Viva Voce — Rose City
Release Date: May 26, 2009
Length: 37:40
Genre: Alternative
Label: Barsuk
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
It’s been almost a year since Viva Voce’s “Rose City” came out, but I have to file it in the “better late than never” category — especially since it’s such a vital album for the city of Portland.
I first became aware of the band while sitting in Starbucks on NW Glisan Street. The bench across the street was covered with the words “Viva Voce Rose City” and a black and white image of someone playing a guitar. I wondered what it all meant.
Luckily for me, the band’s music has finally reached my ears.
Not only does this album pay homage to the city of Portland’s famous nickname, but it’s also a soundtrack to the city itself. If you’re at all familiar with Portland, I challenge you to listen to “Rose City” and not be put in mind of PDX on some level, whether it be the spectacular skyline of downtown, the winding Willamette River or the sprawling east side.
Viva Voce is based in Portland but was born in the Alabama. After a series of unfortunate events, the band decided to move out west. The two mainstays are husband and wife Kevin and Anita Robinson. Other band members have come and gone, but for the majority of the Robinsons’ career, they have just been a duo. Recently, the group doubled in size and became a four-piece act.
“Rose City” is Viva Voce’s fifth studio album and probably the one that has gotten the most attention. This is the first time I’ve ever heard this band’s music, and I have to be honest, before I listened to “Rose City,” I figured it was just going to be another lo-fi Northwest Indie band’s attempt at legitimacy.
But I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the album.
“Rose City” kicks off with what ended up being my favorite track, a high-energy tune called “Devotion.” I know it sounds cheesy, but if you live in Oregon, I challenge you to cruise down Broadway on a Saturday night while listening to this song and not be proud of the Rose City.
I can’t say that the rest of the album lives up to the tone that the opening track sets, but it does come close. From the long tones of the guitar to the cool drum groove and the simple-yet-satisfying bass line, this song is quite enjoyable.
Fun drum parts are frequent on this album, such as those on the second track, “Die A Little.” The short-but-sweet song packs a punch, and the drums are behind the wheel the whole time.
The song “Midnight Sun,” with its frequent line, “Save it for a rainy day…” only legitimizes Viva Voce’s Portland identity. Those familiar with Portland’s weather know what I mean.
If you’re not a bass player, the track “Good As Gold” will make you want to become one — or at least just learn the part from this song. The entire track is built on the foundation of a simple bass line, which makes the other instruments really stand out.
I can’t let this review finish out without mentioning the album’s title track. What made this song for me were the lyrics. My favorite line was, “I wanna go back where it’s grey and green and the protest songs have tambourines.” Even though this entire album has elements reminiscent of Portland, this song ties it all together.
The longest track is the album’s closer, “The Slow Fade.” It proves to be exactly that: a drawl into nothingness as the album slowly comes to a halt. The heavy chords of the piano coupled with words and phrases like “gone” and “slow-fading melody” provide for quite the melancholy ending to an otherwise happy sounding album. But I have to hand it to Viva Voce, it really left me excited for whatever may come next.
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