photos by Kyle Johnson
Anita and Kevin Robinson’s work with Viva Voce sure didn’t seem like it needed any supplement, but fans of their extraordinarily diverse songwriting skills aren’t complaining about their recent releases for project Blue Giant. Corin Tucker (Sleater-Kinney of course, now the Corin Tucker Band) and Chris Funk from the Decemberists helped out and it’s really good. (Anita and Tucker sound so great on “Gone For Good” you wish they’d record an album of Johnny and June Carter Cash duets together.) I haven’t caught them live yet, but Viva Voce were always a must-see since they came to Seattle -- and I’ve been following their expansive art-damaged garage-cabaret since their early shoegazer days in the late 90s, so if they ever pull a nostalgic trip down that road I won’t be surprised. Meanwhile, on both original EP release, Target Heart, and the self-titled full length, Blue Giant takes it back to the heartland, and only people who didn’t know how adept the band was at almost everything they played on their escalation of albums would be freaked out by its accomplishment of (swinging C&W) authenticity, proved fully as they performed live at KEXP’s broadcast from Doug Fir during MFNW. Check out the photos:
