Ivy's latest album, In the Clear, presents sophisticated Europop (by way of New York) songs in generous arrangements filled with lushness and subtlety. Band members and producers Andy Chase and Adam Schlesinger (also of Fountains of Wayne) craft backing tracks that encompass a wide array of instrumental colors, filled out with a variety of guest contributions. Dominique Durand is a captivating pop chanteuse; she could be singing Corn Flakes jingles for all that I care; I'd still want a front row seat.

Fortunately, the songwriting on In the Clear is as strong as Ivy's polished presentation. "Thinking About You" is probably the most "single-worthy" and earnestly catchy number here. It possesses a terrific hook, but that's just the beginning; nimble bass counterpoint, tasty synthetic elaborations, and a driving beat dovetail with the layered vocals of the chorus (what could be better than one Dominique Durand singing? - four overdubbed Dominiques). "Keep Moving" is an effective slice of classy club pop, while "Tess Don't Tell" combines electronica elements with folksy strummed acoustic guitars in a nifty hybridization that, once again, tops things off with a zesty vocal chorus. The briskly uptempo "Corners of Your Mind" is also a standout, bustling with energetic vocals and a scampering groove; it features a stylish piano break, too.

" Four in the Morning," while pretty from a surface standpoint, ambles a bit lazily. More formidable, from a ballad standpoint, is "Clear My Head," on which a stripped-down arrangement, lead by (ex-Smashing Pumpkins) James Iha's arpeggiated guitar work, buoys some of Durand's most seraphic singing. In the Clear seems to suggest that when three key elements of making a pop record - performances, production, and songwriting - all click, the result is even greater than the sum of its parts. - Christian Carey