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Viva Voce, the indie rocker duo from Alabama, opened for Jimmy Eat World Tuesday night at 9:30 Club in front of a sold out audience. Formed by husband and wife duo Anita and Kevin Robinson, the band is touring for the ninth time this year in support of their latest studio effort, a dual-album “Lovers, Lead the Way!/The Heat Can Melt Your Brain.”
The album, a re-issue of two LPs from 2003 and 2004, includes both full-length albums and additional bonus material.
“These are two albums we’re really proud of, and we wanted to make them more accessible by re-releasing them together,” singer Anita Robinson said in an interview with The Hatchet. “We recorded them at home, and we do everything ourselves, including the mixing and arranging. We really liked the idea that we could put them out again and make them more accessible.”
The band can best be described as guitar-heavy, psych-pop indie rockers. “We’re a two-piece band, though we’re influenced by lush, layered, complex music,” Robinson said. “It’s rock. We utilize modern technology, and hopefully it will sound cool.”
In its entirety, the “Lovers/Heat” double-LP has 25 tracks and more than one-and-a-half hours of music. Anita Robinson assumes most of the vocal responsibilities, though husband Kevin contributes at times. Overall, the album is highly experimental to produce an extraordinarily original experience.
“With each album, we try not to do the same thing every time. (Kevin and I) each have separate ideas, and we try to bring them together after we’ve worked on them separately,” she said.
Viva Voce had previously announced it would stop touring in September. However, with the Oct. 9 release of the “Lovers/Heat” double-album and an invitation from Jimmy Eat World to join them on tour, the band decided to give touring another go.
She “We love touring so much, and we work really hard to support every record. It’s really an honor when another band likes your sound and asks you to come along,” said Robinson.
Viva Voce’s eastern U.S. tour with Jimmy Eat World ends Nov. 16 in Champaign, Illinois. The band plans to record its fourth full-length LP in 2008.
