Now that rock music is around 50 years old, and that a website is a must for any band, it may be that we are getting to a scarcity of names. This could explain why instead of normal band names we’re seeing a different type of nomenclature…band warnings (You Say Party! We Say Die!), band suggestions (Clap Your Hands Say Yeah!), band exclamations (Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs), band unpronounceable codes (!!!) even “once forbidden” words (Selfish C*nt) that make the Sex Pistols sounds like a group of gardening aficionados. The fact is that you can now, daily, come across some weird names so, pondering about this, I realised how much the name can actually influence your approach to new bands.

So, I was quite lucky when I managed to listen to the Devastations first homonymous album. It was somewhere in a pre-myspace era, years ago, and I didn’t know their name. I loved their first album as much as I hated their name. It makes me think of some kind of thrash metal screaming group of hairy grown-up ex-teenagers. But I got round my prejudice, and misjudgement, got caught by their music and since then I’ve kept following them along through to their excellent second album, Coal. That’s when Beggars Banquet signed them.

Devastations are a trio came from Melbourne, Australia. They follow the same geographical and artistical pathway as Nick Cave and the Dirty Three. They settled in Berlin, a capital where chaos and melody seem to meet, helping deliver their music to European audiences. After several missed opportunities I finally managed to see them live supporting Einstürzende Neubauten last year and I was impressed by the strength of their live show.

Last monday their third album (Yes, U) had been released and on Tuesday they presented it live in a cosy Kings Cross pub in London.

I rushed to Kings Cross impatient to listen to some new songs. I was excited by the mix of their dark, nocturne, grandiose sounds inspired from Bad Seeds’ Blixa Bargeld. Lyrics sang in low tone voices, minor key melodies of mittleuropean sensitivity that grow and grow up before they explode, dissonant scratching guitars entering from the most unexpected clefts of their sounds.

It was worth it, in a pub atmosphere the Devastations played a great gig - confirming my expectations of their live performances. In addition I got the chance to buy their new album…

Back home, though, I’ve been listening to it for the last 2 days. Without prejudice, I must admit, I’m a bit disappointed. It’s not a bad album, but it sounds like a transition album. It moves into some territories that don’t convince. There is much more electronica instead of their great sounding noisy guitars heard on stage. “Black Ice” opens it with an electronic beat that immediately shows we are going somewhere else. Then the ten tracks along the 50 minutes CD indicate new directions. Their melodies are still there, but are played persistently by piano/synthesizers which shuffles suspiciously close to “easy listening”.

Repetitive and monotonous sang parts materialize too often and it’s not clear if they aspire to be hypnotic or just lullabies. “Rosa” is the first track that let me forgive the band - its wonderful guitar at the end vanquishing all before it. The almost instrumental “As Sparks Fly Upwards” would probably be a great TV signature tunes or film soundtrack, but it feels too empty and lacks imagery. “The Face of Love” sounds like one of Pink Floyd’s beautiful forgotten songs from Meddle, if only the “sha la la la” chorus was less insistent. Towards the end, “The Saddest Sound” remind me of the heartbreaking “The Saddest Song” that closes Morphine’s, “Yes” album. I’m not sure if it’s a coincidence or an homage to the Boston low-fi trio, but I’m going to ask them next time I see them.

The Devastations are one of those bands that need to be listened to and seen live. To witness their act stripped to the bone is where you can really appreciate their greatness.

Links
Devastations [official site] [myspace]
Photos [valerio berdini]