Alvvays#cite ref-20
{{Short description|Canadian indie pop band}}
{{for|their self-titled debut album|Alvvays (album)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2023}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Alvvays
| image = Alvvays 14860192853.jpg
| caption = Alvvays performing in London, UK, 2014
| landscape = yes
| origin = Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada
| genre = {{hlist|Indie pop|dream pop|shoegaze|neo-psychedelia|twee pop{{Citation |title= Anti-Social Antisocialites: Alvvays On Their Sophomore Record|first=Matthrew |last= Goodrich |work= Brooklyn Magazine |date=September 7, 2017 |access-date=October 3, 2017|url= http://www.bkmag.com/2017/09/07/anti-social-antisocialites-alvvays-on-their-sophomore-record/ }}|jangle pop{{cite web|first1=Jeff|last1=Terich|url=http://sdcitybeat.com/music/music-feature/alvvays-keep-jangle-pop-alive/ |title=Alvvays keep jangle-pop alive |publisher=San Diego City Beat |date=November 19, 2014 |access-date=December 17, 2019|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191217211632/http://sdcitybeat.com/music/music-feature/alvvays-keep-jangle-pop-alive/|archive-date=December 17, 2019}}}}
| years_active = {{Start date|2011}}–present
| label = Royal Mountain (Canada)
Polyvinyl (US)
Transgressive (Europe)
Pod / Inertia Music (Australia)
| website = {{URL|alvvays.com}}
| current_members = Molly Rankin
Kerri MacLellan
Alec O'Hanley
Sheridan Riley
| past_members = Phil MacIsaac
Brian Murphy
Abbey Blackwell
}}
Alvvays (pronounced "always") is a Canadian indie pop band formed in 2011, originating from Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, and subsequently based in Toronto, Ontario. It consists of Molly Rankin (vocals and guitar), Kerri MacLellan (keyboards), Alec O'Hanley (guitars), and Sheridan Riley (drums). Their self-titled debut studio album, released in 2014, topped the US college charts.{{Cite web|url=https://naccchart.com/news/the-nacc-charts-for-october-24-are-live|title=The NACC Charts for October 24|date=October 24, 2017}} Their second studio album, Antisocialites, was released on September 8, 2017. Their third studio album, Blue Rev, was released on October 7, 2022.
Antisocialites and Blue Rev each won the Juno Award for Alternative Album of the Year. All three of their albums were shortlisted for the Polaris Music Prize. The song "Belinda Says" from Blue Rev was nominated for Best Alternative Music Performance at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards.{{Cite web |title=2024 GRAMMY Nominations: See The Full Nominees List {{!}} GRAMMY.com |url=https://www.grammy.com/news/2024-grammys-nominations-full-winners-nominees-list |website=www.grammy.com} |access-date=2023-11-11}}
History
=Formation and early years (2011–2015)=
Molly Rankin, the group's singer-songwriter, is the daughter of John Morris Rankin,{{cite web |title=John Morris Rankin Obituary |url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/john-rankin-obituary |website=thecanadianencyclopedia.ca |publisher=The Canadian Encyclopedia |access-date=November 1, 2021}} a fiddler with the Celtic folk family collective The Rankin Family, who enjoyed international success in the 1990s.{{cite web|url=https://www.straight.com/music/778611/alvvayss-molly-rankin-broke-family-tradition|title=Alvvays's Molly Rankin broke with family tradition|website=The Georgia Straight|publisher=Overstory Media Inc|date=November 26, 2014|first1=John|last1=Lucas}} She wrote and sang the song "Sunset" on the 2007 Rankin Family album Reunion. Rankin grew up in Mabou, Nova Scotia, writing music with her neighbour, keyboardist Kerri MacLellan. She later met guitarist and partner Alec O'Hanley at a concert. With the help of O'Hanley, Rankin quietly released a solo extended play titled She in 2010. Alvvays was formed the following year, with Rankin recruiting MacLellan, O'Hanley, drummer Phil MacIsaac and bassist Brian Murphy. Rankin picked the name Alvvays because it had a "shred of sentiment and nostalgia."{{cite news|title=Alvvays Singer Molly Rankin on Starting a New Band, Chad VanGaalen's 'Weird' Studio|publisher=Diffuser.fm|access-date=October 22, 2015|date=November 21, 2014|url=http://diffuser.fm/alvvays-band-interview/|first1=Rebecca|last1=Schiller}} The spelling of the band name was due to the fact that there was already a band named Always signed to Sony.
