Fascinated (Ivy song)

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"Fascinated"
Ivyfascinated.png
Single by Ivy
from the album All Hours
ReleasedJuly 26, 2011
Recorded2011
Genre Electronica
Length4:21
Record label Nettwerk
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Adam Schlesinger
  • Andy Chase
Ivy singles chronology
"Distant Lights"
(2011)		"Fascinated"
(2011)		"Lost in the Sun"
(2012)

"Fascinated" is a song by American band Ivy. It was released as the second single from their sixth studio album, All Hours (2011), and made available for digital download on July 26, 2011 by Nettwerk in the United States. The song was written and produced by both Adam Schlesinger and Andy Chase. An electronica song, "Fascinated" uses keyboards and a repetitive, simple chorus throughout its duration; Ivy's take on the production was called "European" by one critic.

Contents

"Fascinated" received mixed to positive responses from music critics. While being appreciated for its "catchiness", a reviewer was critical for the song containing a "boring" composition. An accompanying music video for the track was released on October 25, 2011, featuring various scenes of the band performing the track in a "colorful" world with robotic dancers playing several instruments.

Background and composition

"Fascinated" was first announced on June 7, 2011, along with news concerning a song titled "Distant Lights". [1] It was released on July 26, 2011, nearly one month after the former track had become available for digital consumption. [2] While recording of the track was done exclusively by the members of Ivy in their respective homes, [3] "Fascinated" was written and produced by Adam Schlesinger and Andy Chase. The two also handled engineering of the song, with additional assistance being credited to Ruddy Cullers. Atsuo Matsumoto and Bruce Driscoll performed mixing and programming for the composition, respectively. [4] Described as a flashback to "'80s synth pop" music, [5] the track has been classified in the electronica genre, in contrast to the more "melodic guitar pop" vibe that was featured on their previous studio album, In the Clear (2005). [6] Agreeing with the consensus, Nettwerk claimed that the single "sounds like a lost 80's synth-pop hit remixed for today". [7] The recording incorporates keyboards in its instrumentation, while lead singer Dominique Durand repeats its title throughout the chorus. PopMatters 's John Bergstrom described Ivy's approach on the track as "cold, European attitude". [8]

Critical reception

The release of "Fascinated" was met with mixed to positive responses from contemporary music critics. AllMusic 's Matt Collar was appreciative of the single, which he described as a "catchy pop moment". [6] A critic from BlackBook agreed, stating that "songs like 'Fascinated' [...] sparkle with a catchy confidence". [2] A staff member from Filter Magazine claimed that "surely your 80's obsessed best friend will love it". [9] Bergstrom from PopMatters criticized "Fascinated", which he called an "undistinguished, flat-out boring song". He continued by questioning the refrain's simpleness and the production, which he found "annoying". [8]

Music video

An accompanying music video for "Fascinated" was released on October 25, 2011 via Nettwerk's official YouTube channel. [10] The visual was directed by Schlesinger's close friend Adam Neustadter, who helped in creating a "colorful" and "vaguely disorienting clip" for the band. [11] The video begins with Durand peering below a camera as flashing stills of a faceless man playing the keyboards appear. Three dancers, including a mime, a woman with sunglasses, and a ballerina, perform various choreography as the visual gradually zooms in and out of focus, achieving a 3D effect. As the first verse continues, Chase and Schlesinger are shown playing their respective instruments behind Durand, who sings the song's lyrics into a microphone. A similar process is carried out for the rest of the clip, and concludes by displaying the faceless individual using the keyboard. Commenting on the project's final result, Schlesinger insisted that it successfully matches the song's "synth-pop vibe" through the use of "robot dancing, some vintage synths, and a guy with no face". [11]

Track listing

Digital download [12]
No.TitleLength
1."Fascinated"4:21

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of All Hours and Ivy's discography on AllMusic. [4] [13]

Personnel

Release history

RegionDateFormatLabelRef.
United StatesJuly 26, 2011Digital downloadNettwerk [12]

Related Research Articles

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Andy Chase is an American musician, record producer, and label owner. He formed the band Ivy with Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of Wayne and Dominique Durand, now his wife. Chase owns Unfiltered Records and co-owned Stratosphere Sound studio with Schlesinger and James Iha of the Smashing Pumpkins.

