Take a hint of Interpol throw in some Cuban salsa, and add, not a hint, but a fair amount of those old German polka records that show up at flea markets the world over, and you've got Devotchka's stunning release, How It Ends. Bathed in the soothing atmospherics that made the Smiths amazing, but filtered through polka songs and carnivalesque time frames, Devotchka has all the makings of a break out band (regardless that they've been around for years). With theremin, glockenspeil, vibraphone, and bouzouki, this album is an instrumental sensation, crossing borders as it touches down on numerous genres.
“The Enemy Guns” rolls out like a polka sexfest. Tranced out gypsies come to mind, as do late nights with people dancing around fires. The song explodes from underneath a consistent bass beat. Violins spazz between notes as hand drums pound themselves away. It is a stunning track and would be an enormous treat to see live. The song comes to a close with a rolling snare beat and that maniacal violin. “Twenty Six Temptations” is a salsa-infested tuba blare of a song, taking its place between a Tom Waits instrumental an Up, Bustle and Out song. A heavy bass beat provides a simple, yet perfectly effective backbone to the song as it rises and falls with all the glory of a Cuban fiesta. “How It Ends” takes Devotchka into a synth-beat based, space-out period, touching down on Yo La Tango’s “Nuclear War” era, while at the same time providing a gentle piano rhythm to the song. The synth beat stays for the whole song, while Urata's echoed vocals take on all the sadness of early Interpol. The song rises and falls as Urata laments that “forever's not so long” in typical melancholy fashion. A snare roll hints behind the wall of sound that occasionally explodes with the piano chords.
“Charlotte Mittnacht” is straight up polka; an accordion dominates the song. A glockenspeil pings its way into the song halfway, somehow giving the song a Romanian countryside feel. “Too Tired” is a glock-infested downtempo beat-keeper. Urata's vocals sway into the song before an acoustic guitar is picked and prodded. Its simplicity is what creates its genius. “Lunnaya Pogonka” creates images of Moroccan nights high on acid; gypsies poke their heads around the corners and snake charmers are not so charming. The tempo increases as more instruments join the circus; a violinist goes mad, a drummer goes insane, and the circus ensues!
Around each corner, Devotchka amazes the listener, blasting songs into new regions, new countries, and new territories. If they decided to, they could easily break out enormously. By shedding their polka image and adding more of a rock feel to their overall sound, they could easily take on the same hype that once gripped the Polyphonic Spree. However, do not think that I am criticizing their sound. To forgo the music world with such ferocity and such bravery is something hardly seen, or atleast recognized. With songs that elevate and explode, Devotchka's concept is ripe for stardom. While this album was released in 2004, look for it to emerge in December when the Best Of lists come out.
