DeVotchKa Bio (2010)
For more than a decade, DeVotchKa has melded its influences - from Eastern European wedding bands to Norteno ballads - into an authentic and totally original blend of popular music. With the release of the band's fifth album, 100 Lovers (Anti-, March 2011), the band returns to the epic settings of the Arizona desert with producer Craig Schumacher (Calexico, Neko Case) to create a collection of haunting stories. Songs like "The Man From San Sebastian" deliver on their intriguing titles with enigmatic lyrics and cinematic soundscapes.
DeVotchKa spent their early career fostering important musical connections with fellow explorers like Calexico and gypsy punks Gogol Bordello. International tours with Gogol and recordings with Calexico helped spread the band's sound around the globe. DeVotchKa's first major break came when Nic Harcourt of KCRW introduced his listeners to a then unknown rock band on his daily radio show, "Morning Becomes Eclectic." Filmmakers Valerie Faris and Jonathan Dayton were listening that day, and stumbled upon the sound for their movie, Little Miss Sunshine. A critical and box office hit, the film was nominated for the Best Picture Oscar, while DeVotchKa's soundtrack earned a Grammy nod.
Since the release of their last album, 2007's A Mad and Faithful Telling, DeVotchKa have built further on these successes, landing a song in a major national campaign for the Gears of War video game, while their live audience has grown dramatically, both at festivals like Coachella, Bonnaroo, Bumbershoot, Lollapalooza, and Austin City Limits, and sold-out venues like San Francisco's Fillmore.
For 100 Lovers, DeVotchKa spent over a year refining their sound, taking multiple trips to their desert studio to craft twelve new recordings. The final product is the bands strongest album to date, combining the energy and pop verve of How It Ends with the lush arrangements of A Mad and Faithful Telling - filled with songs fans will love, songs to draw in new listeners, and exciting numbers that will slip handsomely into their rousing live sets. Guests on the album include members of Calexico, and Mauro Refosco, David Byrne and Thom Yorke's go-to percussionist. With a full tour lined up for the spring and dates booked all over the world, 2011 is gearing up to be the biggest year for DeVotchKa yet.
DeVotchKa is:
Nick Urata: Vocals, guitars, Theremin, trumpet, piano Jeanie Schroder: acoustic bass, sousaphone Shawn King: drums, percussion, trumpet Tom Hagerman: violin, viola, accordion, piano