Reviews (page 3 of 7)
Mannomann ich wäre musikalisch gerne so klug wie das Album
Svag för Devendra ändå. Han har någoet.
Really liked this lyrical and soft.
Beautiful
I enjoyed this mellow album heaps. It sounds like the guitar parts from a Nick Drake album, with the dude from T Rex singing.
I like , I like. This was kinda cool.
02/15/2022 Chill, laid back tunes. Really nice acoustic guitar and lyrics. More rainy weekend music, but there's a lot to enjoy and appreciate here.
That was really beautiful. Distinctive voice and equally impressive guitar playing.
not as boring as I anticipated! actually pretty good!
So nice
Kom mér virkilega á óvart. Besta platan hingað til!
Never heard of this, but enjoyed it
I'm a sucker for this type of chilled acoustic folk music. He has the perfect voice for it as well.
Nice acoustic guitar work.
This is really growing on me!!
I enjoyed the acoustic guitar on this album very much. My appreciation of the singing waxed and waned. I know I would really enjoy some of these songs on a playlist.
a box of chocolates in the form of warm acoustic indie tones
Great album to make breakfast to
I was surprised by this album. I could tell it’s psychedelic folk almost immediately. Fav songs: a sight to behold, this beard is for siobhan
Ok. I liked this. It was nice, acoustic chill. Only complaint is that some of the backing tracks felt like first drafts. 4.4/5 stars
Takiej odmiany wlasnie mi bylo trzeba, album tak prosty, a jednoczesnie tak wciagajacy, ze chyba juz 4 odsluchy wpadly, rejoicing in the hands to trzeci studyjny album pana Banharta, ktory urodzony w teksasie, wychowany w wenezueli, jako nastolatek wrocil do cali, zeby podazac za kariera muzyczna lub artystyczna, bo jeszcze cos na boku z rysowaniem ma, chocby swoje okladki sam tworzy, ale czym jest w ogole ta plyta, z pewnoscia akustycznym materialem, ktory laczy w sobie elementy folka i psychodelii, ktora w tym wypadku jest oparta na mocnych tekstach, ktore daja szerokie pole wolnej interpretacji, a jednoczesnie tworza obrazy ktore widac zaraz po przymknieciu powiek, zostalem zapytany wczoraj co sadze na temat muzyki latino, zgodnie ze swoimi przekonaniami stwierdzilem, ze nie przepadam za jej odmiana o ktora pewnie osoba pytala, czyli popularne popowe granie z wykorzystalem charakterystycznych gitarkowych elementow, jak chocby znienawidzone despacito, czy co trzeci hamerykani popowy kawalek, ktory musi zawierac cos latynowskiego, natomiast uwielbiam wykorzystanie bossa novy w murzynskich produkcjach, to pewnie glownie zasluga JMT i stoupe z jego egzotycznymi samplowaniami, a wlasnie na tej plycie, ktora jest z 2k04 brzmienie jak u pana bonfy z lat 60, wiec dawno sie tak pozytywnie nie zaskoczylem nowym albumem, gdzie na 16, dosc krotkich kompozycjach, bo cala plyta ma 42 minuty, pan devendra laczy psychodeliczne teksty jak przystalo na kali z brzmieniem gitarkowym, w ktorym czuc latino wplywy, chociaz plyta to wiekszosci kompozycje czysto akustyczno gitarkowe, to sa takze traki o bardziej zlozonej kompozycji, gdzie pojawiaja sie basy, smyczki, klawisze, czy talerze, do tego dochodzi pojawiajacy sie na 3 kawalakch wokal wspierajacy, na tytulowym rejoicingu duet spiewany na dwa kanaly, z lewej pan devendra, a z prawej pani vashti bunyan, ktora na dwoch pozostalych tworzy chorki overdubowane, ciekawie rozlokowane na scenie, z trakow ktore wyladuja na plejce, to z pewnoscia otwierajacy this is the way, czyli prosta akustyczna kompozycja ktora idealnie nadaje tonu calej plycie, fall na ktorym mozna uslyszec o wiele wiecej instrumentow i dosc mocnego overdubowania, bo zarowno elektryka jak i akustyka