File:Alvvays - Sasquatch 2015.jpg in 2015]]
The band members moved to Toronto and secured jobs that allowed them to tour occasionally.{{cite news|title=Alvvays: The Best of What's Next|work=Paste|access-date=October 22, 2015|date=July 22, 2014|url=http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2014/07/alvvays-the-best-of-whats-next.html|first1=Philip|last1=Cosores}} The group toured extensively as supporting acts for bands such as Peter Bjorn and John and the Decemberists.{{cite web |title=The Decemberists + Alvvays: 6 April 2015 – Beacon Theatre, New York |url=https://www.popmatters.com/192248-the-decemberists-alvvays-beacon-theatre-photos-2495541878.html |website=popmatters.com |date=April 13, 2015 |publisher=PopMatters |access-date=November 1, 2021}} Their self-titled debut studio album, Alvvays, was recorded in Calgary with Chad VanGaalen in March 2013; Graham Walsh helped track the album while John Agnello helped mix it.{{cite news|title=Alvvays: 'Nobody talks about the adventurous kind of love'|work=The Globe and Mail|access-date=October 22, 2015|date=July 29, 2014|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/music/alvvays-nobody-talks-about-the-adventurous-kind-of-love/article19830336/|author= Brad Wheeler}}
Alvvays were signed to Polyvinyl Records (US) on the strength of their performances at South by Southwest{{cite web |title=Alvvays, Next of Kin, Mohawk Patio at SXSW, Austin, 19.3.15 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7FBWqJFv_E |website=youtube.com | date=March 23, 2015 |publisher=YouTube |access-date=November 1, 2021}} and online response to the demo of their single "Adult Diversion".{{cite news|title=Alvvays: Biography & History|publisher=Allmusic|access-date=October 22, 2015|first1=Scott|last1=Kerr|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/alvvays-mn0003190902/biography}} The album Alvvays was released by Royal Mountain Records (Canada), Polyvinyl Records (US) and Transgressive Records (Europe) in July 2014.{{Cite web |last=Bowe |first=Miles |date=2014-04-24 |title=Alvvays – “Archie, Marry Me” |url=https://www.stereogum.com/1677736/alvvays-archie-marry-me/news/ |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=Stereogum |language=en}} Simon Vozick-Levinson, writing in Rolling Stone, called the album an "indie-pop wonder".{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/alvvays-20140714|title=Alvvays 'Alvvays' Album Review|last=Vozick-Levinson|first=Simon|date=July 14, 2014|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=July 25, 2014}} Alvvays went to #1 on US college charts on August 5, 2014;{{cite web|title=CMJ Charts: August 5, 2014|url=http://www.cmj.com/nmr/1356|website=CMJ|access-date=August 24, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140814172502/http://www.cmj.com/nmr/1356|archive-date=August 14, 2014|url-status=dead}} in November that year they performed in Los Angeles with another Canadian band, Absolutely Free.{{cite web|url=https://consequenceofsound.net/2014/11/live-review-alvvays-at-acerogami-in-pomona-1126/|title=Live Review: Alvvays at Acerogami in Pomona (11/26)|website=Consequences of Sound|first1=Philip|last1=Cosores|date=November 27, 2014}}
"Archie, Marry Me" became a minor hit.{{cite news|title=SXSW Lone Stars: Alvvays on Archie's Identity and Scot-Pop|work=Spin|access-date=October 22, 2015|date=March 11, 2015|url=http://www.spin.com/2015/03/alvvays-sxsw-interview-marry-me-archie/|author= Ilana Kaplan}} The single for "Archie, Marry Me" featured the B-side "Underneath Us" which was recorded after the eponymous album.{{Cite web |last=Blog |first=N. M. E. |date=July 9, 2014 |title=Track Premiere – Alvvays, 'Underneath Us' |url=https://www.nme.com/blogs/nme-radar/track-premiere-alvvays-underneath-us-19849 |access-date=October 1, 2022 |website=NME |language=en-GB}}
The group toured heavily in support of their debut, including slots at Glastonbury 2015 and Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in 2016.
