PRESS
Banhart Steps Up Musical Endeavors
Filter Magazine | by David Franklin
Rejoicing in the Hands
San Francisco underground artist Devendra Banhart will further his musical plateau with two new albums as well as a European and North American tour. Banhart’s second full-length album, Rejoicing In The Hands, was released on April 26. Following his previous, low-budget efforts (Oh Me Oh My, The Black Babies), the new album is easily his most ambitious to date. With the aid of Young God Records owner, Michael Gira, Banhart brought a reported 57 songs to the Georgia home studio of engineer Lynn Bridges, recording 32 of them. Those left off the recent release are expected on a second album, Nino Rojo due out in September.To support the new music, Banhart will tour through Europe for two weeks, followed by a North American run. The European stint will begin in London on May 13 and continue on through the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Sweden, Norway and Germany. Banhart begins the American tour in Portland, OR on June 4. The U.S. tour will run for just over five weeks, concluding at San Francisco’s Great American Music Hall on July 11. Support acts for the tour include singer/harpist Joanna Newsom and San Francisco band, Vetiver, led by Andy Cabic and featuring Banhart on guitar and backup vocals. Both Newsom and Vetiver released their debut albums earlier this year. Hope Sandoval contributes vocals to the Vetiver album. Gira also released a solo album this month, available through the Young God website.