obslugiwal wokalista, no i dodatkowo sa te chorkowania o ktorych pisalem wczesniej, a wszystko stopniowo narasta od poczatku utworu, zeby dac upust szalenstwu w koncowce, a ostatim pickiem bedzie zkomponowany na podobnej zasadzie this beard is for siobhan, jako ze pierwszy raz slysze zarowno o plycie i muzyku, to tym bardziej cieszy mnie, ze akurat cos tak indyjskiego wylosowalo, bo jednak wiekszosc 1001 albumow to majorowe labele i ich top sellujace albumy, a taka odmiana od niezaleznej malej wytworni jest odswiezajaca, prawie jak pierwsze zetkniecie z pink moonem od drejka, bo to bylo jedno z pierwszych skojarzen po odpaleniu plyty
Questa volta ero partito con l'idea di farmi due palle tante. Invece mi sono ricreduto, l'ho trovato un album coraggioso e carino. Anche abbastanza scorrevole. Alcuni testi mi sono piaciuti molto. Di base è un album voce e chitarra ma ogni tanto spuntano a sorpresa archi, cori, piano e altre features, ma senza esagerare. L'unica canzone che ho odiato è quella in spagnolo. Comunque sia secondo me è un album da 4. PS. Questa è innegabilmente roba tua Daniè! Ora bisogna vedere se c'è alchimia o no..
Conosco molto bene questo album perché era parte fissa dei miei ascolti intorno ai 20-24 anni. Devo dire che sono abbastanza un fan di Devendra, per me lui incarna l'anti-popstar, lo spirito con cui lui fa musica è esattamente lo spirito con cui secondo me tutti dovrebbero fare musica. I suoi pezzi sembrano spesso farneticazioni o idee buttate lì e lasciate incompiute, ma il modo in cui lui le interpreta rendono questa cosa un pregio invece che un difetto per me. Sentendo questo album uno si immagina che a lui non freghi un cazzo di fare il musicista figo o maledetto ma che semplicemente si diverte a fare musica in modo quasi un po' infantile. Quando l'ho visto dal vivo ho potuto confermare questa cosa, è stato più o meno come andare a casa di un amico e cazzeggiare con la chitarra. Nonostante questo appunto credo che il suo stile sia davvero unico e riconoscibile e che i suoi pezzi non manchino di profondità a differenza di quello che potrebbe sembrare ad un primo ascolto. Autumn Child è un pezzo che ogni tanto ascolto ancora e che ho sempre trovato davvero bello. Il suo difetto è sicuramente che rischia di accollarsi un po', spesso per colpa degli arrangiamenti inesistenti o minimali, però comunque non riesco a penalizzarlo per questo più di tanto per il discorso che ho fatto prima, anche la ripetizione fa parte della spontaneità con cui scrive. In ogni caso Devendra ha dimostrato che fare il cantautore matto, un po' bambino, ma anche mezzo guru spirituale fricchettone paga visto che è stato con Natalie Portman. Quindi c'è speranza. Voto: 4 pieno.
Well this is nice
Nice folky album, giving it a 4 so I will listen to it again.
Amo el genero singer-songwriter. Joni Mitchel, Devendra Banhart y Neil Diamond... Me inspiran muchisima paz. Mis favoritos fueron a Sight to Behold y See Saw. Super intimo, cantado cerca del mic y en un lugar chiquito, no se le puede pedir mucho mas a un disco. Me gusta esos tintes de blues de Louisiana que tiene desperdigados por todos lados.
Original. Love it!
Folk-rock acústico
I generally liked this one, though I found some of the songs a bit…strange? I usually like singer-songwriters, though, and this one was pretty good.
aweeeee pretty :* #needed
enjoyed
false
Nice singer songwriter stuff. Enjoyed "Todo Los dolores", "Will is my friend",
Like if Alt-J played mostly slow acoustic songs. Pretty good!
Not my favourite music but since it was released on Young God Records and has some pretty cool and dark stuff it gets its 3 stars.
