Denver quartet DeVotchKa may not have released an album in three years, but its members have stayed busy, even during the pandemic. Violinist Tom Hagerman dove into the Suzuki method, teaching the instrument to children, while bassist Jeanie Schroder, an accomplished instructor in her own right, has also been teaching a group of young students. Drummer Shawn King has started a podcast, “My Youth on Record,” where artists talk about their formative songwriting years.

Frontman Nick Urata, meanwhile, has not only written the band’s next album, but had time to dig even deeper into his other love of writing music for film.

DeVotchKa, whose eclectic style involves a blend of alt-rock with cabaret music, Eastern European folk and punk (the four musicians play the standard rock instruments along with trumpet, theremin, bouzouki, accordion, melodica, sousaphone and flute), had its first major successes with songs featured on soundtracks of critically acclaimed films like “Little Miss Sunshine” and “Everything Is Illuminated.” Urata himself has scored the likes of “Crazy Stupid Love,” “Ruby Sparks” and pandemic release “The True Adventures of Wolfboy.”

In November 2020, DeVotchKa blended music and film in a different way—recording a cover of the theme song to cult 1984 kids fantasy film “The Neverending Story.” For the charity project, which benefited the Recording Academy’s nonprofit MusiCares, they teamed up with good friend Amanda Shires (The Highwomen) and actress Tami Stronach, who played the Childlike Empress in the movie.

“We … grew up with that movie. We’ve been singing the song for years,” Urata said in a video call from his home in Denver, adding that MusiCares’ mission to help working musicians was vital.

Shires jumped onto the project immediately because she was bored and needed something to do, he said. DeVotchKa had toured with her and her band the Thrift Store Cowboys since years earlier, “when we were both kind of unknown struggling bar bands.” And when they’d played the same festival, they’d get together. One year at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, Shires joined them on stage.

“The Empress was also sitting at home. We just reached out to her and told her what we’re doing. She was really into the cause, and, as you know, she recorded [for] us a beautiful little section with her daughter, who’s now around her age when she made the movie, which was very sweet,” Urata said.

It’s possible DeVotchKa may break out the cover at its set at BottleRock Napa Valley over Memorial Day weekend.

RIFF: It’s been three years since DeVotchKa released an album (2018’s This Night Falls Forever); what’s next for you guys?

Nick Urata: Has it been that long already? Time really flies by between these releases. I’ve been writing songs the whole time and we’re trying to get a new one out within this three-year mark. Hopefully this fall we will probably release a single or two and then an album to follow.

Are there any specific themes that you focused on this time around?

I find that I always keep circling back to the same themes, I think, which is why I started writing songs in the first place: Lost, unrequited love. That seems to be a major theme in my writing process. I think that’s what got me to pick up a guitar in the first place all those years ago and it’s still a treasure trove of inspiration. …There’s a great line from The Magnetic Fields, where he [Stephin Merritt] says, “That’s where music came from.”

Can people expect to hear a new song at BottleRock, or is it still too early for that?

Yes, we’re gonna try to bust out a couple of new ones, and then, of course, you know, give to people what they came for.  You know, it’s like … you go see your favorite band and they’re like, “We’re gonna play a new one now!” And you’re like, “Ugh, FUCK.”

I also like to get that first experience before other people do.

Yeah that is pretty cool. I remember a last time I saw the Shins—who I’m a huge fan of—and they played a few from their last album before anybody heard them, and it was pretty special. I think it depends on the band.

You’ve stayed busy writing for film over the past few years. Why do you continue finding the line of work so engrossing, interesting and rewarding?

When you’re in a band, you’re constantly having to sell your wares and convince people to listen to you. In the film world, they actually come to you and ask you to make music for them. That’s one attractive thing. The second is you have an alternative inspiration other than your own, and your twisted mind and experiences. You have this other work of art to inspire your music. I always find that exhilarating when I start a film. It gets you out of your own head and into good collaboration on something much bigger than yourself.

When you work on those songs, do you do it at the same time as the band’s songs, or do you like to separate them and give them their own time?

That’s another really fortunate thing. They each make you appreciate the other much more. When I hit a wall in one area, I can jump to the next and it’s a whole different pool of inspiration. I like to jump back and forth to keep to the work flowing.

Is there a certain filmmaker or certain type of film that you’d like to see your music in in the future?

I love so many directors. Of course, I love Wes Anderson and the way he uses music and score and songs. He’s been a big influence, even on my songwriting. He’s such an amazing storyteller. I love Paul Thomas Anderson’s films. He’s an amazing filmmaker and he uses, of course, Johnny Greenwood [of Radiohead]. I love his scores and his style, and I think the two of them were amazing together.

How have you managed to stay healthy or sane during the past year and a half?

Well, I’m not so sure if I have stayed sane or not. The jury’s still out on that one. I am thankful that my close circle of friends and family all kind of rode through this. Some of us got sick, but not seriously, thankfully. Looking back, I did enjoy the massive slowing down of everything. As working artists, your life just flies by every day. When everything sort of came to a screeching halt, it was a very reflective time and you could really see what’s important and who’s important in your life, and what gets you out of bed in the morning.

For me, I realized that was writing songs and being with my friends, even though it was virtually, like this. I had pretty much everyone from my past reach out and we all started communicating more. That was another huge lesson. You’re always putting off; like, “Oh, I’ll call him next week” or “we’ll get together next month.” That was all brought to the forefront—that you can’t put these things off, you know? You got to focus on what’s important.

So you took advantage of actually having time with the people in your life.

Yeah, I did, definitely. One regret of having a busy touring and writing life is you don’t get to hang out with your friends as much or talk with them. And I did always put it off. I always thought, “Oh, I’ll just do it next week.” And this all brought it into focus. There’s no time like the present.

What does the future look like for DeVotchKa?

We played our first live show about a month ago [in May]. It was amazing because it happened to be the first weekend where they let down some of the restrictions for live performances. The whole town was ready to party and we did a free outdoor show. It was like a coming out party, it was pretty amazing. I just want to keep that feeling going. I’m sure every other band has told you [that] when [performances] gets taken away from me like that, when you actually get to do it again, you come at it with a whole new appreciation for what it is and that special connection to the audience. That’s why we all do it, and sometimes that gets out of focus, or diluted. But now it’s right in the forefront.

So, now that it’s right in the forefront, it’s the best time to ask you—why do you do what do?

I’ve tried other things. I guess it just seems like if there is such thing as fate or predestination or some sort of universal benevolent spirit, I feel like they always throw me back on this track. I think it’s probably the most positive thing I have to offer the world while I’m here, so that’s why I keep doing it.

Follow editor Roman Gokhman at Twitter.com/RomiTheWriter.