Viva Voce
Portland, Oregon7 reviews across 4 releases
Viva Voce was an indie-rock duo formed in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, in 1998 by spouses Kevin and Anita Robinson. After moving through Nashville, the Robinsons relocated to Portland, Oregon, in 2002, where they continued to record as a self-contained unit, with Anita's wispy vocals and abrasive guitar set against Kevin's drumming and other instruments. The 1998 debut Hooray for Now joined heavy, layered fuzz with worshipful lyrics and occasional surf or pop-punk touches. On Lovers, Lead the Way! the writing became harder to classify: psychedelic guitar, electronic percussion and lo-fi rock could appear within one song, sometimes shifting abruptly between sections. The Heat Can Melt Your Brain kept those experiments but settled them into a more cohesive pop-rock groove, with Kevin taking more lead vocals while Anita's guitar became more forceful.
When Cadence Communications collapsed, Viva Voce started Viva! Recordings and issued The Weightless E.P. in 2000. The move kept the duo independent before Lovers, Lead the Way! appeared through Amore!Phonics with Asthmatic Kitty. After the Portland relocation, they toured Europe and later signed with Barsuk Records; tours with the Shins and Jimmy Eat World broadened their audience. In 2008, the live group expanded beyond the two Robinsons, with Evan Railton on drums and Corrina Repp on guitar and keyboards, while the pair also formed the related band Blue Giant with other Portland musicians. Viva Voce released The Future Will Destroy You in 2011 on Vanguard. The band ended in 2013, when Kevin Robinson and Anita Robinson divorced. Kevin then began releasing music outside Viva Voce, including work with Electric iLL.
4 releases reviewed
The Weightless E.P.
Lovers, Lead the Way!
The Heat Can Melt Your Brain