Review: “A Mad & Faithful Telling,” DeVotchKa

Denver-based DeVotchKa earned indie props for its soundtrack to the movie Little Miss Sunshine which earned them a Grammy nomination.  Their fourth album, A Mad And Faithful Telling is all over the map, literally — a dash of European violin, some Mexican mariachi horns, a pinch of Parisian accordion.  Stir it all together and you have a fairly intoxicating blend that swirls, glides and shimmers its way into your consciousness.  It’s a surprisingly rich recipe.  The opener, “Basso Profundo,” gives you a bit of spaghetti western tossed into a gypsy reel.  “Transliteration” layers a swirl of piano, horns and strings around the singing of frontman Nick Urata, whose voice is a cross between an emo whine and an old-time Salvation Army street-corner quiver.  “Undone” gives us a Spanish flavor, and “Head Honcho” oomphs into polka territory.  Once you get past the WTF? stage, it all works.  Is it rock?  Who cares — DeVotchKa has a great, unique sound and this album is a beautiful listen.  Oh yes, they rock. 

MP3: “Transliterator”

DeVotchKa official website

DeVotchKa on ANTI- records