Another talented musician RUINED because they didn’t have anyone in their life to tell them “dude you need to stop doing that thing with your voice, it sounds really stupid”
Whimsical, sometimes kinda spooky, acoustic singer-songwriter
Nothing against the guy, I just don’t care for it is all.
This sounds like Alt-J before they found an electric guitar. It's got that same quirky, off-kilter sound with an experimental streak running through it. It's perfectly fine, and there's nothing offensively bad about it. The songwriting has its moments, and I can understand why this style has a dedicated following. It just doesn't really do anything for me.
An interesting album. Lots of images in his lyrics. I like his voice, and some of his melodies are lovely. This made the stranger tracks seem very strange indeed.
Acid Folk! I liked the album, felt like it had some root folk influenced but also a lot of spacey almost Grateful Dead vibes.
3.5
6/10… folk / singer-songwriter / *2004
I didn't love it, I didn't hate it. Nice enough in the background. Not sure it is essential listening.
I didn't love it but there were definitely some good bits, i like his lyrics but don't love the general sound/ feel of the album that much
Fun, quirky
I came into this one fully expecting to hate it, as it initially sounded a bit wanky indie, disassociated and gently angsty kind of energy... thankfully that wasn't really the case! Overall it's a nice listen. The stand-out is the guitar playing for sure, and he does some interesting stuff there, with some moody and complex melodies. I don't think it's necessarily 'background' music, but it did play well in the background nonetheless.
I liked it. Refreshing. Different. Nice vibe. 3.5
very come into my kichen we have banannys
Bent įdomesnis nei praeiti šią savaitę
This one is for all the hippie Romeos 😂 Decent stuff though
This was really great! Kind of like sufjan stevens and cat power who were around at this time. I really enjoyed it
5/10
Sister loved it Remember my sister having the CD when it came out. Really liked a couple tracks but never paid much interest beyond that. It’s nice, but my opinion hasn’t changed much Favourite track: a sight to behold
Folk. Para variar puede estar bien.
2.6 if i could
Standard enough singer/songwriter. Some decent stuff in there, but nothing to write home about! Listened to outside the Billiards place at Kremlin Bicetre while waiting for U&S, and debating with CoG about Taylor Swift, who came the day after.
3/5. Muy chill. De fondo va bien
I read the reviews on each album before I listen. This isn't my favorite, not about to become his biggest fan but it was better than I expected from the reviews. It is a little much and would be better as a 10 song album. The voice is a little grating but this doesn't sound much different than Low or Sufjan Stevens to me which are both fine. Didn't blow my mind but it's fine. 3 stars
Cool album. Indie folk, so not a huge fan, but was pretty cool to just put on on the background.
Sleepy music for proto-twees and I’m not all the mad about it.
little bit of sufjan energy, little bit of joanna newsom, nice and light. Loved This Beard is for Siobhan most
I'm surprised by how mad people get about slightly weird folk music. This is a solid album. fav songs: a sight to behold, this beard is for siobhan
Definitely not something I would choose to listen to normally, but I applaud the creativity within the folk genre. I'm very picky with my folk music, I find it can be very generic and same samey, but this was interesting a lot of the time. Not gonna come back to this, but it was at least interesting.
Liked this more than I expected to, but still a bit twee for my taste. Somewhat of a poor man’s Jeff Buckley vocally with possibly better guitar playing.
Some parts of this were very pretty. Another Sunday morning kinda album.
3/5 New to this artist. Interesting sound. Really enjoyed See Saw & There was the Sun. Other tracks I didn’t find so inspiring, hence my mark.
Not someone I had heard of before, but really was a piece of me. Not going to give higher than 4 stars as there's no song on the album that sticks out to me at all, but I really enjoyed the whole vibe of the album. Actually now that I've finished it I really liked insect eyes and autumn's child. A strong finish and opening for the album as a whole. Still giving a 4.
I wanted to like this much more than I did.
Never heard of this at all before this. It was nice enough, sure.
Nice folksy stuff, I liked a few of his songs and I probably would have enjoyed this when it came out.
