Ivy League TX

Being touted as the next Title Fight is a pretty tall order, but that's just what the word has been regarding Ivy League TX. Transparency was a record I felt I'd laugh off as a pretender, but still a decent attempt nonetheless. But having initially underestimated the trio and what they could accomplish here, it's a record I strongly urge you to pick up. Seriously, don't let this fly under your radar.

"Canopy" is just why the Title Fight comparison abounds, and the path they carve really opens neatly through a barrage of melodic and powerful variations from punk to alternative. Josh Huff's throaty vocals are what carry the most on the album and it's by no small measure. His penetrative voice, especially on "History Repeats" shines through and when you throw in the canvas that drummer Willie Vega paints, you've got a brilliant recipe. Vega's no doubt just as big a driving force behind Ivy League's sound as Huff's delivery is.

"Coalesce" will call to mind bands like Saves The Day, Make Do and Mend and Lifetime. I get a bigger Daylight vibe from the majority of the record, though, and this song is a stark reminder that there's more than lingering potential. It hits the marks in all the right spots, and draws comparison to a band I personally loved back in the day–Near Miss.

Ivy League toy with dual vocals and slight screamo touches at times, and shine even in the more experimental parts of the record. "Egress" is testament to this via its post-hardcore instrumental tone. Transparency adds so much of a rapid punk-pacing with a distorted alternative setup, that it's a wonder just how well the band sync their musicianship with Huff's vocals. "My Mercenary" spills on a heartbroken past and with Erik Pagel's bass tuned to perfection here, it's a stellar all-around cast on tap. This is an underdog album that'll be making my list at year's end. Get immersed in this. You'll be blown away. - Punk News

Artist: Ivy LeagueTX, Turnover, Maker, Such Gold
Album: Ivy LeagueTX / Turnover / Maker / Such Gold – Split 7″
Genre: Pop-Punk / Alternative
Label: Broken Rim Records

In what may be one of the raddest split line-ups in recent history, Turnover, Maker, Ivy League, and Such Gold have banded together to release a split chock full of punk tinged rock. Through Broken Rim Records, each respective band gets their chance to indulge into the musicianship they have at hand.

Ivy LeagueTX have the pleasure of opening the work for us, leading us in with a brooding introduction that is followed by rasp and distortion. Yelling through their piece of the split, “Cave,” Ivy League set the tone for the entire split. Concise, to the point, and tinged with a punk attitude, Ivy LeagueTX ask that you leave your anxieties at the door, and yell along with them. I sure did.

Following “Cave,” Turnover changes around the dynamics a bit. Continuing off of their stellar LP, Magnolia, the band forwards their brighter tones, as well as their constantly growing songwriting skills. “I Would Hate You If I Could” would have been the fan favorite off of Magnolia, so it will just have to do with being the favorite now. Group vocals, catchy melodies, textured guitars, and a tight rhythm section, Turnover sing our woes so we don’t have to. Something about the band’s music so perfectly encapsulates the trials of growing up in a cul-de-sac, waiting for the school year to be over to yield a new experience.

Side B opens with Maker’s “Here She Comes,” and acts as the split’s most pushing work. Beginning with an appreciation for ’90s alternative rock, Maker show us a different side of what they have released before. Never forgetting their punk upbringing, Maker tie together all the vast and various fields of rock and roll’s journey through time. At times you will experience straight power chords, but not for too long before getting swept back up by melodies that John Rzeznik could have wrote. “Here She Comes” culminates in the band’s finest work to date, and the better offering of the split.

Between the middle section of the varied tracks from Turnover and Maker, Such Gold bring us back to center with “Framed.” Anyone who has listened to the band before should feel no surprises with the punk onslaught the band brings, as they continue to bring their trademark guitar style to the foreground. Book-ended by the yell-alongs from Ivy LeagueTX and Such Gold, the split is opened and closed with reminders of why screaming back at your speakers in your basement is accepted in this community.

With each band releasing solid work, and Turnover and Maker continuing to push their envelopes, the 7” is a welcomed addition to my spinning schedule. While incredibly short, think of each track as a taste for what is to come, and with that being the case, the future looks extremely bright, as well as extremely catchy.

SCORE: 8/10 - Under The Gun Review