The debut album was nominated to the shortlist of the 2015 Polaris Music Prize. They performed at that year's gala with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. At the Juno Awards of 2015, the band was nominated as Breakthrough Group of the Year, and Alvvays was nominated for Alternative Album of the Year.{{cite web |title=Past Nominees & Winners |url=https://junoawards.ca/awards/past-winners-nominees/?search_year_val1=1970&search_year_val2=2021&search_category_val=&search_wins_val=no&tag_search_val=Alvvays&submit=submit |website=junoawards.ca |publisher=Juno Awards |access-date=November 1, 2021}}
=''Antisocialites'' (2016–2018)=
Alvvays began recording and writing their second studio album in 2015.{{cite news|title=Catching Up with Alvvays|work=Paste|access-date=October 22, 2015|date=September 21, 2015|url=http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2015/09/catching-up-with-alvvays.html|author=Adrian Spinelli}} Several new original songs had been performed throughout 2014 and 2015, including "Your Type" (often the opening song of the show), "New Haircut" (later retitled "Saved By A Waif") and "Hey". In 2016 they added "Not My Baby" and "Dreams" to their performance repertoire.{{cite web|url=http://diymag.com/2016/04/21/alvvays-dreams-not-my-baby-new-songs|title=We need to talk about these new Alvvays songs|website=DIY|date=April 21, 2016 |access-date=October 10, 2017}}
File:Coachella18W1-272 (40249992220).jpg
Following the addition of new songs such as "Plimsoll Punks" as part of live shows in spring 2017, Alvvays released a teaser clip of a song called "In Undertow" from their second album, Antisocialites. Along with songs performed at previous shows, new songs for this record included "Already Gone", "Forget About Life", "In Undertow", "Lollipop (Ode to Jim)" and "Saved by a Waif". The album was released on September 8, 2017. A North American and European tour in support of the album was announced for autumn 2017. In 2016, Phil MacIsaac left the music industry for a career in graphic design;{{cite web |last1=Sturgeon |first1=Nathalie |title='A case of the empties' |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/phil-macisaac-musician-graphic-designer-1.5012380 |website=cbc.ca |publisher=CBC News |access-date=November 2, 2021}} he was replaced by Sheridan Riley.{{cite web|url=https://movementdrum.co/blogs/journal/an-interview-with-sheridan-riley|title=An Interview with Sheridan Riley|website=Movement Drum Company|access-date=August 16, 2018}} A second UK tour in spring 2018 was announced in September 2017.
On September 16, 2017, at a show in Antwerp, a male audience member jumped on stage and attempted to kiss singer Molly Rankin. Ken Veerman, the director at Trix, the show’s venue, apologized on Facebook.{{Cite web |last=Blais-Billie |first=Braudie |date=2017-09-19 |title=Stage Crasher Tries to Kiss Alvvays’ Molly Rankin |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/stage-crasher-tries-to-kiss-alvvays-molly-rankin/ |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US}}
In 2018 the band received a SOCAN Songwriting Prize nomination for the song "Dreams Tonite",{{Cite web |title=2018 SOCAN Songwriting Prize Nominees Revealed |url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/2018_socan_songwriting_prize_nominees_revealed |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=Exclaim |language=en}} and Antisocialites was shortlisted for the 2018 Polaris Music Prize.[https://exclaim.ca/music/article/polaris_music_prize_reveals_2018_short_list "Polaris Music Prize Reveals 2018 Short List"]. Exclaim!, July 17, 2018. At the Juno Awards of 2018, Alvvays was nominated as Group of the Year and Antisocialites won the Juno Award for Alternative Album of the Year.[https://www.cbc.ca/music/junos/news/junos-2018-the-complete-list-of-winners-1.4579405 "Junos 2018: the complete list of winners"]. CBC News, · March 25, 2018
===Blue Rev (2021–present)===
File:Alvvays (52517795500) (cropped).jpg in Seattle, 2022]]
