Devastations 'Coal' album

It has been a little over two years since the release of the Devastations' acclaimed self-titled debut - an album described by Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs in Mojo magazine as "the best thing I've heard all year", and named the best debut of 2004 by Rolling Stone Germany. The greater part of that time has been spent in Europe, using Berlin as a home base, touring the continent and rubbing shoulders with the likes of Einsturzende Neubauten and the Tindersticks.

And now Devastations - vocalist/bassist Conrad Standish, guitarist/vocalist Tom Carlyon, drummer Hugo Cran and keyboardist Kiernan Box - return with a sophomore effort, Coal, delivering on the promise of their debut, displaying assurance, subtlety and widened scope.

Formed in late 2002, Devastations were from the outset mining a well of their own, preferring understated emotion and veiled menace to the primal strut and bluster of the much-hyped 'new rock' of the time. The critical response to their debut album, released in May 2003, earned the trio Australian supports slots with the Dirty Three, Cat Power, Tindersticks and the Black Heart Procession - but the Devastations always had their sights set further afield.

They moved to Berlin and played their first European show in September 2003 as part of 'Bada Bing', a concert series organized by Alexander Hacke of Einsturzende Neubauten. They soon scored a European deal for their debut album through influential Spanish label Munster, and toured extensively with Tindersticks. The Devastations also recorded the backing tracks for infamous Berlin duo Cobra Killer's third album '76/77'.

These many and various experiences have all put their stamp on Coal, contributing to the album's impressive richness and range. Recorded in three locations - a Prague concert hall, the former East German headquarters for radio and television in Berlin, and a Melbourne studio - Coal's gentle ballads, such as 'I Don't Want to Lose You Tonight' and 'Dance With Me', sit alongside the sharp, rapid fire assault of 'Take You Home' or 'What's A Place Like That Doing In A Girl Like You'. Strings and piano alternate with stinging electric guitars, and throughout the songwriting is deft and heartfelt.

The record's beauty is also enhanced by the contributions of a number of special guests. New Zealand songbird, Bic Runga, lends her gorgeous voice to 'A Man Of Fortune', Padma Newsome, of highly-regarded New York instrumental quartet Clogs, plays violin and viola on 'I Don't Want To Lose You Tonight' and 'A Man Of Fortune', and Genevieve McGuckin (ex These Immortal Souls) plays a woozy optigan on 'Dance With Me'. It's a testimonial to the Devastations' craft that despite its varying recording locales and special guest appearances, Coal is as cool, cohesive and compelling a record as you could ever hope to hear... a fact reflected in it's nomination for the AMP award in Australia for Best album of 2005 along with Drones, Wolfmother, Ben Lee and Go-Betweens.

Devastations recently played a wonderful set supporting The National at Koko in London.

Biography

"I heard this for the first time in Australia. Within five minutes I had tears streaming down my face. It gives me feelings I can tap into outside of myself when I can't quite tap into what is going on inside. That for me is most precious."
-Yeah Yeah Yeahs singer Karen O, MOJO Magazine

"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 and Conrad Standish. The Devastations are all about silence. Holes; big enough and empty enough to fill the grand canyon. Silence and how you fill it. And how much you fill it, and what you fill it with, and when? And the answer to that last part of the puzzle is song. And song is where Devastations come in. They neither sound like the past or this fad. This is timeless, because it is of the heart, and the soul is always timeless."
-The Birthday Party guitarist Rowland S. Howard

The Story
Devastations are from Melbourne, Australia. They are the first band signed to Brassland on the strength of an unsolicited demo, and it won't take long listening to their sophomore album Coal to figure out why we were so enthusiastic about presenting them to you, the listener.

Formed in late 2002, Devastations consciously chose to ignore the strut and bluster that dominated the musical landscape at the time, instead mining a deep well of their own, full of understated emotion, veiled menace, and a distinct flair for creating a romantic mood. It was this music's unique intimacy, its ability to forge a human connection, which caused all those peers to sing their praises. Their self-titled debut brought them invitations to open for artists like Dirty Three, Cat Power, and the Tindersticks -- the latter of whom they've supported extensively in both Australia and Europe.

After an excellent initial reception in Australia, Devastations choose to follow in the footsteps of spiritual ancestors like the Go-Betweens and Birthday Party, and make their way in the larger world. They moved to Berlin in 2003, and played their first European show in September as part of 'Bada Bing', a concert series organized by Einsturzende Neubauten's Alexander Hacke. Devastations toured extensively in their new home, and recorded backing tracks for infamous Berlin duo Cobra Killer's third album '76/77.' More recently, vocalist/bassist Conrad Standish contributed three songs and guested on the Liars new album. (Standish is childhood friends with that band's leader, Angus Andrew.)

Devastations finally came to the attention of Brassland in late 2004 when they crossed paths with labelmates, Clogs, first sharing a stage during a festival in Belgium, then meeting again a few days later in Paris. The Brassland braintrust had already expressed their admiration for Devastations music, and encouraged them to meet Padma Newsome, a fellow Australian who plays violin/viola in both Clogs and The National. Wine was drunk, plans were discussed, plots were hatched, and the group decided to join the extended Brassland family.

What will Devastations do for you?

When Rowland S. Howard heard them he did not wonder about influences. Rather he wrote a rapturous newspaper article about the group and asked them collaborate with him on a single. When Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs heard them, she so fell in love with their music telling MOJO they were "the best thing I've heard all year."

We hope you agree.

Devastations are:
Conrad Standish-vocals/bass
Hugo Cran-drums
Tom Carlyon-guitars/vocals
Kiernan Box-keyboards/assorted magic

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Tracklisting

Devastations - Coal