Every so often an album comes along that draws you into it’s own world, taking on a living presence in your consciousness with it’s particular moods and meanings. It happens less often in the pick’n’mix download era, but Devotchka’s How It Ends is to be savoured as a whole, a mystical blend of styles crafted from a musical palate spread wide from the Rio Grande to the Bosphorus, taking in everything from cabaret to casbah, bunkhouse to bordello, prairie to polka-punk. OK, I’ll stop there. Vocalist Nick Urata has been quoted as saying that it’s a concept album, telling “the story of a young Ranchero who survives going to war, only to find his childhood sweetheart has married a rich man for the love of money”. I’m not sure whether that was said with tongue firmly in cheek, but you get some idea of the range of emotions wrapped up in this album. It’s a wonderfully crafted Rubik’s cube of interlocking wonders, twist it one way and a new sound is revealed (theremin, sousaphone); twist it another and the scene changes completely again – from mournful to ecstatic, longing to laughter.

I’m probably late to the party, since How It Ends had it’s US release 3 years ago and has garnered much praise amongst those in the know since, but only now have the fiercely independent Denver band negotiated an official European release. Word of mouth and exuberant live visuals (exotic dancers hanging from the ceiling anyone?) have seen them build up a following, boosted by the publicity of successful film score work for Little Miss Sunshine - which features a couple of tracks originally recorded here. Cinematic is certainly a suitable description, with a touch of the similarly gifted Calexico, the dusty vistas of Ennio Morricone and the inventiveness of the wonderful and sadly missed Penguin Cafe Orchestra. There are more interesting nooks and crannies than the slightly monotone Arcade Fire, and the passion of Gogol Bordello with a bucket load more nuance.

The instrumental Such A Lovely Thing sounds like a drunken band of gypsies stumbling into a Turkish house of pleasure, the long lost soundtrack to Carry On Caliph. Meanwhile, title track How It Ends is as bleak as a suicide note to a lover and sees Nick Urata’s straining vocals climb over a repetitive Moog tone and searing strings. It’s that kind of rollercoaster ride – stuffed full of drama without being bloated and obese. Urata has also said “I think it is the album we will always be remembered for”. If only every band had earnt that luxury. It’s hard to know how to do it all justice. Just buy it, and their whole catalogue while you’re at it. They’re in the UK now and I’ve just got tickets to see them on Monday (nothing to do with the lure of possible exotic dancers honest – my wife will be in tow), so my own cash is on the line. I’m a bit of a tight git, so I can’t give a stronger recommendation than that.
90%

Links
Devotchka [official site] [myspace]