The Devastations
The Devastations

“The Devastations are: the sound of a meteor cooling in the cut grass; the clash of a terrible beauty with the customary; Tom Carlyon, Hugo Cran, Conrad Standish.”
(Rowland S. Howard)

It seems that this winter just won't end. Gloomy days, clouds, gray sky, rain, and cold simply refuse to go away. It's better to spend weekends at home with the shutters down. So what should we do? Let's grab a book we've wanted to read for a while and console ourselves by listening to warm, intimate, and deep music. Music that's perfect for riding through the night. So what could be better, then, than this eponymous debut album by the Australians "The Devastations" (Munster Records – 2004)? At this moment, it really seems like nothing.

I've been listening to it almost non-stop for several days now. It's been a long time since an album struck me in this way, because it's delicate and poignant and delves deep into the soul. Their music is enveloping and slowly gets inside you like a comforting thought, though more often piercing. And it's truly extraordinary to discover that there's still someone capable of creating vibrant atmospheres, warming the heart like this without leading you even for a moment towards boredom. At the same time, it's wonderful to rediscover that not too many ingredients are needed to achieve this result. An acoustic guitar, a violin, an occasionally rough electric guitar, a grave, warm, charismatic, and fascinating voice; sometimes the notes of a piano or an organ, a dense but not intrusive rhythm section are enough. And if you can catch the spirits of people like Nick Cave, Leonard Cohen, or affinity with groups like "The Black Heart Procession" among the notes, then what more could we ask for? Listening to these surprising Australians, it's impossible not to perceive these coordinates in their inspiration. Listen, for example, to “Loene” or the splendid “Previous Crimes” which seem like songs from the best Nick Cave.

But there are other elements capable of arousing curiosity, like the vocal duets with violinist Emilie Martin that hint at the ghost of Gainsbourg, or the beginning of the album that projects the listener into the musical universe of Morricone, or a wonderful, albeit brief, instrumental version with banjo and organ of “Ausencia”, which splits the album in half. Some might recall it being performed by Cesaria Evora in the film “Underground” by Kusturica, but in this case, it wouldn't be out of place in "Frank’s Wild Years" by Tom Waits.

With these characteristics, it's no surprise that the group managed to quickly gather favor from critics and the public and earn the esteem of musicians like Rowland S. Howard (guitarist for Nick Cave's "Birthday Party") and Alexander Hacke (Einstürzende Neubauten), while also supporting the Australian tours of Cat Power and "Tindersticks".

In conclusion, without further ado: a good band, intriguing references, a great album, a surprise.
Listen to it.