Kevin Devine

Like major-league closers, modern-rock musicians tend to specialize in the high hard stuff. Still, that doesn't mean fans of the genre reject any and all softer sounds — and that's where Kevin Devine comes in. A generation ago, Devine, who's opening for Annuals, Manchester Orchestra and New Frontiers, wouldn't have...

By Michael Roberts

November 15, 2007

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Like major-league closers, modern-rock musicians tend to specialize in the high hard stuff. Still, that doesn't mean fans of the genre reject any and all softer sounds — and that's where Kevin Devine comes in. A generation ago, Devine, who's opening for Annuals, Manchester Orchestra and New Frontiers, wouldn't have seemed like an alternative to anything; he'd qualify as a solidly mainstream singer-songwriter. Today, however, songs of the sort that make up 2006's Put Your Ghost to Rest, his Capitol Records debut, are promoted with the college market in mind, as if only the young and intellectual could possibly handle them. That's nonsense: Even Devine's heaviest tracks — e.g., "Like Cursing Kids" — represent melodic, sometimes melancholy pop, not feedback-drenched workouts. The relaxed intimacy of Devine's material will undoubtedly appeal to those modern-rockers ready to take a swing at a change-up.

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Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword's news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor's degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master's degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

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