Album Review: IVAN: Never Marry A Musician

I.V.A.N.’s debut album Never Marry A Musician is an exploration of love and strife. It’s the story of falling hard, issuing warnings and breaking hearts. It’s also a tribute to the struggle of trying to balance passions with pocketbooks. Sonically it’s dark and synth heavy as I.V.A.N. alternates between rapping and singing his sordid tales. There are no guest verses from emcees on NMAM, but it does feature contributions from Bay Area singers R.O.D., Samm, Jimmie Reign and J. Myers.

“I know my sky’s gray, but please don’t run away,” is how I.V.A.N. starts “Hey Luv,” the first track on the album. On the second cut, “Suddenly,” his girl ends up finally leaving him for good. Then, after tracks with titles like “Trouble,” “Starting Over,” and “Dysfunctional,” I.V.A.N. explores the difficult decision of aborting his baby to be on “Changes.” It all sounds rather bleak, but it’s his reality. And given that NMAM was released on Valentines Day, a lot of lonely and/or conflicted folks can certainly relate to his troubles.

“Monterey” is originally consistent with this brooding theme, but manages to find the sun shining through despite the drama. I.V.A.N.’s escape down the winding coastal curves of Highway 1 is vivid for us Cali natives, but may strike some as patently un-hip-hop. This proves two things. One, that I.V.A.N. could give a fuck about genre designations. And two, that life for many of us in the Bay Area is more eclectic and adventurous than dated hip-hop stereotypes allow.

I.V.A.N. is freeing himself from hip-hop norms by bearing his soul on Never Marry A Musician. And perhaps he’s freeing himself from the quagmire of love too. On “Hollywood Blvd, ” the last track of the album, he leaves the woman he loves to take his shot at fame and fortune. It sums up the songs before it and perhaps helps explain why he’s been so conflicted about love and success the whole time.

It becomes clear that Never Marry A Musician is not just the name of his debut album, but also a warning to those attracted to artists like moths to flame. It may be fun, but if you can’t play second fiddle to the game, then you best stay away. I’ll let I.V.A.N. tell it.

“All jokes aside, I beg your pardon,

I was just too preoccupied with stardom.

Hungry for the lights like PT Barnum

And Bailey, and that got me halfway crazy.

And you scorchin, but what’s most important

to I.V.A.N. is fame, I got to move according.

I figured we had things good,

But baby I gotta let you go cuz that’s Hollywood”

-Excerpt from "Hollywood Blvd" 

DL: I.V.A.N.'s Never Marry A Musician