101 Reasons
Denver foursome DeVotchKa, consisting of Nick Urata, Tom Hagerman, Jeanie Schroder and Shawn King, are returning with their fifth studio LP titled, 100 Lovers. After a successful run with 2008’s A Mad And Faithful Telling, reaching a pivotal position on the Billboard Heatseeker chart, 100 Lovers is proving to be as equally successful.
Known for the impressive and slightly random mixing of Romani, Greek, Slavic, and Boloero music with a touch of Mariachi, 100 Lovers is no exception to the DeVotchKa rule. Itcan best be described as the perfect meshing of two drastically different DeVotchKa albums with the first half boarding on being imperceptibly experimental, even for these guys complete with compelling acoustics guitars and distinguishable vocals, while the second half is classic DeVotchka paying homage to their instrumentals.
Opening the impassioned album is “The Ally” an ambitious song with commanding drums and ambient noises, layered with Nick Urata’s buttery vocals. DeVotchka has a way to keep listeners on their toes, never knowing what musical arrangement is coming next, like the mariachi influence that is brazenly clear on “Black Luck Heels” or the gypsy sounding tangos on “Ruthless” and “Contrabanda,” allowing accordionist Tom Hagerman musical talents to shine through.
DeVotchKa’s 100 Lovers has an astounding presence that is a perfect mixture of awe and bewilderment. Arrangements are bountiful and you never know what you’re going to get from this band, but isn’t that why we love them?
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