IVAN & ALYOSHA

Fathers Be Kind EP

2011-01-15

This Seattle band takes its name from characters in Dostoyevsky's "The Brothers Karamazov" and its gorgeous harmonies and ringing guitars can sometimes mask the depth of the lyrical territory, which covers some of the same themes as the famous Russian novel -- life, death, family, faith, doubt, reason. It isn't often you get such sweet, well-crafted musical lines and deeply thoughtful lyrics in the same package. This group's got both. I&A started as a duo, Tim Wilson and Ryan Carbary, but they've since added a few more musicians and say publicly that I&A is a band, not a duo. All five songs on this EP are excellent, with "Fathers Be Kind" and "Glorify" getting the most attention -- but I'm drawn to "I Was Born to Love Her" and "Living for Someone." 1/11 MJVD

Quick Links:

• Ivan & Alyosha singing "Glorify" on Youtube
• I&A's Myspace page