Devastations

There's a world below the ground--or, down under, shall we say--where cinematic encounters in dark lounges lead to pensive cigarette flicks and phones dangling from their chords in dreary wet phone booths. And these guys are the soundtrack. I promise, Devastations is not nearly as corny a name down in their native Austrailia as it may be here. And I'm happy to report that while their songwriting on their latest Yes, U is just about what you've come to expect given their previous endeavors, their attention to production and self-awareness on vocals seems to have improved enough to make this a standout noir-rock achievement.

Devastations' variety of dark, atmospheric, mid-tempo mood-rock could very well have been all over the soundtrack of the televised series La Femme Nikita. Keyboard swells, minor notes and muted percussion abound. Right off the bat, "Black Ice" sounds like Peter Gabriel walking along a cloudy beachfront looking for just the right rip-tide to carry away a best friend's cremains. "Oh Me, Oh My" is a downtempo anthem which explores the hollow spaces just as thoroughly as the peaks. "Rosa" is a percussive, haunting church hymn at the alter of the damned.

I'm not exactly sure why Beggars Banquet chose "Mistakes" as the song that we're allowed to release... Perhaps it is the closest thing to pop music you're going to find on the album, but it isn't exactly their quintessence. Hard to argue, though, with a baseline that reminds me of SpyHunter and the most discordant piano flourishes this side of Cold War Kids.

"The Saddest Sound" pretty much delivers what it promises, and, "Misericordia" closes out the album on an appropriate note, considering the mood of the album.

Honestly, Devastations is a tad one-dimensional. But for a dreary-doldrum sad-core trio, it's ambient enough that it manages to be a fresh approach. Not music you'll be pumping at your buddy's bachelor party (unless of course you're trying to make a subtle statement). If you're an Aussie, you have plenty of opportunities to see them live. If you live here in the states, a Beggars Banquet rep has informed us that plans are underway for a U.S. tour. Keep an eye on that, because I'm excited to see who they might do shows with, or at what awesome venues they might appear. But if they come to your town, make sure to bring some tissues.

Devastations -Mistakes.mp3

Devastations live on YouTube:


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