This Sunday brings the opportunity to see indie singer-songwriter Kevin Devine at OU. Devine’s music sounds a little like The Shins, The Format and Nirvana, among countless other influences. His lyrics run the gamut from introspective to observational to cutesy-romantic.
The show will be solo acoustic, but not in the way you might think.
“I kind of hate the connotations that most acoustic music brings with it,” Devine said. “I don’t really like when it’s sort of like wilting flower, thinking about how sad it is that the girl you love doesn’t love you back.”
He said he’s more drawn to acoustic music made by the likes of Bob Dylan, Tom Waits and Elliott Smith, because they’re more tough, and he prefers to make similar music. Devine said when he plays with a band, it sounds more like Pavement or Nirvana, but when he’s by himself, it’s different.
“The folk singer side of myself is a little more spoken to,” Devine said of playing alone. “Somewhere between indie rock, folk music and a little punk rock with some old country thrown in. They’re very ‘song-y’ songs.”
Devine recently finished an Australian tour with popular rock band Brand New, a group that he has known for years. His most recent release is a split EP with Manchester Orchestra called “I Could Be the Only One,” an indie-rock act that also has played at OU. The EP features Devine and Manchester Orchestra each playing one of each other’s songs. His lastest album is 2009’s “Brother’s Blood.”
Devine grew up in Brooklyn, home to a thriving local music scene. He said that his New York upbringing plays a role in the observational aspects of his music.
“I think when you’re in New York, you people-watch a lot,” Devine said. “Your thoughts are fed by any of the million different stories playing in front of you as you walk down the street.”
Devine is an artist whose work and enthusiasm promise a great show. Any fan of indie rock, folk, or “song-y” songs should make it a point to be there.
Show Info:
When: 7 p.m. Sunday
Where: Will Rogers Room in Oklahoma Memorial Union
Cost: Free
With: Jacob Abello
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