Wednesday 19 Jun
 
 

Kanye West — Yeezus

Try as you might, but there’s no escaping Kanye West. Turn on the TV, radio, computer — hell, take a stroll downtown and you might see his mug projected on the side of a building. It’s an undeniable fact of life in 2013: Kanye West is bigger than Buddha, Krishna and The Beatles (today, anyway) and he’ll be the first to let you know about it.
06/18/2013 | Comments 0

John Moreland — In the Throes

With the soul of a poet and the look of a Sons of Anarchy extra, Tulsa’s John Moreland has been gifted the sort of gravely, booming voice that does Bruce Springsteen proud and a similar understanding of the universal human experience. It’s made for some fantastic records — both as a solo artist and with his dissolved Black Gold Band — and In the Throes is his best yet.
06/19/2013 | Comments 0

Jumpship Astronaut — Lights Burn Out

Oklahoma has never been the haven for electronic rock music that it is for country, folk and, as of late, psychedelic pop, but from the sound of Lights Burn Out, Oklahoma City upstart Jumpship Astronaut seems intent on changing that.
06/12/2013 | Comments 0

Various artists — Reaching Out

Like so many Oklahomans, the local music scene has responded with generosity and grace in the wake of last month’s tragedy in Moore. In the weeks since, droves of local musicians have banded together for benefit concerts and radio marathons to raise funds for the relief effort, and with extraordinary results.
06/04/2013 | Comments 0

Progress in Color — Get Well

It’s been a long, bumpy ride for Glenpool’s Progress in Color, which saw a record deal with Epic evaporate before even one record could come of it, but it’s led the outfit to where it was supposed to be.
06/04/2013 | Comments 0
Newsletter
Home · Articles · Music · Music · The mod couple
Music

The mod couple


The members of Viva Voce aren’t just married to their music, but each other.

Joshua Boydston March 9th, 2011  

Viva Voce with Damien Jurado
9 p.m. Saturday
Opolis 113 N. Crawford, Norman
opolis.org 820-0951
$10 advance/$12 door

Kevin and Anita Robinson definitely fall into the “so cute it makes you sick” couples category.

They’ve been married for more than 10 years, after meeting in their native Alabama. They were introduced through mutual friends at a small music club, then fostered a relationship by exchanging mixtapes. They decided to start playing music with each other, and got good enough to release some albums and tour the country together in a tiny tour van.

They had no intention of ever settling down in any one place, before relocating to their adopted home of Portland, Ore., where they will surely live happily ever after, writing and recording music in their home studio.

Ready to gag yet? Anita Robinson used to be worried you would.

“I used to be cautious about that. I didn’t want people to think we were bubblegum, lovey-dovey, cutesy sort of stuff,” she said. “I wanted to be tough and cool and a serious musician. Now, I’ve lightened up. Sure, some of songs are love songs, but so are they for a lot of bands. I don’t think we could avoid it even if we wanted to.”

Although their psychedelic indie music has always been kind of adorable, with shared vocal duties and oft optimistic nature, Viva Voce generally shied away from the gimmicky nature of marrieds making music by adding a sometimes heavy, darker tone.

But the two seem to be embracing it more than ever presently, sort of realizing the treasure that it truly is.

“It always sucks to leave your loved ones behind when you go out on tour, but we don’t have to be lonely and heartbroken like most of our friends who play in bands,” she said, before pausing and laughing. “I feel like I’m rubbing it in.”

Viva Voce’s chemistry might be especially evident during Saturday’s stop at Opolis, the venue the couple consciously sought to return to because it reminds them of their first encounter.

“We met a place a lot like Opolis. It was a big deal for people like me; there was no way to see live music unless it was some bar band doing covers or big, expensive arena shows,” she said. “That’s why we play there: It’s supporting the same thing that was important to me and him.”

The duo will introduce songs from their forthcoming record, “The Future Will Destroy You,” set for a June release. Although the record was completed about a week ago, they can hardly wait to unleash it.

“It’s so new, I can’t even begin to try to describe it or even listen to it with any objectivity yet. It was relatively painless,” Anita Robison said. “Well, it was painless for me. It just occurred to me that if you asked Kevin that same question, he would have said the exact opposite. That’s how it goes when you are married.”

 
  • Currently 3.5/5 Stars.
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
 
 

 

 
 
 
Close
Close
Close