- This Is Ivy League
This Is Ivy League is an
indie band formed in 2005 by best friendsRyland Blackinton andAlex Suarez (ofCobra Starship fame).Early life
Both Alex and Ryland grew up in
Boca Raton, Florida and bonded over their love of music, playing in separate local bands and receiving various levels of accolades over the years. Their lives took different turns when Alex decided to pursue an educational career in culinary arts, and Ryland worked toward his BFA in acting. The two lost touch for nearly seven years before discovering that they actually ended up living ten minutes away from each other inBrooklyn, New York . Immediately, they fell back into their old groove, and started writing songs together, which would later become the indie/pop/folk sound that we know as This Is Ivy League.Cobra Starship Blackinton and Suarez were approached to join
Gabe Saporta 's newly formed bandCobra Starship after he found fast success with the hit song, "Bring It (Snakes on a Plane)". The song was featured on the soundtrack for the film "Snakes on a Plane " and was offered a record deal fromPete Wentz 'sFueled By Ramen Records imprint,Decaydance . Alex and Ryland accepted, enjoying worldwide success and recognition since.Keeping Ivy League alive
Although they spent most of their time touring with Cobra Starship, Alex and Ryland continued to write songs for Ivy League, vowing to record an album once Cobra settled down. The album was released on April 1st, 2008 on
Twentyseven Records . The album, like the "London Bridges" EP, was recorded entirely between the duo's Brooklyn apartments.The accompanying video for the tune has already been singled out by Pitchfork which said, "...the clip creates and sustains a soft-focus weirdness, borrowing all the elements you’d expect from a postmillennial Chad & Jeremy—blazers, bicycles, merry-go-rounds, a park in autumn—while adding a few new flourishes—women in animal costumes, gently evocative use of color and pattern. Alex Suarez and Ryland Blackinton croon their crisp harmonies, finishing each other’s sentences and riffs, nearly symmetrical as they perform atop their pedestals for the animal woman".
Ryland and Alex have commitments with Cobra Starship, but manage to make time for fans of This Is Ivy League, whether it be on
Myspace ,Livejournal or just in conversation outside of a show.External links
*
* [http://www.twentysevenrecords.com/ Twenty Seven Records official website]
* [http://www.zoom-in.com/apple/music/spotlights/rehearsal_space_alex_suarez Rehearsal Space featuring Alex Suarez] - a 2008 featurette about the writing of This is Ivy League's debut album, as well as the difficulties of being in two bands at once
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