My newest musical obsession: Devendra Banhart.
The music is quiet, passionate, sincere and obscure, if not on occasion bizarre. It’s a really welcomed change to the norm, and I hope to get a chance to see him live in the coming years. Devendra, the persona, is interesting in its own right: a melody of Argentinian gypsy sandwiched by the American Southwest and San Francisco, Devendra has developed a ridiculously unique identity in the face of a gentrified “scene” aimed directly at the pocketbook.
That’s not to say Banhart’s quips aren’t sellable; they certainly are – it’s just that it’s uniquely his own sound and style that makes it special. Around every corner is a beautiful surprise – from his fashion to his persona to and unfairly unique singing style, to the sweet and simplified guitar and rhythms to his beautiful little “tra-la-la-la’s”.
Part circus freak and part 70s hipster throwback, Devendra is 100% his own enterprise devoid of any real taxonomic ledger and I am ever grateful for his presence on this planet.
Favorite Albums: Cripple Crow, Oh Me Oh My, Rejoicing in the Hands