Viva Voce plays loud, but stays silent in Chicago

May 29, 2009, at the Empty Bottle

By Selena Fragassi
Published: June 1st, 2009 | 8:45am

In different translations, Viva Voce can mean “word of mouth” or “live voice,” so it was a disappointment that on a recent tour stop in Chicago, vocalists (and also original members and married couple) Anita and Kevin Robinson had a hard time getting their voices heard amid a barrage of aggressive drumming and unnecessary amplification. To say that the venue, the Empty Bottle, is a small room is an understatement, so it was anybody’s guess why the band was playing as if it were at an outdoor festival.

Part of the equation may be the addition of two new bandmates, Corrina Repp and Evan Railton, whose talent no doubt adds to the impressive layered sound on the new album Rose City (Barsuk), but who may need more time getting acquainted to the idea of a foursome and working out the division of power on stage.

The band started with “Devotion,” the lead track off the new album, a superb effort when considering that it was written, arranged, and recorded in less than a month as a way to “spontaneously live in the moment musically and lyrically.” The Robinsons built a studio in their backyard to aid the process and keep with the theme of relating all elements to their adopted hometown of Portland, Oregon (although they swear it’s not a concept record).

Although the lyrics were hard to hear, “Devotion” was proof of how far the band has come with its latest release and showcased the musical prowess of the two female members. Repp on the theremin added an eerie hummingbird quality to the band’s mix of ’70s psychedelia meets ’90s California rock, an interesting combo that, at times, was reminiscent of the Mamas and the Papas and, at other times, Veruca Salt. But most of all, the standout of the night was Anita Robinson, who proved herself a master at guitar as she fluidly swam through chords and jumped all over her fret board like her fingers were on fire, a jaw-dropping presence that belied her look, as she wore a sweater set with a modest dress and pigtails.

As the band moved through new songs and old, from the new title track, “Die a Little,” and “Good as Gold,” to “Alive with Pleasure,” “Get Yr Blood Sucked Out,” and “Wrecking Ball,” the band showed it definitely has the viva — it just needs to work on the quality of the voce.
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For more photos from this show visit Venus Zine’s Flickr page
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Review of Viva Voce's Get Yr Blood Sucked Out (Barsuk)
Review of Viva Voce’s Lovers, Lead The Way! and The Heat Can Melt Your Brain (Amore!Phonics)