Milwaukee Artist of the Week – 8/22/14 – Ivy Spokes
Are you a Milwaukee musician/band? You can submit your music to be the Milwaukee Artist of the Week by emailing links to info@BreakingAndEntering.net. We’ll check out every submission we get!
This week’s Milwaukee Artist of the Week is Ivy Spokes, an indie trio with an infectious sound. The band formed in 2011, and in under a year released an EP. In support, they’ve hit the road, traveling the Midwest, spreading their sound. This year, the group followed that up with “Upside”, a release of the first half of their sophomore album. The second half of the album will be released later this year, as well. The release schedule is a good idea, given today’s musical landscape. Essentially, the album is two EPs, getting more life out of the tracks, and more music for fans to digest within the course of the year.
Musically, “Upside” is a solid pop/rock record on it’s own. With only five tracks, the band manages to catch your ear, and then hold your attention throughout the duration of the project. Most of the songs are guitar driven, with a solid blend of influences popping up throughout the songs. The earworm guitar riffs that are laid out throughout the songs are matched by vocal parts that mimic the riffs, reassuring that the songs may never really quite get out of your head. That’s the formula for great pop music altogether, much less the indie version that Ivy Spokes provide.
It would be safe to say that Ivy Spokes will be hitting the road once the second part of their album is released. After making their way through the Midwest for their first releases, the group headlined a night of Summerfest this year at the KNE New Music Stage. With a sound like theirs, however, Ivy Spokes can look to make their way off the New Music stage, to more mainstream exposure in the future. Check out “Upside” below, and see if you agree:
