Irving

Death in the Garden, Blood on the Flowers

(Eenie Meenie)

Record Review by Michele Fair

Having headlined for bands as impressive as Broken Social Scene and The Arcade Fire, you might expect Irving to be more securely placed in the vein of the slightly serious indie rock genre.  But their second full-length, Death In The Garden, Blood On The Flowers, is tight pop record that thrives on searing keyboard parts and catchy guitar riffs.  Part Weezer and a few quick dashes of Interpol, Irving reek of pop perfection; their clean sounds and style encourage listeners to jump right in and join the fray.   

One standout, “Jen, Nothing Matters to Me,” is a confessional of sorts to a girl who obviously has her sights set on the protagonist, but Irving’s lead singer croons out straightforward lyrics like “I have a basic unwillingness/to commit to anything substantial/and I am emotionally unavailable.”  This isn’t an anomaly—many of the lyrics on the album are similarly direct.

All in all, Death In The Garden, Blood On The Flowers rocks, and it’s really enjoyable to listen to.  The one downside is that the band has not quite settled into their own personal niche.  With so many bands today still being pegged as “emo” or even nicknamed “the feel good band of the year,” it can be difficult for a lot of up-and-comers to force themselves out of that box and make a standout album.  Irving stands somewhere in the middle of the road, caught between sing-along melodies and creative, unique sounds.  The upside is that they’re well on their way to making the discovery—and the possibilities should be quite a surprise.