Seattle band Ivan & Alyosha stopped into the CPR Performance Studio last week before a pair of Colorado performances.
The band released its sophomore album "It's All Just Pretend" earlier this summer. The record expands upon the acoustic folk of 2013's "All the Times We Had" with a more hard-edged rock sound, thanks to an expanded lineup that includes brothers Tim and Pete Wilson.
The musicians performed three tracks from the new record and spoke with OpenAir's Alisha Sweeney about their writing style, the heavy themes of the new album and the lessons they learned from touring with acts like Aimee Mann and Brandi Carlile.
Stream the session above and read highlights below.
On how experiences in a Hurricane Katrina-ravaged New Orleans influenced the record:
“I’d heard a lot of stories of people blaming their situation on their surroundings. ... A couple of us were lucky enough to go down to New Orleans after Katrina. You work with [the victims], have meals with them and talk.
“They don’t blame anything on their surroundings, most of them. They’re just kind of picking themselves up and saying ‘I’m gonna be a pioneer to my family and I’m gonna rebuild my house and that’s just the way life is right now.’”
Songs performed:
- "It's All Just Pretend"
- "Bury Me Deep"
- "All This Wandering Around"
