Review Summary: Copeland returns in triumphant fashion, with a familiar sound that manages to be even more expansive and emotional than their previous albums.
Copeland is an emotional band, that much is certain. With a vocally driven sound, Copeland's Aaron Marsh has a way of taking the feelings that are hidden deep inside of your heart and force them to come bubbling outward. After four great albums, it was disappointing when the band announced that they would be undergoing an indefinite hiatus six years ago after the release of You Are My Sunshine. It seemed that they had just begun to reach their potential with YAMS, filled to the brim with gorgeous layers of sound and Marsh's crystal clear voice piercing through. Then, they were gone.
Six years later, after a few months of building anticipation following the announcement of a new album, Ixora was finally released. As is true with all Copeland records, a full listen through of the album is necessary in order to garner full appreciation. It is initially clear that this is more subtle of a record than the previous efforts, building off of the foundation that You Are My Sunshine laid down. In Motion was a guitar-driven rock record, while Eat, Sleep, Repeat and You Are My Sunshine were softer and more vocally focused. Looking through their discography, the natural progression of the band is obvious, and Ixora is no exception in terms of growing off of the previous efforts.
Ixora opens with "Have I Always Loved You", a slow ballad opening with the soft playing of an acoustic guitar and Marsh's piercing notes. Layers build on with the soft pattering of the drums and the fluttering notes of a flute. It is an immersive piece that is the perfect opener to the album. "Disjointed" arrives next with a driving bass line and sweeping strings, and is perhaps the most prototypical Copeland song on the album. Yet, the result makes it clear that the band had not missed anything after being on a long hiatus. If anything, the lengthy absence has only made their sound even stronger.
"I Can Make You Feel Young Again" is initially a bit of a departure from the normal Copeland feel, but falls back into normal territory rather quickly. It shows how they are still able to branch out and embrace new sounds while still holding true to their steadfast style. With the ambient synth melody reverberating through the song, "I Can Make You Feel Young Again" continues the incredible momentum that the first three songs had built.
Then, "Erase" arrives. It is undoubtedly the highlight on the album and encompasses everything that Copeland is about. It starts simply with the trademarked piano and stings and builds from there. The lyrical growth of Marsh is apparent here, as some of the lines here are devastating. "You're still the breeze upon my skin/Close my eyes, breathe you in" highlights the bunch. Then, at that moment, the song explodes into something else entirely. The tension built up from the beginning is released perfectly, like a giant wave of emotion, in a way only Copeland could achieve.
The album drifts a little bit in the middle with "Lavender", "Ordinary", and "Like A Lie". "Lavender" is an abrupt change from the sweeping sounds of "Erase", shifting into a more electronic and beat-focused style. The song itself is unique for Copeland and a welcome expansion of their sound, but it simply doesn't fit after "Erase". It does transition well into "Ordinary", however, a traditional piano ballad that is classic Copeland. Compared to the rest of the album, the sound isn't as varied, but it still is a gorgeous listen. "Like a Lie" is brilliant up until the chorus, which doesn't seem to fit with the rest of the song. This is somewhat disappointing, as the verses of the song are some of the best that Copeland has done.
Ixora redeems itself, however, with an incredible run of the three songs to finish the album. "Chiromancer" begins softly with lovely harmonies, but builds quickly into one of the more upbeat songs on the album. Steff Koeppen's vocals fit perfectly with Marsh's, and the way the song develops makes it a highlight on the album. "World Turn" is another softer acoustic number, but it stands out with the addition of the soft pattering of rain, a saxophone solo, and the beautiful guitar on the outro. "In Her Arms You Will Never Starve" closes the album wonderfully. As is usual with Copeland, the song builds from an initially simple idea, with everything coalescing at the end of the song perfectly.
When looking at Copeland's discography, the differences in the albums and the development of the band stand out clear as day. Although the previous albums are all great in their own right, Ixora features the sound of a band that is fully realized and knows exactly what they are trying to do. After a long six years without knowing whether Copeland would ever return, Ixora was worth all of the wait. As a band that has been tugging on people's heartstrings in all the right ways for a long time, Copeland does it better than they've ever done it before.
