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MAY 2008 ONLINE EDITORIALS

Devotchka – A Mad and Faithful Telling

By Nathan Harper

In their latest release, A Mad and Faithful Telling, world-traveling Denver-based quartet Devotchka prove to be merely superhuman. One had the feeling that their 2006 covers EP, “Curse Your Little Heart,” which was extremely listenable, catchy and fun in its own right, was somehow put out as a diversion of sorts to distract people from the fact that their previous full length, “How it Ends,” was by all accounts a perfect album.
But what can one do after perfection has been attained? Continue on to Nirvana and transcend the world of faux-60s retro- flavored rock currently underwhelming the indie circuit that they’re grouped with, or return as itinerant busking bodhisattva’s to share their wealth of knowledge with the world, forever laboring under the expectation of past accomplishments? Fortunately for music fans, Devotchka did descend from the mountaintop.
So what has four years off from writing and recording their own music brought them? Well, for better or for worse, more of that classic Devotchka sound. Lead singer Nick Urata plays the Theremin on stage, but often he’s more than happy to let his dynamic, expressive voice trace out a frenzy of crescendos similar to the aforementioned 50s B-horror staple, and it’s the sound of his diving and climbing falsetto “ooh-oooh-oooohs” that start off the record’s opening cut, “Basso Profundo.” That song, like many of their livelier numbers, finds a groove somewhere between waltz and rock, the sousaphone bass-line and dancing drums meshing perfectly with the accordion to make it immediately clear to listeners that, ‘Yes, this is Devotchka!’
And so the rest of the record unfolds – the violins, guitars and keyboards resound in pleasing harmony with the syncopated percussive rhythms that evoke equal parts of Latin Jazz and cruise ship conga-line. Fresh off the release of his first solo record, multi-instrumentalist Tom Hagerman shines as both arranger and performer. The enhanced string section and keyboards give the album a cleaner, more orchestrated feel than previous efforts. The songs are a bit shorter, monothematic, and structured, but the lushness of sound on each track still feels rich and inspired. Once or twice, such as the horn-laden intro to “Along the Way,” the band feels in danger of revisiting themes and sounds from past songs, however even these minor missteps can’t trip up the album as a whole from being a memorable, worthy addition to the Devotchka canon.