This Is Ivy League

Nebraska is notorious for lengthy winters. We’re two weeks into May and we’re just now coming out from under the grey pallor cast over us way back in October of last year. And that can be a bit much, even for someone like me who is naturally inclined towards the drearier end of the climate spectrum. So I’m enjoying the recent bout of warmer, sunnier weather, and as is often the case, I do so with the help of a pair of headphones and a good soundtrack.

And right now, that soundtrack is courtesy of New York’s This Is Ivy League. While the Big Apple has recently been known for a resurgence in gritty post-punk and garage rock, This Is Ivy League comes from a completely different headspace.

On songs like “The Richest Kids” or “London Bridges,” Ryland Blackinton and Alex Suarez blend their effortless vocal harmonies with shimmering guitar melodies so crisp you could shave with them, and in the process, channel the sunny sounds of groups ranging from The Beach Boys and Simon & Garfunkel to Belle & Sebastian and Ivy.

It’s the kind of music that your parents might have listened to as lovelorn and starry-eyed teenagers given a modern retro twist — and no, that’s not creepy at all. Rather, it’s perfect for relaxing on a warm and breezy May afternoon, welcoming the first rays of summery sun whilst shaking off the chill from the last 6 months or so.

Stream This Is Ivy League’s self-titled full-length or download their cover of Arcade Fire’s “Crown of Love.”