Jeremy Ivey- Invisible Pictures
Label: Anti
Producer: Andrija Toka
The third album from the Nashville-based indie fixture, Jeremy Ivey, hosts a number of pivots from his previous two records, both of which were rich blends of country, folk and rock, with 2020’s Waiting Out the Storm proving to be overtly political in nature as well. The first major shift finds Ivey replacing his wife, country-rock queen Margo Price in the producer’s chair with Andrija Tokin, known for work with both Alabama Shakes and Hurray For the Riff Raff. While Price is sorely missed anywhere that she isn’t, this change in the studio opens the door for continued expansion of Ivey’s quirky sonic palate, which takes on a prominent psychedelic rock sound throughout Invisible Pictures (this is a great companion piece to last year’s Aaron Lee Tasjan record). These arrangements offer plenty of color, range, and creative surprises across this body of these ten tracks, all solely written by Ivey. They zig when you expect them to zag, leading to gorgeously subtle nuances that prove to be an enthralling delight, whether it be the gloriously layered fiddles on standout “Grey Machine” or the enjoyably jarring piano pounding on “Trial by Fire”, among others. Centering the entire project is the unrelenting deadpan and clever delivery of Ivey’s vocals and their pairing with the intelligent and oddball life observations littered within his prose, with “Downhill (Upside Down Optimist)” being a particular highlight, and one that recalls classic John Prine. All in all, it’s another positive chapter in Ivey’s artistic evolution, and one that deserves to make him just as recognizable in the field as his talented spouse.
Track Listing:
- “Orphan Child” (Jeremy Ivey)
- “Trial By Fire” (Ivey)
- “Keep Me High” (Ivey, Margo Price)
- “Downhill (Upside Down Optimist)” (Ivey)
- “Grey Machine” (Ivey)
- “Phantom Limb” (Ivey)
- “Empty Game” (Ivey)
- “Invisible Pictures” (Ivey)
- “Black Mood” (Ivey)
- “Silence and Sorrow” (Ivey)
The 706 
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