Ivan & Alyosha

Named after two characters in Dostoevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov, the folk-rock group Ivan and Alyosha had a minor hit two years ago when “Easy to Love,” a tune from its self-released EP, defied the odds and picked up some radio airplay. On its recently released full-length debut, All the Times We Had, the band tries to replicate its live sound in the studio. The results are striking as the vocal harmonies and folky melodies have a bit more of an edge to them. The four-piece band delivers a classic, ’60s- influenced sound that singer-guitarist Tim Wilson says sets the band apart from other indie rock darlings. “We’ve never been the indie it-band,” he says. “It’s taken some time for people to warm up to us. I think we’re maybe a bit more pop music-minded than most vibe-y indie bands. We got looped into the whole Fleet Foxes/Head and the Heart thing but at the end of the day all we want to be is a rock band.” (Jeff Niesel)