Devastations – Yes, U
Always nicely dressed Devastations are back with their third album “Yes,U.” This is my first Devastations album but the band is signed on Beggars Banquet so that was able to help shape my expectations and you know the record is going to be solid with the track record. But, this Australian three piece is a very peculiar bunch. Vocally, the band have a very heavy and dark undertones to the vocals a lot in the likeness of say a Nick Cave. Musically the band are quite different from what you would expect. There are elements of your post-rock with the heavy distortions and epic sounds. The band also bring a element of programmed beats to the music. The one thing is this constant in the album is that they like to get loud.
“Black Ice” starts off with a slow beat that you think you are about to listen to some early 90s R&B, but then the vocals slowly kick in. The vocals are very soft and with a distant piano in their combined with the R&B beat makes for a special start. “Oh Me, Oh My” starts to get their inner noise kings out of them. The song has a strange soothing vibe to it with the giant wave of sound hitting you. “Rosa” is the track that made me fall in love with the band. The song starts off with a strong vocal and slowly starts building and the progression is fierce and noisy. The last two minutes is as frightening and chaotic as I have heard in a long time. I think you can hear some screams in the background of this sound collage that is just as huge as can be. “As Sparks Fly Upwards” sounds really nice at times but the song never seems to really go anywhere. “The Face Of Love” is a very heartfelt acoustic song. The “sha-la” sounds a little weird at first but they fit in with the song.
“Yes, U” is a charming record, there is a lot to like about this band. They take risks in some of their songs but they always seem to pay off. Aside, from a few minor slip up this is quite a rich and deep album worthy of your dollar.
By John Siwicki
