The Ivy Walls – The Elegant Universe (Independent) Well, the elegant part of this album title is spot on. The music has a suave demeanor that would put the band in the big league immediately, if all things were just and fair. Their songs give out a wealth of good feeling, almost making you suspect that you might have heard some of these songs before. Almost is the key word, because the material is as fresh as newly baked bread, and the ingredients are all top quality. It’s a blending of the very best 80’s new wave, and what might be called ‘shoegaze’ from the 90’s, although the latter term is a bit of a misnomer when applied here. These songs do not have an introspective feel to them, but reach out to you in no small way. What it comes down to is that there is more sophistication in the music than shoegaze ever had, assured without being pompous, direct without being demanding. The Ivy Walls have crafted a pretty distinctive sophomore album here, which might just get the avalanche of listeners that it deserves. www.myspace.com/theivywalls Kev A. The Ivy Walls – Getaway Driver Next