An album that passed me by on release, even though I think I would have loved it in 2004. Enjoyable album.
It was fine
Good though I think I prefer Mala.
Tralalala
I've heard of the artist, not quite sure if I know what kind of music they play, but I think I have an idea. A little folk. Not for me but I respect it
Based on the description of this as "psychedelic folk" I was a bit worried about how this would go. I liked it! Over the course of a full album it gets a bit same-y, and it is a touch too spooky for me. Still a good time, though.
Reminded me of Bob Dylan, with very poetic lyrical content, and emotional presentation that matched. Definitely a plus for fans of singer/songwriters and/or Americana music.
Soft, chill and a mix of songs in English and Spanish, great feel all around and surprisingly good.
Kind of a "weird folk" album. The first three tracks are strong, as is "The Beard is for Siobhan", and "Rejoicing in the Hands", "Fall". In between, the album is more meandering and some tracks are slightly annoying (e.g. Poughkeepsie). Altogether it's still a high 3, not quite ready to call it a 4.
There is an immediacy and intimacy to this recording that is appealing, but for every song that caught my attention, there is one that is half baked feeling.
I liked this. Not a week where I have much to say, as I catch up ..
PRODUCED BY MICHAEL GIRA?????
1001 albums to hear before you die 88# like the sound of this. already knew Devendra but for other albums. This is a real good sleep album to put you in a good dream.
Some cool stuff here. I didn’t love his voice but it grew on me a bit. It would either go higher or lower with more listens I think!
Managed to settle into this a little bit in the back half. Liked the low key acoustic even if his voice is just ok
I really like the guitar and vocals. It feels raw and it's very relaxing. Stronger starting and ending tracks, I kinda lost it in the middle. Favorite track(s) A Sight to Behold Insect Eyes Autumn´s Child
Felt like I was in a Wes Anderson movie
Nice calming album
Råkade se att detta album låg näst sist i vår group rating så jag förväntade mig nåt förfärligt, men ack överraskade jag blev. Det här är ju bra ju! Snyggt gitarrspel, fina kompositioner och jag gillar ändå hans underliga röst. Stark trea eller svag fyra? Fattar inte helt vad det gör på denna lista, så det får väl bli en trea.
Super chilled out modern folk. It's pretty good, sort of reminds me of Noah Kahn in some ways. Not a ton of variety on the album but that is not necessarily a bad thing as what is there sounds great. This might be an album that I put on at work or during an especially relaxing time at home.
3/5
It goes on for too long, it's quite weird and freaky, and I don't love his voice. That said, it did somehow develop kind of a hypnotizing spell. And so I found myself listening to it again and again over the day, and my liking for it grew step by step. Definitely a grower. "Will Is My Friend", "Fall", "This Beard Is For Siobhan" were highlights. 3/5, and might grow on me further.
Enjoyed this more than I thought I would
Freaky folkie.
I found it affecting at that time of my life, but although there are highlights much of this is too samey for me.
Very of its time. Nothing stood out but fine to listen to. Good guitar and voice but a little one note. High 3.
The song dedicated to Poughkeepsie is obviously the highlight for me. The rest of it was fine
Medium.
I have to admit he set the bar pretty low when he started it off with "This is the soup that I believe in"
Un descubrimiento muy interesante, tranquilo domingo por la tarde vibes
This is fine. Some interesting parts, easy enough to listen to, but also nothing special. It made me look up other folk albums on the list and the inclusion of this over a whole bunch of others is baffling.
Kind of liked this one.
Cool record - had never heard of this artist before. Has a minimalist folk vibe, basically just vocals and a guitar, sounding like it was recorded in a very low-budget environment. The singer has a somber touch, but nice voice that lays over soft guitar melodies. This was an interesting one that I liked!