<i>Long Distance</i> (Ivy album) 2000 studio album by Ivy

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<i>All Hours</i> 2011 studio album by Ivy

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edge of the Ocean</span> 2001 single by Ivy

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lucy Doesn't Love You</span> 2000 single by Ivy

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"Disappointed" is a song by American indie rock band Ivy. It was released as the second single from their third studio album, Long Distance (2000). It was released exclusively in the United States on July 10, 2001 by Nettwerk. The release was simultaneous with the release of '"Edge of the Ocean". The track was written by Dominique Durand, Adam Schlesinger and Andy Chase, while production was handled by the latter two and Peter Nashel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">This Is the Day (Ivy song)</span> 1998 single by Ivy

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">I've Got a Feeling (Ivy song)</span> 1997 single by Ivy

"I've Got a Feeling" is a song by American band Ivy, recorded for their second studio album, Apartment Life (1997). It was released as the record's second single in the United States and Australia on October 7, 1997 and 1998 by Atlantic Records, respectively. The track was written by Dominique Durand, Adam Schlesinger and Andy Chase, with the latter two plus Lloyd Cole and Peter Nashel handling its production. It is a pop song accompanied by light vocals and a horn section, with Durand gently singing about falling in love, over several layers of guitars and relaxed harmonies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Hate December</span> Single by American band Ivy

"I Hate December" is a song by American band Ivy, released on January 12, 1996 by Scratchie Records. The track came from the band's first extended play, Lately (1994). It was written and produced by Andy Chase and Adam Schlesinger, while Dominique Durand also contributed to the lyrics and Peter Nashel handled additional production. While the version that appeared on Lately was not released as a commercial single, a remix was created and distributed as a CD single instead.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You Don't Know Anything</span> 1999 single by Ivy

"You Don't Know Anything" is a song by American indie rock band Ivy. It was released by Atlantic Records on April 29, 1999 as the fourth and final single from their second studio album, Apartment Life (1997). The single was made available exclusively in Europe and featured the same two B-sides as previous single, "This Is the Day", which had been released by 550 Music in Austria. The track was written by Dominique Durand, Adam Schlesinger and Andy Chase while production was handled by the latter two and Peter Nashel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Get Enough (Ivy song)</span> 1994 single by Ivy

"Get Enough" is the debut single by American band Ivy, released in 1994 by Seed Records. It was included as the opening track for their first studio album, Realistic (1995). It was composed by band members Dominique Durand, Adam Schlesinger and Andy Chase, and produced by the latter two and Kurt Ralske. The song was conceived while the band was creating material for their first extended play, Lately (1994), a project that Durand was initially reluctant to work on. Its production, along with the rest of Realistic, was inspired by French musicians and exhibits a folk rock and pop sound.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lost in the Sun (song)</span> 2012 single by Ivy

"Lost in the Sun" is a song by American indie rock band Ivy. It was released as the third and final single from their sixth studio album, All Hours (2011). It was issued in the United States on April 10, 2012 as a digital download by Nettwerk and Unfiltered Records. The single was written and produced by Adam Schlesinger and Andy Chase.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Best Thing (Ivy song)</span> 1997 single by Ivy

"The Best Thing" is a song by American band Ivy on their second studio album, Apartment Life (1997). Released on September 12, 1997 by Atlantic Records, it was the band's major-label debut single and served as the parent album's lead single. The track was written by Dominique Durand, Adam Schlesinger and Andy Chase, and was produced by the latter two. A pop song, "The Best Thing" is accompanied by several guitars and a keyboard.

