears with a fresh take on west coast sound. An unmistakable emphasis on song and melody, instrumentation and arrangement, Ivan and Alyosha offer their well-crafted pop perfection paying subtle homage to a long list of influences whilst not wearing too much on ones' sleeve.
Ivan & Alyosha got together in 2007, playing their first show at Chop Suey in Seattle on July 2, 2007.
Taking roughly a year to write & record their debut EP, The Verse, The Chorus the boys got to spend a few weeks in Los Angeles tracking with producer Eli Thomson (Richard Swift, Delta Spirit, Sylvie Lewis) & drummer Frank Lenz (Starflyer 59, The Headphones, Richard Swift).
“Easy to Love,” though, is the unlikely hit, slowly appearing with a muted stomp and a simple acoustic guitar strum, radiating a simple beauty as the line “You’re really easy to love” is repeated over and over again. Then the song disappears just as seamlessly. Along with the Tacoma’s always purple-lit Mono in VCF, who headlined Ivan & Alyosha’s EP release, there seems to be a new Northwest Anglo-pop invasion comin’ on."
The arrival of their debut EP brings stories of love, social change, spirituality and escape from the normal. Painting their sonic idealism with sweeping acoustic ballads and up-tempo, guitar-driven numbers, carefully maintaining subtle tenderness and romance.
Who is Josh Ottum?
Like The Season, a twelve-song journey into the hallways, bedrooms, dining rooms and garages of popular music. Bolstered by semi-hollow body guitars, vintage keyboards, dry drums, and a hundred multi-tracked voices singing melodies, harmonies, and backwards woah-woahs and yeah-yeahs, Ottum’s exquisite pop songs shine like polished furniture through a window on a crisp fall morning.
Joining Ottum on his self-produced solo debut are drummer James McAlister (Sufjan Stevens, Richard Swift), multi-in- strumentalist Casey Foubert (Pedro The Lion, Sufjan Stevens) and engineer Jon Ervie (Modest Mouse, The Presidents of the United States of America).
Protected by an army of 5 drummers and a patriotically soulful horn section, Like The Season harkens back to the sweet melodic days of 70’s pop, i.e., Stevie Wonder and Steely Dan, Randy Newman.
Like The Season also boasts the influence of modern classical composition with the use of theme and variation while drawing comparisons to such modern artists as Grandaddy, Ben Folds and Phoenix. But don’t be mistaken - this is not a record of cheap rip-offs and retro throwbacks - these disparate elements have been critically examined and intricately assembled by Ottum to fit perfectly into a fully functional and aesthetically pleasing musical living room.
Since late 2007, Ottum has done several West Coast and European tours followed by a successful month-long residency at LA’s respected Tangier Club. Along the way Josh has toured and shared the stage with M. Ward, The Walkmen, Alexi Murdoch, Stereolab, Cold War Kids, Rosie Thomas, Midlake, The Sea and Cake. Ottum’s music has been featured on NPR, KEXP and multiple MTV shows. Having already been released in Europe, Like The Season has
topped multiple critics’ polls and been featured in NME.
Joining Ottum on his self-produced solo debut are drummer James McAlister (Sufjan Stevens, Richard Swift), multi-in- strumentalist Casey Foubert (Pedro The Lion, Sufjan Stevens) and engineer Jon Ervie (Modest Mouse, The Presidents of the United States of America).
Protected by an army of 5 drummers and a patriotically soulful horn section, Like The Season harkens back to the sweet melodic days of 70’s pop, i.e., Stevie Wonder and Steely Dan, Randy Newman.
Like The Season also boasts the influence of modern classical composition with the use of theme and variation while drawing comparisons to such modern artists as Grandaddy, Ben Folds and Phoenix. But don’t be mistaken - this is not a record of cheap rip-offs and retro throwbacks - these disparate elements have been critically examined and intricately assembled by Ottum to fit perfectly into a fully functional and aesthetically pleasing musical living room.
Since late 2007, Ottum has done several West Coast and European tours followed by a successful month-long residency at LA’s respected Tangier Club. Along the way Josh has toured and shared the stage with M. Ward, The Walkmen, Alexi Murdoch, Stereolab, Cold War Kids, Rosie Thomas, Midlake, The Sea and Cake. Ottum’s music has been featured on NPR, KEXP and multiple MTV shows. Having already been released in Europe, Like The Season has
topped multiple critics’ polls and been featured in NME.
