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A Mad & Faithful Telling
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  • Record Label:
  • Release Date:
A Mad & Faithful Telling Image
Metascore
78

Generally favorable reviews - based on 22 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
8.1

Universal acclaim- based on 15 Ratings

  • Summary: The Denver, Colorado-based quartet known for its work on the "Little Miss Sunshine" soundtrack and score releases its latest album on the Anti label.

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 22
  3. Negative: 0 out of 22
  1. The A.V. Club
    91
    Urata's slurred warble leaps into soaring vibrato, and the group's eerie throb of violin, accordion, and sousaphone has never felt so cinematic.
  2. Austin Chronicle
    89
    Devotchka's captured the sound of a new world order.
  3. Spin
    80
    A sultry brew of Gypsy, Mexican, and pop ingredients that's adorably silly and unexpectedly moving. [Mar 2008, p.100]
  4. Lost At Sea
    75
    If the choice comes down to being obvious or oblique, the band could take a forty-five minute saunter down the road less musically traveled. When they do, I'm hedging that the result will be a masterwork. Until then, releases like A Mad and Faithful Telling will be as engaging as anything that has come before, but will only offer hints at what these colorful characters might do when they finally release the catapult.
  5. Village Voice
    70
    'Basso Profundo,' sticks out like a sore thumb, overindulging the band's penchant for melting-pot quirk before the listener's had a chance to acclimate, throwing off the balance of an otherwise perfectly paced album.
  6. Under The Radar
    70
    DeVotchKa pulls off their melting pot persona. [Spring 2008, p.82]
    All this publication's reviews
  7. Blender
    60
    Lively and ingenious combinations of glockenspiel, theremin, tuba, accordion, strings and mariachi horns promise more emotional depth than Nick Urata's world-weary tenor warble delivers. [May 2008, p.75]
    All this publication's reviews

See all 22 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 6
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 6
  3. Negative: 0 out of 6
  1. MathewP.
    Mar 29, 2008
    10
    Amazing album. Love the diversity and the range of sounds used here. Transiliterator is my song of the year so far!
  2. MattA.
    Mar 21, 2008
    10
    This is an amazing album. It has so many layers that it can make one feel one emotion one second, and a different one just after. I was This is an amazing album. It has so many layers that it can make one feel one emotion one second, and a different one just after. I was surprised because i was never into this band until I just stumbled upon this album. I guess I'll have to go back now and look at their previous stuff. This album, one me over.… Expand
  4. EricE.
    Mar 27, 2008
    10
    It's strange if you look at the reviews that culminate in this record receiving an 84, but they're all incredibly positive. For my It's strange if you look at the reviews that culminate in this record receiving an 84, but they're all incredibly positive. For my take, I think this is a better record than 'How it ends' which is saying a lot. It's visionary, highly emotional, (manic, lovelorn, exultant, weeping, furious) and it just sounds great. If you haven't heard this band, there's nothing that sounds like it musically- sweeping strings. I can't even begin to explain. And the singer is on caliber with Jeff Buckley, Roy Orbison, whomever... outstanding. Clockwise Witness, Along the Way, Undone. Start there.… Expand
  5. SamJ
    Jul 25, 2009
    9
    It is not just the vocals of "A Mad & Faithful Telling" that hit the spot, but (as of every DeVotchKa album) the music itself is good enough It is not just the vocals of "A Mad & Faithful Telling" that hit the spot, but (as of every DeVotchKa album) the music itself is good enough to achieve a '8' . A whole instrumental version of this album would be overall postive, and then there is the vocals, that give it one extra push. There is a vast amount of songs with vocals which are amazing, then the short instrumental tracks like "Comrade Z" which sounds amazing on their own. You notice yourself not thinking " when are the vocals going to begin?" and just enjoying the music. I think "Basso Profundo" will be one of my top tens this year.… Expand
  6. BradG.
    Mar 24, 2008
    8
    I'm really enjoying it so far. It's far too early to tell if I like it more that "How it Ends", but I'll give it time.
  7. SteveO.
    Apr 11, 2008
    8
    Overall its a decent album. He has a unique voice. Im looking forward to a future release.

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