Reminiscent of Blur’s 13, Viva Voce open their third LP, Get Yr Blood Sucked Out, with a subtle groove, exploding first with a resonant bass drum, only to add a semi-audible chant layered upon the slow emergence of a swirling psychedelic guitar riff. Infectious to say the least, it has you hooked after a mere three minutes, nine seconds.
Already, the band’s evolution is evident. The pop inflections of this duo prominent in former records subsists but only insofar as it serves a sort of newer ethic, that is, to push the envelope by amalgamating a torrent of genres into one concise body of music. Each track has recognizable roots in everything from White Stripes-esque retro rock to the harmonies of The Mamas and the Papas and even the elongated reverberations of a jam band.
But it is not so much the blending of these various genres that make the record stand out, but more the ability to fuse such genres without comprising or losing the indie pop accessibility. In short, Get Yr Blood Sucked Out is a triumph of the Viva Voce catalogue.