Irving - Death in the Garden, Blood on the Flowers

Irving’s strength lies in its ability to pummel a listener with a distinct sense of indie poppery that often comes across as a façade. There’s a sunny side to all these songs, but on the surface, darker elements are looming. Don’t let the vibrant artwork and goofy song titles throw you off; the record’s name is much more telling of what lies within. Death in the Garden, Blood on the Flowers is the third release from Los Angeles’ Irving, and the quintet sought out producers who’ve worked with some of indie rock’s biggest names of late to helm the sound board. Phil Ek, Jim Fairchild, and Aaron Espinoza all see some time on the production end here, and if you don’t recognize those names, a quick scan of your record collection might yield some answers. The dichotomy between the songs’ moods on Death in the Garden… range from the brooding, sinister “The Gentle Preservation of Children’s Minds” (which seems to segue from a verse detailing some gruesomely fictitious scene of child labor to a view of romanticism) to the sillier, self-deprecating “Jen, Nothing Matters to Me,” in which the narrator rises above his selfishness to tell his love that she can do better. The title track’s synth-driven core permeates the low, thudding basslines and perfectly backs the idea that the writer is “the worst boy that you’ve ever had.” What lends some weight to Irving’s style is that all five members get a microphone, and a live show sees the limelight jumping around the stage instead of creating an obvious leader for the band. Paired with the blaring, distinct keys and the array of moods it covers, Death in the Garden, Blood on the Flowers makes for a highly pleasing and appealing sophomore record. [www.eeniemeenie.com]