Sign up for our mailing list Real artists creating records on their own terms

Press

Tuesday, November 23rd, 2010

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

DeVotchKa's artist page

Browse by Artist

2430All Artists 67Mavis Staples 57Neko Case 56Dr. Dog 55The Milk Carton Kids 52Son Little 51Sean Rowe 50Tinariwen
44Glen Hansard 43Lost In The Trees 41Andy Shauf 37Saintseneca 36Delicate Steve 33Galactic 33Michael Franti and Spe... 32Xenia Rubinos 31Jolie Holland 30The Drums 30Calexico 29Tom Waits 28William Elliott Whitmo... 28Doe Paoro 28Madi Diaz 27Half Waif 27Man Man 27Yves Jarvis 26Christian Lee Hutson 26Girlpool 25Bettye LaVette 23Foxwarren 23The Antlers 23Jason Lytle 23Christopher Paul Stell... 22Sage Francis 22Booker T. Jones 22Gary V 22Cass McCombs 21Leyla McCalla 21Danny Elfman 21Islands 21Lido Pimienta 21Japandroids 20DeVotchKa 20Jeremy Ivey 20Daniel Lanois 19Purr 19The Dream Syndicate 19M. Ward 19Combo Chimbita 18Joe Henry 18Wilco 18So Much Light 17Grinderman 17Moor Mother 17Darrin Bradbury 17Jade Jackson 17Tim Fite 16Porter Wagoner 16Peter Silberman 16High Pulp 15Rafiq Bhatia 15Alfa Mist 15MJ Lenderman 15Glitterer 15Yann Tiersen 14James Brandon Lewis 14John K. Samson 13The Coup 13Rain Machine 13Ben Harper 13Busdriver 12Hey, King! 12Josiah Johnson 12Waxahatchee 12The Melodic 12Deafheaven 12Richard Reed Parry 11Kelly Hogan 11Ryan Pollie 11Beth Orton 11Bonny Doon 11Keaton Henson 11Curtis Harding 10Roky Erickson 10Jasmyn 10Dead Man's Bones 10Fleet Foxes 10The Tallest Man On Ear... 10Xavier Rudd 10Os Mutantes 10Beat Connection 10Katy Kirby 10Wynonna 10Ben Harper and Charlie... 10Bob Mould 10Slow Pulp 9The Locust 9Mose Allison 9Marketa Irglova 9Cameron Avery 9Kate Davis 9Kate Bush 9Ezra Furman 8Deradoorian 8Art Moore 8The Frames 8Sam Akpro 8Kristine Leschper 8Greg Graffin 8A Girl Called Eddy 7sunking 7Alec Ounsworth 7The Field 7Solillaquists of Sound 7Scott McMicken and THE... 6Sparklehorse 6Marc Ribot 6Kronos Quartet with Br... 6The Good Ones 6Ramblin Jack Elliott 6Broken Twin 6N.A.S.A. 6Pete Philly & Perquisi... 6Pops Staples 5The Swell Season 5Jackson+Sellers 5Mothers 5Cadence Weapon 5Walter Wolfman Washing... 5The Weakerthans 5Tweedy 5Plains 4Arc Iris 4Antibalas 4Muggs 4case/lang/veirs 4Petra Haden 4One Day As A Lion 4Eddie Izzard 3Mavis Staples & Levon... 3Danny Cohen 3Simian Mobile Disco 3Marianne Faithfull 3Sierra Leones Refugee... 3The Book Of Knots 2Savath & Savalas 2Lyrics Born 2Chuck E. Weiss 2Blackalicious 2Spoon (Europe only) 2Billy Bragg 2Screaming Lights (Euro... 2Title Fight 2Jeff Tweedy 2Various Artists: RANGO 1Rogue's Gallery 1Taylor Vick 1Solomon Burke 1Various Artists: ROGUE... 1Nick Cave & The Bad Se...
See Full List+