DeVotchKa

The gypsy-tinged quartet Devotchka was formed in Denver, Colorado, by multi-instrumentalists Nick Urata, Tom Hagerman, Jeanie Schroder, and Shawn King. While some described Devotchka's sound as polka-rock or circus music, the band was actually a cross-pollination of numerous influences, including cabaret, spaghetti Westerns, and the immigrant dance music of Eastern Europe. Supermelodrama, their self-released 2000 debut, garnered numerous accolades, as did Volta in 2003, and How It Ends in 2004. In 2006, they composed the lush score for Little Miss Sunshine, earning a Grammy nomination for Best Soundtrack. In March of 2008, the bands' most mature release, A Mad and Faithful Telling, hit the shelves. ~ Johnny Loftus