This Is Ivy League

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Please improve this article if you can. (May 2008)

This Is Ivy League is an indie band formed in 2005 by best friends Ryland Blackinton and Alex Suarez (of Cobra Starship fame).

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[edit] Early life

Both Alex and Ryland grew up in Boca Raton, Florida and bonded over their love of music, playing in separate local bands and receiving various levels of accolades over the years. Their lives took different turns when Alex decided to pursue an educational career in culinary arts, and Ryland worked toward his BFA in acting. The two lost touch for nearly seven years before discovering that they actually ended up living ten minutes away from each other in Brooklyn, New York. Immediately, they fell back into their old groove, and started writing songs together, which would later become the indie/pop/folk sound that we know as This Is Ivy League.

[edit] Cobra Starship

Blackinton and Suarez were approached to join Gabe Saporta's newly formed band Cobra Starship after he found fast success with the hit song, "Bring It (Snakes on a Plane)". The song was featured on the soundtrack for the film Snakes on a Plane and was offered a record deal for Pete Wentz's sister label to Fueled By Ramen, Decaydance. Alex and Ryland accepted, enjoying worldwide success and recognition since.

[edit] Keeping Ivy League alive

Although they spent most of their time touring with Cobra Starship, Alex and Ryland continued to write songs for Ivy League, vowing to record an album once Cobra settled down. The album was released on April 1st, 2008 on Twentyseven Records. The album, like the London Bridges EP, was recorded entirely between the duo's Brooklyn apartments.

The two produce beautiful, seamless and consistent harmonies which can only come from an obvious comfort while recording. Their debut EP, London Bridges is an amazing piece of musical art. The accompanying video for the tune has already been singled out by Pitchfork which said, "...the clip creates and sustains a soft-focus weirdness, borrowing all the elements you’d expect from a postmillennial Chad & Jeremy—blazers, bicycles, merry-go-rounds, a park in autumn—while adding a few new flourishes—women in animal costumes, gently evocative use of color and pattern. Alex Suarez and Ryland Blackinton croon their crisp harmonies, finishing each other’s sentences and riffs, nearly symmetrical as they perform atop their pedestals for the animal woman".

Ryland and Alex have commitments with Cobra Starship, but manage to make time for fans of This Is Ivy League, whether it be on Myspace, Livejournal or just in conversation outside of a show.

[edit] External links