The Ivy League Want You To “Be Anything You Need” and Get “Everything You Ever Wanted”
Have you ever felt alone? Like you didn’t belong? Like no matter how hard you tried, you’d never find those people that get you? You’d need to spend your whole life code switching to fit in with others at school, work or even in social situations? Then the Ivy League is for you. They want you to join their family. Not in a cultish way, in a we’ve all been there before, and we all want one thing in life–to be accepted for who we are with all of our flaws and our nooks and crannies out in the open. Their new EP, Everything I Ever Wanted, opens with their title track and lays down some indie/emo-punk posicore that would fit in at any diy show full of disaffected youth or adults with lyrics like “We can be anything we need, welcome to the Ivy League. Just to be a part of this is all I ever wanted” The this being the place that we can call "home". This is literally felt when I discovered punk rock. It wasn’t just a third place between home and school/work, it was my actual home–it was a collection of misfits that knew how to accept me for who I was and not what they expected of me.
Track 2: “The Weight” starts with a killer bass line and picks up the pace, and askes “for a little help to save me from myself”. You can feel the plaintiveness with the turmoil of emotions bubbling underneath the calm perceived by outside observers. You know that moment when you’re probably politely asked how are you doing, and you give the requisite answer of “all good” but in reality the tumultuousness in your heart and soul and roaring so loud you can’t even hear your own inner voice pleading for help.
Track 3: “Infinite” starts with a monologue from one of my favorite books, The Perks of Being a Wallflower. That alone should tell you more about this band than any review. I remember when I first read it twenty some years ago, I’d burn a CD with all the songs in the book, so when I loaned it to someone they had the soundtrack to help feel all that needed to be felt. This band would deserve to be on that soundtrack. The middle where it says “I’m okay, I’m just a little sad” somehow comes across as almost happy due to the hand clapping that adds a celebratory nature to the moment as if your friends are all there clapping to keep you from staying there. Yes, you’re sad, and yes you can let yourself own and feel that emotion but before you drown, remember that we are infinite. Below is the clip from the movie, but I would recommend (as is almost always the case) reading the book before watching the movie.
Track 4: “St. Tom 1941” My first thought was that it was a song about the bombing of St. Thomas hospital in 1941 in England (Sorry–I’m a history teacher). But after listening and reading the lyrics. It’s a goodbye to someone whose physical presence has left the world, but their spirit has left its mark on everything to be seen. The “happy birthday” at the end was heart wrenching and powerful.
I’ve been waiting to do this review for a while, and the sad part is that I missed out on several weeks of listening to this amazingly heartfelt release. On the plus side, they are from Brooklyn which means I have a chance of seeing them or possibly playing a show together in the future!
Listen to the full EP on Spotify or Check them out on our two playlists:
Dope Punk Hardcore and Punk Bands to See Live
Indie/Garage/Grunge/Alternative Bands to See Live
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