PRESS
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The 50 Best Albums of 2004
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Pitchforkmedia | by Mark Richardson07: Devendra Banhart | Rejoicing in the Hands Remember when the word "folk" triggered a little spasm of nausea? It's open mic night and a scruffy dude drags a guitar on stage. What's his music like? Oh, you know, acoustic stuff, kind of "folky". God, no, please. As it was with blues, the boomer appropriation of the word "folk" excised idiosyncrasies in favor of standardization. Devendra Banhart brings back to folk the creepy, the playful, and the surreal, and jettisons completely the topical. Miles better than his lo-fi first record (somebody put his warbly 4-track out of its misery, please), Rejoicing in the Hands has Banhart fully internalizing his influences and finding a unique voice. It's an album of brand new songs you've known all your life-- instantly catchy but strange, with an agelessness that suggests Banhart found his tunes in an old steamer trunk. A glorious reminder of what we were missing....
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Checking it Twice - Favorite Records of the Year
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Salon.com | by Thomas BartlettDevendra in Top Ten Records and Top 25 Free DownloadsIt’s listmaking time, and I’ve got three of them for you. The list of my favorite records of the year ranges from the nearly universally praised (Arcade Fire, Madvillain), to the underrated (Cee-lo), to the unknown (Flashpapr). As for pop and hip-hop, I’m focusing on what it continues to do best, which is singles, not records. If you read my article yesterday, you know that I don’t think it was a particularly exciting or adventurous year for popular music. But even if it wasn’t a great year as a whole, there were plenty of spectacular songs. My ten favorite are below, and some of you may be scandalized to see that Britney, Maroon 5, and (gasp!) even Ashlee made the list. But these are great songs, not guilty or ironic pleasures, so even if you’re allergic to commercial radio, listen exclusively to NPR, do your best to shield yourself from the corrupting influence and soullessness of mass culture—even if all those things are true, give them a listen, because they’re brilliant. Lastly, since this column is all about downloads, I’ve included a list of my 25 favorite......
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Devendra Banhart, Niño Rojo
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Splendid | by Jennifer KellyOne of our best and most eccentric songwritersRecorded during the same sessions as this year's Rejoicing in the Hands, Devendra Banhart's third full-length album cements his reputation was one of our best and most eccentric songwriters. His most whimsical and extroverted album to date, Niño Rojo is written from the perspective of the sun's playful young son. This younger, more outgoing personality is expressed in a variety of ways -- through more rhythmic ensemble instrumentals, childlike imagery and a warmer, friendlier feeling. There are still powerfully eerie moments -- "HorsefleshheadedWizard"'s keening vocals are one -- but overall, the album is more centered and collaborative and celebratory than anything Banhart has done before. It opens with a cover of "Wake Up, Little Sparrow" by Ella Jenkins, a songwriter best known for her children's records and an early influence for Banhart. It and "Aye Mama", which follows, are more of a piece with the sweet, mystical Rejoicing in the Hands, with their lacy folk-blues guitar riffs and swooping, otherworldly vocals. The album takes a sunnier turn with "We All Know", showing for the first time the kinetic swing that distinguishes the disc. It's not the kind of beat......
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Devendra Banhart, Niño Rojo
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Splendid | by Jennifer KellyOne of our best and most eccentric songwritersRecorded during the same sessions as this year's Rejoicing in the Hands, Devendra Banhart's third full-length album cements his reputation was one of our best and most eccentric songwriters. His most whimsical and extroverted album to date, Niño Rojo is written from the perspective of the sun's playful young son. This younger, more outgoing personality is expressed in a variety of ways -- through more rhythmic ensemble instrumentals, childlike imagery and a warmer, friendlier feeling. There are still powerfully eerie moments -- "HorsefleshheadedWizard"'s keening vocals are one -- but overall, the album is more centered and collaborative and celebratory than anything Banhart has done before. It opens with a cover of "Wake Up, Little Sparrow" by Ella Jenkins, a songwriter best known for her children's records and an early influence for Banhart. It and "Aye Mama", which follows, are more of a piece with the sweet, mystical Rejoicing in the Hands, with their lacy folk-blues guitar riffs and swooping, otherworldly vocals. The album takes a sunnier turn with "We All Know", showing for the first time the kinetic swing that distinguishes the disc. It's not the kind of beat......
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Devendra Banhart, Niño Rojo
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Splendid | by Jennifer KellyOne of our best and most eccentric songwritersRecorded during the same sessions as this year's Rejoicing in the Hands, Devendra Banhart's third full-length album cements his reputation was one of our best and most eccentric songwriters. His most whimsical and extroverted album to date, Niño Rojo is written from the perspective of the sun's playful young son. This younger, more outgoing personality is expressed in a variety of ways -- through more rhythmic ensemble instrumentals, childlike imagery and a warmer, friendlier feeling. There are still powerfully eerie moments -- "HorsefleshheadedWizard"'s keening vocals are one -- but overall, the album is more centered and collaborative and celebratory than anything Banhart has done before. It opens with a cover of "Wake Up, Little Sparrow" by Ella Jenkins, a songwriter best known for her children's records and an early influence for Banhart. It and "Aye Mama", which follows, are more of a piece with the sweet, mystical Rejoicing in the Hands, with their lacy folk-blues guitar riffs and swooping, otherworldly vocals. The album takes a sunnier turn with "We All Know", showing for the first time the kinetic swing that distinguishes the disc. It's not the kind of beat......