Between 2019 and 2022, members of Alvvays largely stayed out of the public eye, with suggestions that the band had disbanded. Bassist and founding member Brian Murphy left the band in 2021.{{Cite web |last=Hayhoe |first=Beau |date=September 6, 2022 |title="Pharmacist" Signals an Impressive, Long-Awaited Return for Alvvays |url=https://atwoodmagazine.com/avph-alvvays-pharmacist-song-review/ |access-date=November 6, 2022 |website=Atwood Magazine |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Tenreyro |first=Tatiana |date=October 7, 2022 |title=Alvvays Faced Down Challenges (and Came Out Better for Them) to Make Blue Rev |url=https://www.spin.com/2022/10/alvvays-blue-rev-interview/ |access-date=November 6, 2022 |website=Spin}} Alvvays released "Pharmacist", the first single from their third album Blue Rev, on July 6, 2022. Blue Rev was released on October 7, 2022.{{cite web |last1=Brodsky |first1=Rachel |title=Alvvays Announce New Album 'Blue Rev': Hear "Pharmacist" |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2192254/alvvays-pharmacist-blue-rev/music/ |website=Stereogum |access-date=July 6, 2022 |language=en |date=July 6, 2022}} "Belinda Says", the third single from Blue Rev, was nominated for Best Alternative Music Performance at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards.{{cite web |last=Corcoran |first=Nina |title=Paramore Win Best Alternative Music Performance and Best Rock Album at 2024 Grammys |url= https://pitchfork.com/news/paramore-win-best-alternative-music-performance-and-best-rock-album-at-2024-grammys/ |access-date=4 February 2024 |date=4 February 2024 |website=Pitchfork}}
Musical style and influences
Alvvays' music has been described as jangle pop by the music press and its members. According to Rankin, the band's emphasis is primarily on strong melodies rather than for a specific genre. The band has been compared to Camera Obscura; Rankin noted she shared vocalist Tracyanne Campbell's "fondness for the pathetic perspective." Rankin sought inspiration from Stephin Merritt, frontman of the Magnetic Fields, appreciating the honest but lighthearted nature of his lyrics.{{cite news|title=Discovery: Alvvays|work=Interview|access-date=October 22, 2015|date=November 23, 2013|url=http://www.interviewmagazine.com/music/discovery-alvvays/#_|author=Hannah Ghorashi}} Rankin's personal influences include The Magnetic Fields, Teenage Fanclub, Dolly Mixture, The Smiths, Celine Dion, Pavement, The Primitives, Cocteau Twins, Oasis and Australian indie-pop group The Hummingbirds.{{Cite news |date=2023-12-11|title=How an 80s Sydney band inspired Canadian indie pop darlings Alvvays |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-12-12/alvvays-band-indie-pop-sydney-hummingbirds/103213922 |access-date=2024-02-08 |work=ABC News|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|first1=Alison|last1=Xiao|language=en-AU}} While the band does not have an overt Celtic music sound, Rankin acknowledges that she was immersed in the genre from childhood, and it has a discernible influence on the way she sings and writes melodies.{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140822173646/http://www.aux.tv/2014/08/torontos-alvvays-welcome-you-to-the-jangle-on-their-debut-album/|archive-date=22 August 2014|url=http://www.aux.tv/2014/08/torontos-alvvays-welcome-you-to-the-jangle-on-their-debut-album/|url-status=dead|title=Toronto's Alvvays welcome you to the jangle on their debut album|website=Aux|date=August 5, 2014|first1=Jabbari|last1=Weekes}}
Members
=Current members=
- Molly Rankin – vocals, rhythm guitar (2011–present), bass guitar (2022–present)
- Kerri MacLellan – keyboards, backing vocals (2011–present)
- Alec O'Hanley – lead guitar, keyboards, backing vocals (2011–present)
- Sheridan Riley – drums, percussion, backing vocals (2017–present){{cite web|url=https://soundcloud.com/rachaeldanziggordon/alvvays-lollapalooza-interview-2017|title=Alvvays-- Lollapalooza Interview, 2017|website=Soundcloud.com|access-date=October 10, 2017}}
=Past members=
- Phil MacIsaac – drums (2011–2016)
- Brian Murphy – bass guitar (2011–2021)
- Abbey Blackwell – bass guitar, backing vocals (2021–2024)
=Past touring musicians=
- Lukas Cheung – bass guitar (2024)
Discography
=Albums=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1"
|+ List of studio albums, with selected chart positions and certifications ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:10em;"| Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:18em;"| Album details ! scope="col" colspan="10"| Peak chart positions |
| scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| CAN {{cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/alvvays/chart-history/cna/ |title=Alvvays – Chart History: Canadian Albums |magazine=Billboard |access-date=October 18, 2022}} ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| AUS
! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| NL ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| NZ ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| SCO
! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| UK
! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| UK
! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| US ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| US ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| US |
|---|
| scope="row"|Alvvays
|
| — || — || — || — || — || 107 || 17 || —{{efn|group=upper-alpha|Alvvays did not enter the US Billboard 200, but peaked at number 12 on the US Heatseekers Albums Chart.{{cite web|title=Alvvays – Chart History|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/alvvays/chart-history/tln/|website=Billboard.com|access-date=August 27, 2019}}}} || — || — |
| scope="row"|Antisocialites
|
| 36 || 18 || — || 8 || 22 || 28 || 6 || 82 || 7 || 14 |
| scope="row"| Blue Rev
|
| 75 || 6 || 33 || — || 6 || 27 || 2 || 61 || 8 || 8 |
| colspan="12" style="font-size:90%" | "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. |
= Singles =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ List of singles, with selected chart positions, showing year released and album name ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:14em;"| Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Year ! scope="col" colspan="2"| Peak chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:8em;" | Certifications ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:10em;"| Album |
| scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"|CAN Rock {{cite magazine |title=Alvvays: Canada Rock |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/alvvays/chart-history/car/ |magazine=Billboard |access-date=December 21, 2022}} ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"|US |
|---|
| scope="row" | "Adult Diversion"
| 2013 | — || — | | rowspan="4"|Alvvays |
| scope="row" | "Archie, Marry Me"
| rowspan="2"|2014 | — || — | |
| scope="row" | "Next of Kin"
| — || — | |
| scope="row" | "Party Police"
| 2015 | — || — | |
| scope="row" | "Not My Baby"
| rowspan="5"|2017 | — || — | | rowspan="5"|Antisocialites |
| scope="row" | "In Undertow"
| 48 || — | |
| scope="row" | "Dreams Tonite"
| — || — | |
| scope="row" | "Plimsoll Punks"
| — || — | |
| scope="row" | "Lollipop (Ode to Jim)"
| — || — | |
| scope="row" | "Pharmacist"
| rowspan="4"|2022 | — || — | | rowspan="4"|Blue Rev |
| scope="row" | "Easy On Your Own?"
| 50 || 32 | |
| scope="row" | "Belinda Says" / "Very Online Guy"
| — || — | |
| scope="row" | "After the Earthquake"
| — || — | |
| colspan="11" style="font-size:90%" | "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. |
=Music videos=
- 2013: "Adult Diversion"
- 2014: "Archie, Marry Me"
- 2014: "Next of Kin"
- 2017: "In Undertow"
- 2017: "Dreams Tonite"
- 2022: "Pharmacist"
- 2022: "Easy On Your Own?"
- 2022: "Very Online Guy"
- 2022: "Belinda Says"
- 2022: "After the Earthquake"
- 2022: "Many Mirrors"
=Notes=
{{notelist-ua}}
Awards and nominations
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|Alvvays}}
- {{Official website|http://alvvays.com}}
- {{AllMusic|class=artist|id=alvvays-mn0003190902|label=Alvvays}}
- {{MusicBrainz artist|id=99450990-b24e-4132-bb68-235f8c3e2564|name=Alvvays}}
- {{Discogs artist|Alvvays|name=Alvvays}}
- {{IMDb name|id=9871681}}
{{Alvvays}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Canadian indie pop groups
Category:Canadian dream pop musical groups
Category:Musical groups from Toronto
Category:Musical groups established in 2011
Category:2011 establishments in Ontario
Category:Juno Award for Alternative Album of the Year winners
Category:Musical groups from Charlottetown
Category:Female-fronted musical groups
Category:Polyvinyl Record Co. artists
Category:Royal Mountain Records artists