PRESS
-
Michael Gira: I Am Singing to You From My Room
()
Foxy Digitalis | by Nick HenniesOne of the most gifted lyricists and songwriters releasing music todayHow much pain can one endure before numbness sets in? Since the Swans called it quits and Michael Gira formed Angels of Light his music has been less focused on anger, hate, and ultra-violence and more on less abrasive, though no less intense emotions; to quote Gira, he “learned to dress his rage up in pretty clothing.†Even without the anger of the Swans the Angels of Light, though not without their gentle moments, has always been an incredibly loud band. What would become of Gira’s music if you took away what is seemingly its most unifying force? Gira’s new solo album, recorded at his desk with a single microphone, proves that the primary element of his music is not force and velocity, but song. It’s so refreshing to find that even without primal drumming, piercing guitars, and guttural singing his songs are still remarkably powerful and unsettling. Much like Xiu Xiu’s "Fag Patrol," "I Am Singing to You from My Room" has an intimate and personal touch that only further emphasizes the unspeakable pain and defeat in music that is normally deafeningly loud. Gira......
-
Devendra Banhart, Rejoicing in the Hands
()
Ink19 | by Aaron Shaul...is Gondorian roots music, warped by its proximity to insanity, and all the more captivating because of itIt’s fun to imagine Devendra Banhart in a Lord of the Rings context, where the It Ring of Indie Rock has finally started to roll away from the recently displaced dance-punk kings, The Rapture. The Ring has traveled stylistic light years away, landing in the realm of minimal neo-folk. Banhart has not only scooped it up, but wears it without regard to its Smeagol/Gollum-esque mindwarping effects. The results are ridiculous, but pleasing. Lyrics like, “Because my teeth don’t bite I take them out dancing,†are eclipsed by the (*cough*) titular insanity of “Tit Smoking in the Temple of Artesan Mimicry.†Banhart goes beyond even Syd Barrett hippie-dippiness and reeks of Hobbit weed. Musically, Banhart keeps the arrangements Pink Moon simple, rarely straying into territory a single acoustic guitar can’t cover alone. Instrumentals like the above mentioned “Tit Smoking…†are as indebted to Indian sitar drones as they are to traditional British/American folk. This subtle and honest hybridization is probably Banhart’s greatest strength. Led Zeppelin may have invented Middle Earth rock, but Rejoicing in the Hands is Gondorian roots music,......
-
Devendra Banhart, Rejoicing in the Hands
()
Ink19 | by Aaron Shaul...is Gondorian roots music, warped by its proximity to insanity, and all the more captivating because of itIt’s fun to imagine Devendra Banhart in a Lord of the Rings context, where the It Ring of Indie Rock has finally started to roll away from the recently displaced dance-punk kings, The Rapture. The Ring has traveled stylistic light years away, landing in the realm of minimal neo-folk. Banhart has not only scooped it up, but wears it without regard to its Smeagol/Gollum-esque mindwarping effects. The results are ridiculous, but pleasing. Lyrics like, “Because my teeth don’t bite I take them out dancing,†are eclipsed by the (*cough*) titular insanity of “Tit Smoking in the Temple of Artesan Mimicry.†Banhart goes beyond even Syd Barrett hippie-dippiness and reeks of Hobbit weed. Musically, Banhart keeps the arrangements Pink Moon simple, rarely straying into territory a single acoustic guitar can’t cover alone. Instrumentals like the above mentioned “Tit Smoking…†are as indebted to Indian sitar drones as they are to traditional British/American folk. This subtle and honest hybridization is probably Banhart’s greatest strength. Led Zeppelin may have invented Middle Earth rock, but Rejoicing in the Hands is Gondorian roots music,......
-
Left Your Guitar in San Francisco?
()
Slate.com | by Alec Hanley BemisThe latest from Joanna Newsom, Devendra Banhart, and other odd fixtures of the new Bay Area folk scene.Devendra Banhart is part of an odd renaissance of Northern California singer-songwriters—odd because a dozen or so of them seem to be deriving influence, simultaneously, from some highly idiosyncratic common source. These artists mix unvarnished production and folk melodies with lyrics that emphasize free love, hallucinatory visions, and various other topics any stoner, hippie, or earth mother could relate to. Think of it as a folk music analog to the garage rock revival. The 23-year-old Banhart is the most precocious of the bunch—the first to gain national attention and possibly the most talented. On "This Is the Way," Banhart's warbling voice recalls both Cat Stevens and the delicate wail of a Depression-era blueswoman. Like most of Banhart's work, this song rambles a bit: "This is the sound that swims inside me," he taunts, "that circle sound is what surrounds me." Is he talking about yogic breathing? Smoking a hookah? It's unclear, but captivating nonetheless....
-
Left Your Guitar in San Francisco?
()
Slate.com | by Alec Hanley BemisThe latest from Joanna Newsom, Devendra Banhart, and other odd fixtures of the new Bay Area folk scene.Devendra Banhart is part of an odd renaissance of Northern California singer-songwriters—odd because a dozen or so of them seem to be deriving influence, simultaneously, from some highly idiosyncratic common source. These artists mix unvarnished production and folk melodies with lyrics that emphasize free love, hallucinatory visions, and various other topics any stoner, hippie, or earth mother could relate to. Think of it as a folk music analog to the garage rock revival. The 23-year-old Banhart is the most precocious of the bunch—the first to gain national attention and possibly the most talented. On "This Is the Way," Banhart's warbling voice recalls both Cat Stevens and the delicate wail of a Depression-era blueswoman. Like most of Banhart's work, this song rambles a bit: "This is the sound that swims inside me," he taunts, "that circle sound is what surrounds me." Is he talking about yogic breathing? Smoking a hookah? It's unclear, but captivating nonetheless....