100 Lovers is the latest release from the highly acclaimed, Grammy nominated Denver quartet DeVotchKa. The troupe of multi-instrumentalists have come a long way since their 1997 beginnings as burlesque queen Dita von Teese’s backing band, weaving a unique blend of Eastern European-infused music with American punk and indie folk. DeVotchKa is a band with a mastery of instrumentation and atmospheric soundscapes; the 10 songs and 2 interludes possess an indefinable expressive quality that is both romantic and haunting, heightened by Nick Urata’s passionate vocal delivery. Produced in the Arizona desert with Craig Schumacher (Calexico, Neko Case), the music on 100 Lovers is lively and upbeat, as deftly demonstrated in “The Man from San Sebastian”, the mariachi tinged “Bad Luck Heels”, and on the wild, searing strings of “The Common Good”. At times, though, the mood gently cedes to a slower, lushly languid pace like the gorgeous closer “Sunshine”. Fusing the steady, ever present but unobtrusive percussion with violin, violas, cello, bandoneon, trumpet, sax, whistles and even a children’s choir, DeVotchKa scores another stunning achievement with 100 Lovers. – Written by SMarx
SIMILAR | Andrew Bird’s Bowl of Fire, Beirut, Calexico, The Decemberists, Gogol Bordello, A Hawk and a Hacksaw