Devotchka - Curse Your Little Heart

Rating

single starsingle starsingle starsingle star

RIYL

Gogol Bordello
The Decemberists
Secret Chiefs 3
Alamaailman Vasarat
Clann Zu

Tracklist

1. I Cried Like a Silly Boy
2. Curse Your Little Heart
3. Last Beat of My Heart
4. Somethin' Stupid
5. Venus in Furs
6. Zopilote Mojado

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Finally! At long last! It's been so long!

The cover record: Loathsome, time-wasting, bland, insipid, boring, miserable. It's the go-to route and lazy way out for any band looking to stay in the public eye. Thankfully, DeVotchKa's latest EP shows that a cover doesn't have to be by-the-books. Anyone who's heard Velvet Underground's massively popular "Venus in Furs" likely will not recognize it once it's been DeVotchKized, even if a lot of the recording and playing techniques mimic the original. Meanwhile, Nick Urata's voice sounds perfectly fit for "Somethin' Stupid," even though the last thing you'd compare/contrast him with is Old Blue Eyes. Their thunderously soaring take on Siouxsie and the Banshees' "The Last Beat of My Heart" again sounds like something this marvelous band would have concocted on its own sooner or later.

Perhaps the best part about all of this is that it shows DeVotchKa really knows itself. While the bands they cover share very little musical similarity, the lyrical tone fits the band's folked-out chamber/gypsy rock hybrid perfectly, making this one of the finest and most startlingly obvious cover albums ever to see the light of day. It's shocking how easily the band could have gotten away with giving these tracks new names and slipping them into a full length without anyone being the wiser. The title track is the only true original on the record, as opener "I Cried Like a Silly Boy" is heisted from a friend's band and the closer is a traditional… something. A traditional amazing something that utilizes a bass clarinet, which makes the whole thing all the more worthwhile.

DeVotchKa sends a clear message to every band of today with Curse Your Little Heart. Even if you have to take your ideas from somewhere else, it's not impossible to make them your own. Creativity and replication can go hand-in-hand.

This EP begs for the peaceful end to stale music.

--Ben Rice

Author

sir mix-a-lot
Last updated: 09/29/2009 08:54PM

Comments

Roncag
10/03/2006
10:42AM
Age: 32
Location
Anytown USA
Spoken like a true copy-cat. The EP is ace.

You play to win the game.

awake_and_avenge
10/03/2006
11:22AM
Age: 29
Location
Tucson, AZ
Devotchka rocks, but for some reason this EP doesn't pull me back very often. Still solid material though.
Firebrand
10/04/2006
12:13PM
awake_and_avenge
Devotchka rocks, but for some reason this EP doesn't pull me back very often. Still solid material though.



yeah, me too. I can only listen to it once every so often. Hardly ever all the way through in one listen. Im still probly gonna go out and buy at some point any other stuff by them.
sovietnoodle
10/28/2006
05:22PM
Location
Colorado
Devotchka are frickin awesome. i am currently listening to How it ends (the cd)....pure genious! Reminds me of Beirut...which makes me wish Beirut had more than 1 cd.

sir mix-a-lot
10/28/2006
05:36PM
Location
Sacramento, CA
sovietnoodle
Devotchka are frickin awesome. i am currently listening to How it ends (the cd)....pure genious! Reminds me of Beirut...which makes me wish Beirut had more than 1 cd.

more like beirut reminds you of devotchka, hippie. that reminds me...i still haven't tackled beirut...

I'm not here to make things better; only to observe and pass judgement.

Originally stated by Scott Miller
It's like talking into a mirror!
sovietnoodle
10/28/2006
05:55PM
Location
Colorado
sir mix-a-lot
more like beirut reminds you of devotchka, hippie. that reminds me...i still haven't tackled beirut...


or each band reminds me of the other...btw...are there any sites (in english) that specifically tackle international cds?

sir mix-a-lot
10/29/2006
06:24PM
Location
Sacramento, CA
i have no idea. i wish i could get more exposure to international artists that are instrumental or don't sing in english, though.

if you ever need any los hermanos albums, hit me up. i've got em all.

note: only slightly comparable to devotchka/beirut

I'm not here to make things better; only to observe and pass judgement.

Originally stated by Scott Miller
It's like talking into a mirror!
sovietnoodle
10/29/2006
08:09PM
Location
Colorado
sir mix-a-lot
i have no idea. i wish i could get more exposure to international artists that are instrumental or don't sing in english, though.

if you ever need any los hermanos albums, hit me up. i've got em all.

note: only slightly comparable to devotchka/beirut


i have never heard of los hermanos. So its like spanish ethnic indie pop or something?

sir mix-a-lot
10/30/2006
05:57PM
Location
Sacramento, CA
it's a brazilian pop-rock band loaded down with instrumentation. it's so fucking good. lots of brass. two vocalists that trade off. experimental, catchy, and easy to listen to, all at the same time. it's nice.

I'm not here to make things better; only to observe and pass judgement.

Originally stated by Scott Miller
It's like talking into a mirror!