This was different…
I was not privy to Devandra’s music prior to this. I have to say it is quite soulful. It’s been a few days since we had a good singer-songwriter album. It reminds me a lot of Dylan or Carly Simon, with a little bit of Robert Johnson-moral conflict mixed it, especially the song See Saw, which could have been straight outta’ the Delta. Tit Smoking in the Temple reminded me of Zeppelin IV-style guitar work, which is never a bad thing. I would have to say that key songs for me was Rejoicing in the Hands, which had some beautiful and simple harmonies, and the Body Breaks, which unfortunately has become more relevant personally than ever. Fall was good too. This will have a return visit.
Smooth and soothing. Not my kind of smooth and soothing but still a good listen.
Não me encantou
medio aburrido...
That was alright. Came in expecting the worst, was positively surprised.
For an easy listening, background music album this was pretty good. In comparison to every other album ever released and other albums on this list, it was just okay. Inoffensive stuff that I could imagine playing over the speakers of a chain coffee shop. If I could give it a 2.5 I would but for now a 3 feels about right.
At the beginning of this album, I thought I was not going to like it. As the album went on it started to grow on me. I probably won't revisit often -- but if I need a laid back but quirky album with some good harmonics and vibes to it I can put this on. Some song gave me a distinct Pokey Lafarge vibe -- and I really like that vibe at specific points in time. This would definitely be Sunday morning with the parents and grand parents approved.
De la folk un peu bizarre, pas désagréable.
Beautiful guitars
Was nice, lovely all around Maybe my mood but not a ton jumped out at me.
Everyone he's drawing from did it better
Some cool stuff in here. Reminds me a little of AJJ at times. This very much sounds like a 2004 album. I like the creepy and weird songs a lot, the ones that remind me of the Decemberists less. Autumns Child is such a boring and flat way to end this album.
Well I didn’t skip any songs, I guess it’s ok.
Pretty engaging. This is indeed an old folk song you know and can sing along with. Quirky, inventive, Slow, then slower. Best in small doses.
Jack White-ish.
Found this a bit boring. Not bad but not wow’d
I don't know
i like it!!
OK very artsy but not too bad , not my cake though ,
This album does a lot of the same thing for too long. It's good for a couple songs, but not for an album's worth. I do generally enjoy the vibe it has, and the musicianship is great. The mix is clean. It's just much too one note. 2.7/5
Peaceful opener, cinematic gut punch, then Poughkeepsie. The voice keeps fooling you but it works. Uneven and knows it. I’ll probably forget to revisit it.
Fine
Thurston Moore and Michael Gira gave Devendra Banhart his start in big-time music. With such "godfathers," you'd expect everything here to sound, shall we say, noisy. In reality, this is a beautiful acoustic album. Short guitar sketches are close to both psychedelic America and the folksy England of the 1960s, and surprisingly, just as far removed. There's also a certain southern sound — Banhart lived in Venezuela until he was fourteen. And overall, he's something of a citizen of the world: not only did his parents name him on the advice of an Indian guru, but he also has the middle name Obi. Yes, after Obi-Wan Kenobi. With a biography like that, you can't write "flat" music. Critics have compared Devendra to early Marc Bolan. I agree with them on some aspects of the guitar sound, but his vocal style is very much an acquired taste — it sounds a bit like alt-J. Keep that in mind; you'll either love it or your ears will wilt.
This was interesting, i enjoyed it.
I really liked this at the start but his voice did start to grate on me a wee bit by the end. Nothing terrible, nothing brilliant. Very much a middle of the road 3 star album.
More enjoyable than expected 👍
Meh.
Another meh interesting album.
Whimsical ethereal modern folk. I quite liked it but can see how others might hate it. 3 out of 5 stars for me
I want to like this. I love the guitar stuff... but DB's vocal style was sometimes just barely tolerable.
Interesting album. I usually hate Bush era music on this list, but this was fun. I don't really feel like he's reinventing the genre or anything, but this is a nice modern folk album.
So i actually really like the sound of this, but lyrically it's just fine. Nothing stood out to me or anything, but still good overall
A very strange singer songwriter experience. I’m not mad at it.
Odd cryptic voice… I’m going to have to listen to this again. The genre is called “freak folk” or psychedelic folk. But like the title of the book says, you really have to hear this one. Surreal hipster art folk, cool to see some people getting creative in here.
