Week 7: "100 Lovers" by DeVotchKa

I’m just going to jump into this weeks post and say that artists have blown me away in the past and especially within these past 6 weeks, but DeVotchKa’s “100 Lovers” really has made me question my own writing style when it comes to music. Things were done on this album that I could not even fathom without having heard it, blending traditional styles of music and modernized influences to create something simply beautiful. This unclassifiable group of musicians really strikes a chord with the listeners’ heart and soul in a very successful way. To compare DeVotchKa to any artist that I have heard in the past would be an insult to the group as they are unlike anything I have heard.

DeVotchKa breaks the mold when it comes to writing ideas. One second you are listening to a song driven by violins and clapping and before you notice you are halfway through “Exhaustible” whose main hook comes from the act of whistling. The only thing comparable in the diversity of musical instruments is the genres that DeVotchKa writes in. Various sources have tried to classify this group as things such as Slavic, Greek, Romani, and Mariachi influenced…and while all these areas of style are present in their albums, to classify them as this does not to them justice.  The groups lead singer says…

“We always hoped with this band to not get pinned down by genres, but everyone probably says that…my ideal way someone would describe us would be romantic, exotic or hopefully just plain good.”

                                                            -Nick Urata

                                                                       

                                     …..Mr. Urtata, I would call it exactly that.

           

DeVotchKa Brings a very mature writing style to today’s music scene. In its entirety it is mature, cinematic, emotional, and intellectual. Stripping each song down to its fundamental roots…it is simply good. This album is one that would seem to be different to everyone. I leave DeVotchKa’s “100 Lovers” up to you, the listener, the thinker, the interpreter…to decide what it actually is. Myself, I look forward to spending more time with this album, along with previous and future creations.