DeVotchKa

DeVotchKa merges the spastic desperation of late-'70s Talking Heads with the orchestral sweep of Arcade Fire's more grandiose work. Leader Nick Urata's vocals often recall Win Butler's yelping vibrato, which makes the Arcade Fire comparisons even more plentiful. On albums like 2008's <i>A Mad & Faithful Telling</i>, the band has toyed with even more exotic instrumentation than usual, further underscoring worldly muses that were always present. The Denver-based four-piece breaks out an impressive arsenal of instruments for its sensational live shows, including a sousaphone, an accordion, a piano, a violin, a bouzouki, an upright bass and a Theremin.