home recordings, lo fi singer-songwriters and beyond : Devendra Banhart

Bastet Magazine

VA : The Golden Apples of the Sun -selected by Devendra Banhart- (US,(UK),2004)****

This is a limited CD which came with or could be ordered even without the Bastet magazine. I saw it featured some of my choices of last year, including several names unknown to me. I trusted Devendra’s choice so I went for it. And now, after having listened to it at least twice, I can say wow: finally a compilation made by someone with a FEELING for music rather than a compilation decided by a business compromising decision.

Not only the choices of names was deliberate, I’m sure even the songs must have been, for all of them have a sensitive playing of acoustic guitar or piano, and a certain richness in emotionality in the voice and voice-arrangements. In this way as a compilation this one really works fine. It not only is a good document showing some relatively unknown talents, the CD itself also preserves repeated listening pleasure.

Vetiver was a group I saw listed amongst new releases previously. I checked some soundfiles out, wasn’t convinced enough -so many good releases saw the light lately, and I had to drop the line somewhere- but this choice with female folk singer Hope Sandoval (ex-Mazzy Star) really surely is wonderful -acoustic guitar, voices, cello-. This is followed by the creaky, slightly child-like, but expressive enough mature voice, with American accent, Joanna Newsom, -with double melody on harp-, with a song called "Bridges and Balloons". Six Organs of Admittance was one of those names that featured and will feature more often on my webpages & radioshow (reviews on next page). This group evolved from guitar & background psych over raga-guitar psychfolk towards more song oriented music with guitar, like on this track, “Hazy SF” -previously unreleased-. The Viking Moses track is short and simple -duo male/female vocals song with guitar accompaniment-. Another very special voice is Josephine Foster, whose work I already admired with Born Heller (review on next page). This is a beautiful blues-psychfolk song with banjo, flute and double layered vocals. I heard that Locust will release some solo works of her later this year ! Look forward to hear these! Next is another group that Locust took under its wings, which is a beautiful psychfolk song of Espers (review on next page). Devendra Banhart himself managed to invite -as one of her biggest fans- no less a person than Vasthi Bunyan for a beautiful duet –a track accompanied by xylophone, flute, guitar- (which appears on his newest album). Vashti a few years ago was rediscovered by the public. She made one beautiful child-like-fragile psychfolk s/sw album (definitely worth checking out if you’re into beautiful acid/psych folk). Next is dreamy, -and previously unreleased-, song by Jana Hunter. I only know she’s from Texas- : -violin, guitar, slightly emphasized voice-. I wish I knew more about her. Next track is by Currituck Co. : a nice guitar piece coming from “Ghost Man on First" (demo version of this album was reviewed on next page). This is followed by another fine –previously unreleased- track, by White Magic, who released an album on the Drag City label: -electrified guitars, soft drums, handpercussion, female vocals-, followed by Iron & Wine -gentle guitar/voice- with "Fever Dream". Also chosen is a sensitive song from Diane Cluck from her early album°. Matt Valentine's previously unreleased track is pretty odd : very short -1 minute- and pretty rough- (See review of his nicely arranged new album on next page). The Entrance track is soft pop with some arranged vocals and piano only. Also master guitarist Jack Rose is included, with a track from "Red Horse, White Mule". You can hear here as well how he is influenced by the Takoma tradition (Fahey, Basho,..). I heard one track before on the Locust guitar compilation (review on next page). Some solo work was re-released lately and Locust will release something else later this year, which I surely will check out later. Little Wings has another pretty short track, performed with an nice ease we can notice through all chosen tracks on this compilation. Scout Niblett is another American singer-songwriter : -calm guitar playing and much emotional variety in her voice-. Looking at her webpage she seems to maintain such a stark emotionality. In two soundfiles there, she sounded more reactive, perhaps rocking ? This track however fits again so perfectly within the smooth atmosphere troughout the whole consistent compilation. A strange submission comes from Troll : -poprock track with varied vocals sung in a undecipherable language ?- Also nice to see included is an acoustic guitar track by the theatrically rich and semi-surreal duo, Cocorosie, “Good Friday”, (see review on next page). Last track is by Antony from "Live at Saint Olaye's With Current 93", again a simple track with piano only, but with very individual & original and emotionally rich soulful singing. I have no idea who he is. Hope I can find out.*

I will repeat my conclusion : as a compilation album of emotionally rich voices and quiet acoustic playing, this is perhaps the best in its kind I heard so far. It comes of course, recommended.

More audio : Troll : "Mexicana" ; Info on this release : http://www.arthurmag.com/store/bastet_cds.php

Additional links :

Vetiver other soundfiles : "Oh Papa", "Without A Song" Contact group : robocoup@hotmail.com

with more soundfragments at http://ubl.artistdirect.com/store/artist/album/0,,2890559,00.html

Info on Hope Sandoval : http://www.hopesandoval.com/index.html

Vasthi Bunyan old album soundfile : "Winter is Blue" Homepage : http://www.anotherday.co.uk/

PS. Vashti also appeared in one track of the 2003 Pianomagic release

Josephine Foster (Born Heller review at next page) ; reviews on next page->

Jana Hunter : reviews on next page->

Joanna Newsom at http://www.walnutwhales.com/ & http://www.billions.com/artists/joannanew/index.html

Other soundfiles : "clam, crab, cockle, cowrie", en "Gallop!"

