"Ladies and Gentleman, we're here to tell you what the world ain't got enough of," exclaims
Von Iva frontwoman Jillian Iva on the white-hot motion of "Feel It." The San Francisco four-piece delivers a brash mix of soul and rock & roll on their self-titled debut. They sweat soul. Underneath the foxy synth beats of Becky Kupersmith, Kelly Harris' armor-plated drumming, and Elizabeth Davis-Simpson's sneaky basslines, this six-song EP maintains that love is the drug. It's enough to shake what your mama gave ya and then some. "Same Sad Song" gives a riotous welcome with its punk-inspired undertones. Iva is tough and sexy in her performance, much like her favorite,
Tina Turner, while also squaring up to current mainstream female artists such as
Karen O.,
Peaches, and
Le Tigre. The demands never stop; swivel your hips like it hurts on "Feel It!" and match up to the gallop-like strut of "Not Hot to Trot."
Von Iva's brassy kind of soul is pure. In 2005, not too many artists were really making this kind of music, let alone making an honest effort in capturing both the spirit and swagger of rock & roll like
Von Iva does. They slap you up good. [The EP also features the video for "Not Hot to Trot!"] ~ MacKenzie Wilson