Before opening up their sound to horns and the occasional muted hip-hop beat, Ivy placed their delicacy in the context of flurries of strummed chords and other indie-rock verities. Dominique Durand's wistfulness is already at full power, though the Paris native's lyrics are less fully developed than they would be on Realistic's follow-up, Apartment Life. Often swirly enough ("Don't Believe a Word") to get the denizens of Dawson's Creek spinning on the dance floor, Realistic is also as emotionally compelling as the best pop has always been. --Rickey Wright