What the press are saying about 'Baby, You're A Vampire' -
**** The long-awaited and excellent third album from Sydney’s The Devoted Few
contains a lot to rave about... without doubt a world class and top shelf effort.
The Devoted Few have triumphed with this album.
Ben Preece - Time Off, Brisbane
Fans of high class Aussie indie rock that goes pop should get on board now, because this classy record is one trip you don’t want to miss.
Troy Foster - Rip It Up, Adelaide
**** Sydney's Devoted Few could well be from Ireland, a nation which does this kind of almost gospel rock so well. This third album is stuffed with impassioned grabs for your heart with classic build-and-swell arrangements, vocals that feel wrenched from Ben Fletcher's guts and the kind of hearty tunes that lodge with you rather than immediately tickle the ear. It's old-fashioned, with no '80's synths or dancefloor moves, but when you make music that sounds like it matters deeply to you, the rest of us will come along.
Bernard Zuel - Sydney Morning Herald
'Don't Listen to Us' is the best song Fletcher et al have ever done; a stunning piece of pure force. Opening track 'Trigger Fingers' is also exceptional, as is 'We Burn'...these songs are great and this band will doubtlessly once again be a force on any stage.
Ben Revi - The Drum Media, Sydney
The Devoted Few reach some great heights, but the album works best as the epic and heartfelt melodic rock excursion that it is.
Christine Lan - Beat, Melbourne
**** The types of hooks that made stars of bands like Eskimo Joe & Faker are starting
to emerge, while singer/songwriter Benjamin Fletcher also possesses the level of
of intensity so beloved of heart-on-sleeve composers like Augie March’s Glenn Richards.
Matt Thrower - Rave Magazine, Brisbane
**** Rock on in 2009 to this album. A great listen from start to finish, it reeks of
dramatic rock hooks and sounds like a band who are in love with the noise they are making.
Maz Compton - The Sunday Telegraph, Sydney
**** Baby, You're A Vampire should be this band's breakthrough album. IT'S ONE OF 2009's GREAT ROCK RECORDS.
Jeff Jenkins - The Mag
This is a superb record and released right in time for the upcoming winter when it can create warmth and hope for the summer with its beautiful crescendos, heartfelt delivery and a resurgence in the belief that Australian musicians don’t disappoint. Recommended for fans of Arcade Fire, Bright Eyes and Death Cab For Cutie, or anyone who likes to see a boy wearing his heart on his sleeve.
Ivana Stab - The Dwarf.com.au
Here, for your listening pleasure, is The Devoted Few’s new album, Baby, You’re a Vampire.
What’s it like? I’m glad you asked. Baby, You’re A Vampire is an astonishing record from start to finish, an album full to bursting with hooks, ideas and glorious noise. It’s the sound of a band firing on all cylinders, passionately in love with the noise they make together. It’s songwriter Ben Fletcher’s most confident and ambitious effort to date. It’s got moments of transcendence that would make the Arcade Fire blush, dark corners that would frighten Robert Smith, and ideas that would make Brian Eno say, ‘bugger, I wish I’d thought of that’.
It’s not the kind of thing you can pull off in a weekend – and Baby, You’re A Vampire has been a long time coming. In the months following the arrival of The Devoted Few’s last release, Schematic Tracks (which spawned the single Sleep Less) Fletcher had a headful of songs and a million ideas about how to record them. But his second job as guitarist for Sarah Blasko kept him otherwise occupied for much of the next year, putting Devoted business temporarily on hold. Then, early the following year, The Devoted Few won a demo competition, giving them ten days in the studio with Anton Hagop (silverchair, Dissociatives), where the bulk of the new songs were finally committed to tape. Two additional songs and the album’s wide-screen touches were added a few weeks later at BJB with Scott Horscroft (Sleepy Jackson, The Panics), and an email to Nashville, Tennessee turned up mixer Jacquire King (Kings Of Leon, Modest Mouse). ‘Do you have a couple of weeks free to mix our album?’ the band politely enquired of King. ‘What are you doing the day after tomorrow?’ came the reply. Fletcher and guitarist Barry Adamson grabbed their toothbrushes and flew to Nashville, and Baby, You’re A Vampire was subsequently polished to perfection in ‘the buckle of the bible belt’, as King likes to call it.
Fletcher and Adamson each flew back into Sydney with something very special amidst his carry-on luggage. More special, even, than the Elvis mugs they got at Graceland. A humble CD-R containing the album you are about to hear. What kind of album is it? I’ll give you a few more clues. It’s got music that sounds like a city going up in flames, and words that sound like the poetry you hear in your dreams. It’s got songs about love, songs about war, songs about dead poets, and songs about those guys who pissed the band off that time. It’s got at least one song about the futility of all human endeavour that nevertheless makes you want to dance like a lunatic, and a couple of songs about vampires to boot. It is, (you guessed it), a world-class Australian indie rock record. It’s the new album by The Devoted Few – and they can’t wait for you to hear it.
Craig Schuftan – December 08
Click to purchase 'Baby, You're A Vampire' on iTunes along with two exclusive tracks - Spod's remix of 'Don't Listen To Us' & an acoustic version of 'The Death Of Us'!
For all Devoted Few show dates & details head HERE.
I knew you guys had a Cure cover in you somewhere!I like!Wish I was going to be at the Hoey this month..........if I win the lottery I will pay for a UK tour!
I just found out I am my college radio station's music manager. Being so I was wondering if I could get a promotional copy of "Baby, You're a Vampire" to put in the station and have for recommended playing? -Sydney
Cheers for the add. Look forward to seeing you and your friends at one of our gigs soon. And get a free copy of our debut E.P, Greatest Days @ our myspace site.
ben i was reading some of your diary entries on the bluebottle site and man i couldn't stop laughing (out loud).. had to post this in case you'd forgotten bout this dream you had Slept for what seemed like an eternity, I had the weirdest dreams last night- I dreamt that I was born eight months over due, I popped out fully grown wearing tight 80's stone washed jeans and an Un-canny-x-men t-shirt with the arms cut out. Walking out of the hospital I found myself in an under water prison, and in my cell was the chief of police in the Dukes of Hazard (you know that fat guy). He was telling me about his infatuation with Richo and asked me if I could set up a date. Shrugging my shoulders seemed to anger the big man. Wildly throwing his arms around he starts smashing huge holes in the walls, with water gushing in I couldn't escape........ I can't remember any more of the dream but when I awoke I was clutching one of Richo shoes and sweating profusely.
Ben would you please play "Just Breathing" since its my top played song on my iTunes? It would completely make my birthday the best one EVER until I can come to OZ and see you..or you come to Colorado. -Sydney xoxox
Saturday, Thursday, close enough haha. So i read the 6 as an 8 -shifty eyes- my brain is pretty out of joint today. Not good when i need to give change...
