Wednesday, November 21, 2007

The Devotees release "Further From Home"

By Katie Libecco

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YOUNGSTOWN – The Devotees are not a diverse band.

That adjective is generally reserved for the types of bands that can play several styles of music well.

But The Devotees are able to layer several styles of music — including folk, rock, bluegrass, country and classical — in a way uniquely their own.

Nothing proves that better than their album, "Further From Home," which will be released Friday at Cedar's Lounge in Youngstown with The Zou.

I'll be honest. The first time I heard The Devotees, and maybe a time or two after, I'm not sure I understood what they were about. With seven band members, the live shows I saw didn't do them justice. Few local sound engineers in local venues are prepared (or equipped) to deal with a violin, trumpet, electric guitar and male and female vocals, among the rest of the instruments.

But "Farther From Home" makes me get — and like — The Devotees.

The female vocals by Jenna Barvitski are subtly provoking and abnormally pleasant. When she and Dave Buker harmonize together, the sound is absolutely beautiful.

I could spend days analyzing instrumentation, but the point is that it works and it works well.

"Further From Home" is a great listen for fans of The Devotees, and for those on the fence about their fan-dom. For me, it was an exciting realization that I like The Devotees