It wouldn’t be entirely unsuitable to say the Devastations are a strange bunch. They continue to buck most trends that fly their way: it began with their dumping of the definite article from their name, the decision to pick up and run from Australia’s music hot-spot for the glamour of the European scene. Music, though, is their language, their occupation, and it’s in this arena that they’ve ducked and weaved their way to an industry-defying position. They stand behind their opponent, concealed from his view, exploding on the odd occasion with an idiosyncratic howl and left-hook. First, sophomore album Coal was unleashed, and critics hailed them as up-and-coming champions. They henceforth disappeared into the European wilderness. Now, with Yes, U, they’ve got the critics floored again: the response has been one of bemusement; no one’s quite sure where it all came from. The choruses and hooks present in Coal are gone, and have been replaced by visceral, gutsy experimentalism. Whether it’s the knock-out punch these guys need (or deserve) to set alight their presently understated music careers we’re yet to know, but it’s definitely a sign of intent.
His German may me limited to statements of greeting and need – “I want that” for instance – but Conrad Standish, bass player and co-vocalist for Devastations seems quite at home in the band’s new home base, Berlin: “Um, well we’ve been there off and on since about 2003; it’s a cool place to be.” Having made the move from Melbourne permanently now, the band is now immersed in Berlin’s music scene and their other home-away-from-home, London… with mixed responses. “The scene in London, I dunno, it’s pretty lame. There are a few good bands, but it’s really all run by certain parts of the media who completely over-focus on particular styles; everyone’s really young.” The German music scene is not one many can even contemplate outside of dance, electro or the mind-numbing growls of their chief rock export, Rammstein: “I’m not sure if [Rammstein are] from Berlin, but they’re certainly very, very fucking German. There’s lot of very good electronic music… some are fucking amazing.”
With the move came a need for a new sound, and a new producer. Having had the envious pleasure of working with the team of Aria-winning Chris Thompson and his protégé Steve Schram in Melbourne, Devastations managed to acquire Chris Coady, the producer behind TV on the Radio’s mind-blowing Return to Cookie Mountain LP, for the job on Yes,U. “He’s absolutely amazing. We’ll work with him on the next one for sure; he has a whole lot of ideas, and really makes it entertaining.”
Although convinced that they’d “probably write the same stuff even if [they] were living in Australia,” Standish is adamant that, on Yes, U, there is “only one violin, in one song.” The emphasis it seems, therefore, is not on a vast instrumentation-type approach, but honesty. While synth beats make themselves known for the album’s majority, the overwhelming sensation is one of human fragility – both in terms of the depressive aspects of life and the more uplifting. It’s a human, corporeal sound without moments of airiness. But don’t even think of labelling it bleak or depressing. “I don’t think it’s a depressing record, I really don’t. I don’t see why people do! I mean the whole thing virtually is about being in love or writing like playful songs. I don’t understand why people found it to be a downer… they’re weak!”
As for the fallout from this album – tour plans and the like – one thing’s a certainty, they’ll be coming home for their fist visit in a long time. “We’ll be there over the summer, we’ll be doing Meredith.” They’re also on the roster for Australia’s ever-popular Laneway Festival. Interestingly, the beast of fame has been quite pleasant to the band’s ex-members: “All the keyboard players we’ve had, they’ve all seemed to end up joining way more successful bands,” Standish says un-spitefully, citing Augie March’s Kiernan Box for example. After Coal, they were proclaimed a cult favourite in the making. Yes, U will only cement this position. Perhaps, also, a step on the path trodden by such Aussie greats as Gina G might even be on the cards: “I’ll tell you what, I would fucking love to enter Eurovision. Might have crack at that, might be a worthwhile endeavour.” We’re not quite sure of the rules of entry to Eurovision, but the sight of this trio belting out one of their morose, grungy ballads would be a priceless one. It might even leave Terry Wogan speechless.
Devastations
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