<i>Lately</i> (EP) 1994 EP by Ivy

Lately is the first extended play recorded by American band Ivy, released in May 1994 by Seed Records. Developed in the same year as the formation of the group, Lately is a French pop album with acoustic and general pop influences. Originally conceived by members Dominique Durand and Andy Chase, the pair recruited Adam Schlesinger for additional production and lyrics. Sessions took place in New York City and Paris, where they recorded four original tracks and a cover of Orange Juice's 1984 song "I Guess I'm Just a Little Too Sensitive".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Distant Lights (song)</span> 2011 single by Ivy

"Distant Lights" is a song by American indie rock band Ivy. It was released as the lead single from their sixth studio album, All Hours (2011). It was issued in the United States on June 7, 2011 as a digital download by Nettwerk. The single was written and produced by Adam Schlesinger and Andy Chase.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ivy discography</span>

American band Ivy has released six studio albums, one extended play (EP), fifteen singles, one promotional single, and eight music videos. After signing to Seed Records, Ivy released their debut EP, Lately, in May 1994. Their debut studio album Realistic was released in February 1995 and produced the singles "Get Enough" and "Don't Believe a Word", along with "Beautiful", which was issued as a promotional single. In 1995, a music video for "I Hate December", a song from Lately, was filmed and released. The song was then distributed as a single in January 1996. Ivy eventually left Seed and signed to Atlantic Records to record their second album Apartment Life, released in October 1997. To promote the album, "The Best Thing", "I've Got a Feeling", "This Is the Day", and "You Don't Know Anything" were made available as singles. Their third album Long Distance was released in Japan in 2000, and the next year in the United States. Three singles were promoted, including "Edge of the Ocean" which peaked at number 160 on the UK Singles Chart, marking their only appearance on that chart.

References

  1. ↑ "Ivy to Release New Album, "All Hours" Sept. 20; First Single, "Distant Lights" Out Now". Fenway Recordings. June 7, 2011. Archived from the original on September 21, 2016. Retrieved September 17, 2016.
  2. 1 2 Romeo, Danielle (July 26, 2011). "Ivy Releases New Single "Fascinated" And Announces NYC Show Date". Nettwerk. Archived from the original on September 20, 2016. Retrieved September 17, 2016.
  3. ↑ Romeo, Danielle (October 25, 2011). "Ivy Premieres Brand New Video For "Fascinated" From 'All Hours'". Nettwerk. Archived from the original on September 20, 2016. Retrieved September 17, 2011.
  4. 1 2 All Hours (Liner notes). Ivy (band). New York City, New York: Nettwerk. 2011.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  5. ↑ Mojica, Frank (September 16, 2011). "Ivy All Hours". Consequence of Sound . Archived from the original on November 30, 2016. Retrieved September 17, 2016.
  6. 1 2 Collar, Matt. "Ivy – All Hours". AllMusic. Archived from the original on August 30, 2016. Retrieved September 17, 2016.
  7. ↑ "9/20 – Ivy – 'All Hours'". Nettwerk. June 8, 2011. Archived from the original on September 20, 2016. Retrieved September 17, 2016.
  8. 1 2 Bergstrom, John (September 28, 2011). "Ivy – All Hours". PopMatters . Archived from the original on April 25, 2016. Retrieved September 17, 2016.
  9. ↑ Filter Magazine staff (July 25, 2011). "MP3: Ivy Frees the "Fascinated" (Filter Premiere)". Filter Magazine. Archived from the original on September 17, 2016. Retrieved September 17, 2011.
  10. ↑ "Ivy - Fascinated [Official Music Video]". Nettwerk. October 25, 2011. Archived from the original on August 4, 2016. Retrieved September 17, 2011.
  11. 1 2 "Ivy 'Fascinated'". Rolling Stone . October 25, 2011. Archived from the original on January 13, 2017. Retrieved September 17, 2016.
  12. 1 2 "Fascinated – Ivy". Amazon. Archived from the original on September 20, 2016. Retrieved June 14, 2016.
  13. ↑ "Ivy – All Hours: Credits". AllMusic. Archived from the original on September 21, 2016. Retrieved April 19, 2016.
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