Spännande artist. Bottnade aldrig i texterna. Men ett eget uttryck.
nice chill album, couple of very good songs
Dreamy.
interesting
5/10
Not bad. 4 might be a little high, but I could see my self listening to this again if I'm in a very specific mood. EDIT: Upon reflection, 4 IS too high.
On an average day, this would probably merit a 2. Freak folk just ain't my jam. But on this auspicious day, after I have suffered through the insufferably Casio-drenched melodic shittery of the PSB, our man Devendra comes as a breath of fresh air. His voice bugs the shit out of me, but the guitar sounds good, I like the bongos or whatever, and the lyrics are passable. I listened all the way through. So, 3 stars it is!
Started off good, but I didn't make it to the end.
It's not bad but it isn't fantastic either. It gets a bit boring after a while.
Um disco bonito, que traz interpretações peculiares para um estilo um tanto quanto esgotado.
I’d rather listen to this than the several Metallica albums I’ve needed to listen to so far, but it’s not wining that race by much. It’s all too similar to like too much. After a while my mind felt like it was being dragged into the soundtrack of an indie movie from the 2000s whether I liked it or not.
This album is often considered essential for the revival of freak folk and psychedelic folk in the early to mid-2000s. It picks up where the 60s movement left off, embracing surrealist lyrics and themes of spirituality and mysticism. While I recognize its influence, I thought it was decent but not outstanding. Devendra Banhart’s voice doesn’t do much for me, and there are other albums from this style and era that I’d recommend over this one.
Early Devendra is good Devendra but I don't think he really mastered his sound until later albums
Imagine the record this would have been if it carried on as it starts…Some gorgeous playing, some beautifully tunes but also a lot of half-finished ideas that feel like demos and outtakes. Not entirely against that as a rule but it still makes you think it could have been so much better.
I came into this record completely blind, having never heard of the artist. I found a soft, pared back album. Mainly one poet and his guitar, with the occasional music backing, or burst of laughing by the musician(s). It was an interesting record, the kind that would fit best softly playing at night while you are sitting on a dock in summer. I enjoyed!
This was my album the day my dad died. I don’t think I actively listened to music for about a week after that. I’m not sure what I’m trying to say with this, but maybe some things in our life make us process music differently. I appreciated the uniqueness of this album and was actually quite pleasantly surprised after reading the reviews.
It’s fine. Listened on the drive to work, was inoffensive, none of the tracks really grabbed me. Probably a little too long but overall a pleasant enough, if a little borning album. 2.8
It's fine. There are a few nice songs and I like the vocal style. But nothing that really stands out that would make me a fan.
Pleasant enough but didn’t rock my world
Inoffensive indie music. The definition of "meh".
This was a decent album. Easy to listen to, very competent. Good guitar work. I like this style of music, but I'm not sure why it's on this list. I didn't perceive anything that raised it above similar artists/albums from the acoustic-folk scene of the early 2000's. Definitely a good album though.
cool weird folk album. wouldve liked it more if i liked his voice a bit more. reminds me of bombay bicycle club dude. 3.5
My expectations for this were high. My overall experience was underwhelming. Not actively hated, but.... nope. Quite happy when the LP was over and done with. 2.5/5 stars
Really really liked This is the way and The body breaks. Everything else was meh.
Odd and eccentric, often captivating, and there’s some lovely poetry in lyrics such as, “Each strain of her hair / Is really insect eyes / And each hole in her tongue / Is always occupied / By the milk of the sun.” Glad the freak folk genre is represented, hope there’s more.
A good album, I liked A Sight to Behold, The Body Breaks, Will Is My Friend and This Beard Is For Siobhan the most.
As one half of Texan born, Venezuelan raised, American schooled but still British super group Houmous & Chutney, I can really appreciate the struggles in putting a record like this together. 2.5 12/16 Todo Los Dolores
Mostly it's a dude and an acoustic guitar playing and singing some mellow (some less mellow) folk songs with esoteric lyrics.
