DEVOTCHKA, BASIA BULAT
(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) The greatest Valentine’s Day of my life was spent with Basia Bulat. It’s not what you think, I swear. Our relationship is strictly fan-to-performer: platonic, respectful, and polite. But having seen the Canadian singer (alongside her adorable backing band) inside a half-empty Doug Fir was the greatest way to spend that dreaded faux-holiday. At first, Bulat’s songs feel simplistic and bare, but last year’s Oh, My Darling is littered with a deep-rooted sense of whimsy and artistic vision—it reminds me of a fairer-gendered Jeff Mangum had he grown up on the sweeping plains of some unnamed province north of the border. Bulat isn’t overly nostalgic for simpler times, but her songs tug towards the past, as they are soft reminders of the unyielding power a simple pop song can hold. EAC

For reals. Bulat and her band (matching outfits!) were great live, and her closing Daniel Johnston cover (“True Love Will Find You In The End”), complete with a story on how he wanted to share some pizza with her, was a perfect ending to a perfect night.

MP3:
Basia Bulat - In the Night

Photo by A. Von Seckendorf