DeVotchKa - Biography
DeVotchKa is an indie rock quartet from Denver, Colorado that infuses the conventional rock band setup with elements of Gypsy, Mariachi, and European folk music. The members of DeVotchKa are all multi-instrumentalists, allowing for the band to create sounds and textures that would ordinarily be out of reach for a quartet.
DeVotchKa formed in 1997 as a backup band for burlesque shows. With burlesque experiencing a renaissance in the 1990s, indie rock bands became involved in the art as it represented a departure from the usual music scene. Early on, DeVotchKa toured with burlesque star and fetish model Dita Von Teese, who is renowned for her punk-inspired retro glam look. The band’s name is derived from Anthony Burgess’ Nadsat word for “young girl.” Nasdat is the Russian-influenced English slang used by the youth in Burgess’ most famous work, A Clockwork Orange.
Nick Urata, who sings and plays the guitar and trumpet, also adds texture to the group’s sound with the use of a theremin and bouzouki. The theremin is an early electronic instrument invented by and named for the Russian Professor Leon Theremin. The theremin is played with no contact from the player and instead relies on the positioning of the player’s hands around antennas to create sound. The bouzouki is a traditional Greek folk instrument similar to a mandolin, producing a high-pitched, metallic sound. Tom Hagerman plays violin, accordion, and piano. Shawn King, who plays trumpet and percussive elements, arguably provides the indie rock backbone to DeVotchKa. Jeanie Schroder plays double bass and sings, but often also uses a sousaphone — a relative of the tuba that is often seen in marching bands.
While touring the burlesque circuit with Von Teese in 2000, the band self-released a full-length debut entitled SuperMelodrama (Dago Records). Following the release, the band embarked on a supporting tour with Calexico, 16 Horsepower, Flogging Molly, and Archer Prewitt. Another self-released recording followed called Triple X Tango (2002 Dago), which is now out of print.
In 2003, DeVotchKa teamed up with Boulder, Colorado indie label Cicero for the release of Una Volta. The violin riff used at the end of “One Last Vow” is the same piece of music used at the end of “Sunrise on Cicero” from their debut album, SuperMelodrama. The following year, they released How It Ends (2004), also on Cicero.
2006 proved to be the year that shifted DeVotchKa into more mainstream cultural relevance. That year, DeVotchKa enjoyed a debutante ball of sorts during their performance at the Bonnaroo Music Festival. Within the year, Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris chose DeVotchKa to help score the soundtrack for their first film, Little Miss Sunshine, after hearing the band perform the song “You Love Me” on a Sunday morning Los Angeles radio program. The band accepted the offer and worked alongside Mychael Danna to compose and perform much of the movie’s soundtrack. The film went on to win four Academy Award nominations and the soundtrack garnered a 2006 Grammy Award nomination for Best Compilation Soundtrack. The primary song from the soundtrack, “The Winner Is,” has also been used commercially for both the French company Suez and the Dutch company PGGM.
Next, the band released an EP that is more lauded than their full-length albums. Released by Ace Fu in 2006, Curse Your Little Heart, is a six-track gem, featuring five covers plus the title track, which was borrowed from their debut full-length SuperMelodrama. Win Butler of Arcade Fire is credited with having suggested that DeVotchKa cover Siouxsie & the Banshees’ “The Last Beat of My Heart.” Other artists whose songs are covered on Curse Your Little Heart include Frank Sinatra and the Velvet Underground.
In 2008, DeVotchKa released their fifth full-length album, A Mad & Faithful Telling (ANTI-). Generally regarded by music critics as the most mature DeVotchKa recording to date, A Mad & Faithful Telling expands upon the band’s ability to mix Eastern and Western traditions with Latin American influences and even just a touch of the big top. This album also allows the band to show their sizable talents as pure instrumentalists on the tracks “Comrade Z” and “Strizzalo.” The album has received favorable reviews and reached number nine on the Billboard Heatseekers Chart and number 29 on the Top Independent Albums Chart. Their worldwide tour in support the album started with the 2008 Coachella Music Festival.
2009 found DeVotchKa joining up with David Byrne for several dates on the “Songs of David Byrne and Brian Eno” tour. The band joined the luminary artist for dates in Pennsylvania, Virginia, Colorado, and California after working their way through Italy, Spain, and Portugal.
