Devendra's back

By switching to Nonesuch, Devendra Banhart more or less exited my home territory...since they don't send me stuff or even know I exist. Still, I've got my connections and I've been listening to Mala for a couple of weeks. Gotta say, it's damned good, in a mature way, with most of the silliness wrung out. (He's even got short hair now and is, apparently, getting married.)

Check this out...


I've been covering Devendra for a long time, starting with this Splendid feature, which ran between the first and second albums. I covered the second album, Rejoicing in the Hands (still my favorite) at Neumu, and Smokey ROlls Down Thunder Canyon at Dusted and PopMatters. There may be some other record and/or show reviews floating around, but who can remember?

Anyway, Mala is a bit subdued for Devendra, but really lovely and seems to have an interesting element of bite and malice to it. Glad to see the kids all grown up and doing so well. It's out March 12 on Nonesuch.

Devendra's latest

Megapuss
Surfing
Vapor Records

If you thought Devendra Banhart already got his fun-loving, free-spirited, ambisexual side out in records like Cripple Crow and Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon, you ain't seen nothin' yet. Megapuss, Banhart's guest-studded partnership with Priestbird's Greg Rogove, is a giggling, tickling, free-ranging orgy of musical styles, full of inside jokes and porno-aspiring imagery. This is, after all, the band that debuted in LA with Banhart in a penis skirt.

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“Adam & Steve”


“Crop Circle Jerk 94”