Devistations

On their debut album, Coal, Aussies-turned-Berliners Devastations had to deal with innumerable comparisons to Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds. From the vocals to the gothic feel, this was well-trodden territory. These comparisons must have struck a chord because Yes, U sees the band blooming into a completely new brash and confident beast. While the elegantly attired brooding still exists in the epic "Oh Me, Oh My,” which absolutely drips in gorgeous melodramatic atmosphere, the real leaps and bounds come on "Rosa.” Here, the band throw caution to the wind and build up a nasty stomp that culminates in an awesome feedback wall. Yet, despite this catharsis, they still know how to make tightly wound statements, as seen with the beautiful "The Pest.” Sure, they still nudge Nick Cave in songs like "The Saddest Sound” but by the time you end the album on instrumental "Misericordia,” it’s obvious that Devastations are just starting to flex their creative muscles. Exciting, unique and sometimes exhilarating, Devastations may be fiddling with their formula but, for songs that are as magnificently mope-y as these, it doesn’t really matter.