What is DeVotchKa? Derived from the Russian word девочка, it actually means "young girl" but according to Richmond.com's recent interview with the percussionist and trumpet player, Shawn King, it's actually a cockney slang reference from "A Clockwork Orange" that relates to girls.

Anyway, what does this mean musically? Is it music for little girls to put makeup on to? Is it the name of the score writers for the movie "Little Miss Sunshine?" Is it music to loathe the dark nether regions of emotional depravity?

The answer is yes, to all of the above. However, I can promise that it's also entertaining to witness live and in the flesh.

DeVotchKa got their start opening for burlesque shows and first toured in support of their self-released albums with fetish pin-up model Dita von Teese. 

"We had a really bizarre career in the beginning, going out on a national tour with burlesque dancers," King said. "It kind of makes you think shows are going to be a certain way, and then you go out on your own and realize that they can actually be very different as far as the people that come out to see you. People in other professions don't realize the insane amount of variety that you have to confront."

They quickly escalated their underground following to world-class spectators after releasing their smash hit "How it Ends" and allowed their sound to spiral up with it.

Then, in ­­­­2005, movie directors ­­­­­­­Jonathon Dayton and Valerie Faris approached DeVotchKa and asked them to write and perform the soundtrack to "Little Miss Sunshine," which could easily be considered what made the movie's atmosphere and set the tone for the characters.

"It was a lot of faith put in a little band, but you know, at the same time it was flattering too," King said. "They heard one song on the radio and decided to come check us out at a show on L.A. And little did we know they were studying us to see if we had the ability to do something like that. Then once the negotiations started, they had all their faith in our songs and in our music ability. I have to say really a lot of it was just a perfect storm."

DeVotchKa's sound is drawn from Greek, Slavic, Bolero, Mariachi, Romanic and many more influences but the ironic thing is that the four members are from Denver, Colo. You might assume that the musical origins are from the instruments they adorn but King says it's simply a yearning for the exotic.

"We're not purists in the sense that we play everything exactly like the cultures they come from, but a lot of it comes from the music we listen to," King said. "Tom is a classical violinist and he's studied a lot of Russian composers, Jeanie plays tuba and has played a lot of polkas in her life and I've studied a lot of Cuban rhythms. So I wouldn't say there is any one draw towards eastern European as much as it is just a real eclectic mix of sounds."

However, as eclectic and widely grown as their roots may be, their music is easy to listen to and will invoke childhood reveries and reminiscence.

The rustic group is now touring the world from Norway to North Carolina for their fourth studio album "A Mad & Faithful Telling." 

"I think we did a good job of making everything come together sonically," King said. "We used some different instruments and I think Nick [Urata] stepped it up lyrically. You can hear some growth in what he's saying on this record. It's kind of like all the other albums were just preparing us for this one."

DeVotchKa will be introducing its latest and greatest material here in Richmond this Thursday, May 15, at Toad's Place. Doors open at 7 p.m. and tickets are $15 in advance or $18 at the door. They'll be playing along with Basia Bulat and The Hotdamns. Get tickets at any Plan 9 Music or BK Music location or call (800) 514-3849.