A few good spots, a couple really annoying tracks (Poughkeepsie, This Beard Is For Siobhan…), but overall fine.
it was okay but I think I was stressed while listening to it so I didn't love it. Had to pause it multiple times because I was overwhelmed.
Quite good The voice can be grating at times, but some good stuff. Perhaps goes on for a bit and loses my attention, but fine
Liking it so far, it feels like it has potential after enough listenings to become a comfortable old favourite, like if your roommate kept playing it and it creeps up on you, but on 2 listenings not there yet.
Quintessential early 2000s folk. I was getting Shakey Graves and Patrick Watson vibes from some of the tracks, like A Sight to Behold, Fall, and Autumn's Child, and those were my preferred tracks on the album. I liked the vocal tone some of the time, and other times it bordered on being annoying. I absolutely agree with James about this album being perfect for an indie movie soundtrack.
I thought this was a really pretty, quirky and interesting album
Honestly kinda liked this, so much respect for someone able to pull something off with mainly just vocals and guitar. He has a certain cadence to his voice and style of singing that I think could turn people away, but he is singing in tune mostly. Kinda had a DIY quirky feel to it, like it could be a soundtrack of a film like Juno (never seen it but it looks like it'd fit for some reason...) Liked a few of the songs which maybe I'll use to kick off a folky/singer songwriter playlist.
A Sight to Behold // The Body Breaks // This Beard Is for Siobhan // Fall //
Real folksy stuff. I could see myself in college being down bad for a girl that is into albums like this one. It's just okay.
I can’t pretend to be in love with this album, I didn’t adore it. But I did really like a handful of tracks on this album. As a whole the album was a little too slow for me, but the five tracks I really loved were “Poughkeepsie” “dogs they make up the dark” “tit smoking….” (Which is a great interlude but too long of a title to actually write down) “todo los Dolores” and “when the sun shone on vetiver”. I genuinely really adored those five songs, they were amazing instrumentally and they were so endearing and angelic. I’ll definitely be looking for this album in the future to add it to the collection.
Álbum Indie acústico ok. Não foi uma experiência marcante. Tangzu Wan'er 2.
Nice and pleasant to listen to and definitely one of the better folk rock albums I've listened to on this list. I like his voice too. But folk music has never really done anything for me.
Best Track - "Insect Eyes"
Never even heard of this guy before. It's early 2000s folk, slightly psychedelic and very stripped down yet also sounds quite intricate. He sings about simple things like nature and weather in a haunting voice. There's 16 songs but many of them are very short. My favourite was 'The Body Breaks' but witness the Ray Davies-esque 'This Beard Is For Siobhan", from what I can tell this song is about growing a beard because his girlfriend likes them.' There Was Sun' is about being given birth to, in the style of Donovan and the atmospheric piano-driven 'Autumn's Child' is also worth a go. Some of this is obviously quite throwaway such as the 90 second instrumental' Tit Smoking in the Temple of Artesan Mimicry' (some song title). Was tempted to go for a 4, but some of this is pretty samey and grates a bit. But the high spots are ones to add to your playlist. I wouldn't be surprised to discover he has done better albums.
Wanted to love it more than I do. 3/5
Liked it. Relaxed
As far as new folk goes this is better than many. But the ceiling on this is pretty low
This one is hard to pin down for me. Very different. Not entirely sure how I feel about it. But in the final analysis, I quite enjoyed it in many ways.
I quite enjoyed this. That being said I listened to a lot of this type of folk in the mid 2000s and there were a plethora of singer songwriters producing albums exactly like this, so I am not sure what makes this stand out above the rest. My sense is that I will likely forget about this at the end of the project and for that reason I cannot give it a 4, but it is a solid 3.5. Will is my Friend is the standout track. the album ended well 3.5 stars
I'm giving this a 3 because some of it was pleasant to hear, some of it was weird, and I think it's original. But I gotta say, I found some of it to be damn near unlistenable. 3
I was not previously familiar with the artist or album. This is a kind of acoustic folk album. It reminded me of something I might imagine Nick Drake doing if he was active in a later timeframe. I enjoyed it and would listen again.