Iron & Wine http://www.subpop.com/bands/ironandwine/ & http://www.subpop.com/bands/iron_and_wine/# & http://www.subpop.com/scripts/main/bands_page.php?id=403

solo release of guitarist under name of Langtry is reviewed at next page.

Diane Cluck : http://www.unicornsounds.com/diane.htm

° My review of one of her releases at http://singersong.homestead.com/newwriters-2.html

Jack Rose at http://www.locustmusic.com/jackrose.html

My review of one of latest releases at http://psychedelicfolk.homestead.com/guitar3.html

Scout Niblett : http://www.scoutniblett.com/ & http://www.bellwethermfg.com/secretlycanadian/scoutniblett/

with soundfiles at http://www.secretlycanadian.com/secretlycanadian/catalog/sc80.htm

* Later I did found out who he was. It's Anthony from Anthony & The Johnsons. Reviews at next page.

PS. Another good compilation of new singer-songwriters is reviewed at

http://singersong.homestead.com/newwriters-2.html

Update : most mentioned groups/artists are reviewed on my pages now. See the index pages to find out where

Young God Rec. Devendra Banhart : Oh me oh my...the Way the Day Goes By the Sun is

Setting Dogs are Dreaming Lovesongs of the Christmas Spirit (US,2002)**°°

Incredible how much similarities there is with the old Tyranosaurus Rex sound, somewhat because of the combination voice / guitar sound with its additional handclaps and easy percussion, as in mood, as most of all with Marc Bollan's voice. This similarity is surprisingly a very modest one, possibly just coincidently similar. The mood is also that of a poor minstrel, expressing his world, vision, not so small minded, but as an individual development of expression moving as a mind towards an 'area of a genius'. Highly enjoyable. A recommended listen.

The CD has been released on LP in 2003 by the Mod Lang label. Since then also a second CD with 6 more songs has been released, called "The Black Babies".

Soundfiles : "Michigan State", "Lend Me Your Teeth", "Nice People"

Info : http://www.younggodrecords.com/Artists/DevendraBanhart/

Other reviews : http://www.dustedmagazine.com/reviews/449 & http://www.erasingclouds.com/21oct.html#3 & http://www.evilsponge.org/albums/Banhart__OhMeOhMy.htm & http://www.citypaper.com/2003-01-01/music.html

& http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/record-reviews/b/banhart_devendra/oh-me-oh-my.shtml

http://www.forcedexposure.com/artists/banhart.devendra.html

http://www.startribune.com/stories/1374/3562852.html

French review : http://perso.club-internet.fr/seccha_/chroniques/DevendraBanhart_OhMy.htm

Young God Rec.

Devendra Banhart : Rejoicing in the hands (US,2004)****

Our singer-songwriter specialist was one of the only ones not raving about the first album. He just didn’t like that lo-fi, for him, too much accidental songwriting of the first album. Personally I think the quality and musical expressive ideas compensated enough for this. Before reviewing this album I listened back to that album, and still enjoyed it much. Brilliant moods, guitars, ideas, expressive singing sometimes on the edge of weird: all was there.

This time Devendra recorded all in a studio, so please no more complaints about that, and no confusions about deliberately mystifying someone by the lo-fi discovery-effect! The true natural feel of Devendra still convinces, his somehow unforgettable, unique voice, without a necessity to be weird. I guess everything is done for a perhaps even quite pleasant and song-driven natural flow of expression, that becomes art, rather than having put "art" as a goal on its own. Here and there a track reminds me of really very old blues, or so, -without the problems. A couple of tracks have some extra arrangements for the effect to starken the musical essence in these songs.

Conclusion : the weirdness of the first album is replaced by a matured expression. Devendra definitely proved to be worth the stay, and I guess this attitude also will attract a bigger audience. This is no longer a production attractive only for those who love the obscure and weird, the abnormal. The home-recorders feel now is totally dissolved. So, this comes highly recommended.

Soundfiles : "A Sight To Behold", "Poughkeepsie", "Insect Eyes", "Autumn Child"

Info on Banhart : http://www.younggodrecords.com/Artists/DevendraBanhart/

Reviews : http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/record-reviews/b/banhart_devendra/rejoicing-in-the-hands.shtml & http://www.dustedmagazine.com/reviews/1401 & http://www.adequacy.net/reviews/b/devendrabanhart.shtml & http://search.insound.com/search/showrelease.jsp?p=INS22379 &

http://www.splendidezine.com/review.html?reviewid=10800408111351772 & http://www.stylusmagazine.com/review.php?ID=1897 & http://www.junkmedia.org/?i=1028 & http://www.theprogram.net.au/reviewsSub.asp?id=1471 & http://www.magnetmagazine.com/reviews/revbanhart.html

PS. I wasn't able to check the next album thoroughly yet. A first listen in a shop and on internet links gave me the impression it suffered once more, like the debute of a hasty feeling of creativity. While he gathered for it some interesting musicians from the psych-folk scene, even started to promote this scene very much in the press, taking advantage of his charisma or look, and so he became symbol of this promotion, mixed with his character of being a weird post-hippie. The press started to call the whole new psychedelic folk scene for it freak folk or weird folk. I appreciate his promotion to the genre. Bastet magazine trusted Devendra for making a compilation of the new groups of this new psychfolk scene :