The Unusual, Day 2: Devendra Banhart

I've taken a shine to five musicians recently, in last week's effort to seek out the Dr. Pepper of music, as I like to call it: The Unusual. I'd found myself in a rut of listening to the same-old same-old and my ears needed a jolt. I searched out music I've never heard, and music I never gave a chance, and the five performers highlighted this week stuck out like sore thumbs to soothe my bored ears. Today: Devendra Banhardt!

When I have nightmares in which I'm pursued by knife-weilding pscychos, those psychos look like Devendra Banhart. When I have nightmares about being held captive by a bunch of stoned hippie flower-children, they talk like Devendra Banhart. The rest of my nightmares look like the album covers of Devandra Banhart.

Several years ago, after ordering an Iron & Wine album off of Amazon.com, the website's recommendations started pointing me towards Banhart. And his outward appearances found him a little to eccentric initially.

As I was making a mix I noticed Cripple Crow sitting in iTunes, ignored since I first put it there, because if the covers freaked me out, what would the music do? But after listening just once to the title track, I was completely hooked. I still can't quite figure out what makes this guy tick, but I shouldn't have judged this odd book by it's even odder cover.

Banhart, and much of the other nu-folk artists, somehow appeals to the music my mother raised me on (Joan Baez, Peter Paul and Mary and a bunch of other fairly accessible 50's and 60's folk performers) and the avant music of my college days.

Despite what his initial pscyho-killer appearance, I find his voice and his sound entirely accessible. It's the kind of music, despite its eccentricity, that I'd play for my parents if they came over for dinner. Lyrically... well, I've stated once already this week that lyrics aren't really my thing. I enjoy memorizing the words and singing along, but it takes careful sitting down and reading to understand, and Banhart's would take a little analysis.

Devendra Banhart - Queen Bee
Buy Cripple Crow at eMusic

Editors note... the giant thing on the Cripple Crow cover art looks like a Skeksi