Ivy

Ivy have certainly journeyed far. The group was formed in 1994 when Andy Chase and Adam Schlesinger convinced Parisian Dominique Durand, who had recently moved to New York and had no aspirations to be a singer, to venture into Chase’s studio and try recording four new songs with them. Those recordings, which showcased Durand’s intimate, distinctive – and at that point, heavily accented – vocals alongside Chase and Schlesinger’s pop melodies and jangly guitars, quickly led to a record deal. Soon Ivy became a real working band, and Durand, who had previously been working as a photographer’s assistant, found herself opening for acts like Oasis, Edwyn Collins, and St. Etienne. After receiving Melody Maker’s "Single Of The Week" with their debut 7″, "Get Enough", they released their debut EP, Lately, and then their first full-length LP, 1995′s Realistic. However, it was with Apartment Life (1997) that they hit their stride. That album, which combined the simplicity and charm of their earlier work with growing sophistication and confidence in the recording studio, received glittering reviews and helped Ivy solidify a loyal fanbase. Long Distance (2001) continued on the trajectory established by Apartment Life, and contained the standout single "Edge Of The Ocean", which quickly became one of Ivy’s signature songs and was licensed in numerous films, television shows, and commercials.