Realistic isn't a great album on its own, but it hints strongly at
Ivy's potential. A good deal of the songwriting comes from Academy Award-nominated
Adam Schlesinger (also of
Fountains of Wayne), who has an incredible ability to crank out pop songs -- the writing on Realistic is occasionally marvelous, but bland. Overly slick production and a few lackadaisical songs keep the album from becoming very memorable. While French singer
Dominique Durand's wispy, enchanting voice and several great pop songs ("Everyday," "Dying Star") make Realistic worthwhile, the band's later releases bring more life to
Ivy's smooth and gentle style of pop. ~ Nitsuh Abebe