Psychedelic folk was still happening in 2004? That blew my mind...
I'd known the name for a long time and assumed it was a women. Then, weirdly, he was a guest on the Adam Buxton Podcast recently and i discovered he was a man and also he seemed like genuinely the loveliest and most positive person in the world. This all meant i was delighted with receiving this album and it received my full attention. The good: a fairly unique voice, some excellent guitar playing and a not surprisingly warm and welcoming vibe. The bad: lyrically its a bit twee and there really isnt much originality here. It comes from a school of jose gonzalez, damien rice etc and either one would have sufficed.
This album is somewhere in between boring and fascinating for me. The amateurish production works well with the genre but midway through I couldn't help but doze off just a little. Vocals got a bit annoying at times but through and through it was a good listen. top 3: a sight to behold, will is my friend, and rejoicing in the hands 2.75-3/5
Middle of the road singer song writer stuff.
I started this the day it was issued to me, I got half way through & started again on Sunday.while shoveling my driveway out after a snowstorm. The whimsy of the first listen was gone in the gray Midwest snowy hellscape. I told this Hipster douche-tool to Go Fuck Himelf when I heard the line about freezing as scraped into my driveway of Ice & slush. Then his cracked haggard voice droning on about getting older does not help my aching back. While shoveling snow this is a 2. 3 in other less frozen hellscapes.
Not great but some songs feel good
Et roligt sårbart album, men lidt for meget baggrundsmusik efter min smag.
This one was a bit of a strange one. The lyrics were pretty weird on a bunch of the tracks which I found interesting, and the music was fine. Not something I'm likely to return to in the future, but an ok listen Standouts Insect eyes 3/5
It’s weird, it’s mellow, it crawls on its belly like a reptile. It’s freak folk! And somehow Debendra makes it work. From the album cover to the final song Autumn’s Child, he had me paying attention (and thinking I shoulda had a bag o’ weed handy.) Simple guitar, complex lyrics, shaky voice make for a weird combo that I enjoyed. (3.4*s) I wonder if he really slipped out of his mother’s womb on a hot, sunny afternoon, it’s a strange topic to sing about so maybe actually happened, or maybe it just rhymed.
Reminds me of that Gayle Waters-Waters skit about Sufjan Stevens and Bon Iver living in a nest together, and every time they see each or hear other they get scared. This is cute, but I feel like this dude could be in that nest.
Alternative folk that is well executed but a little too fringey for my liking. I liked the very loose and delicate style and the writing was good, but this is something I would enjoy more as a one-off live performance than an album to listen to repeatedly. Might check out some of his other work eventually.
cool vibes but he has better albums
Pretty interesting, should listen again.
Who is Devendra Banhart and why do I have to listen to his album before I die?
Nice.
I love Devandra Banhart, and while I like this album, pretty much all his other albums are better.
Bonus points for a fun album cover. The album itself was...fine. I mostly enjoyed it while I was tuned in, but that wasn't often; it's hard for something this subdued to break through while I'm working.
(Note: I know I clicked "Save" multiple times after finishing this review yesterday but turning my computer on this morning I can see portions missing. That's annoying. I've tried to replace them from memory.) Have seen the name a lot but never checked out his stuff. I like this! Reminds me of Donovan or someone else I can't put my finger on from the '60s. Saw T. Rex comparisons online but not sure that's it. Hmm.... Mungo Jerry? Nick Drake! The sparse accompaniment and the vocal effects (but not the actual vocals) remind me of Nick Drake. That's it. A happier Nick Drake. "Autumn's Child" strongly reminded me of Sufjan Stevens. About halfway through the album I am not sure if this is something I can listen to constantly but seems like something I would enjoy popping up in a mix. The closers ("Insect Eyes" into "Autumn's Child") were my favorite part of this album.
zwei bis drei Beginnt gut dann wirds fad
I have heard Devendra Banhart before, but I never listened to a full album, and I have to say that, as someone that IS a fan of folk, indie folk, and even some psychedelic folk, this album doesn't do much for me. The album is not bad, and there are a couple really good songs, but I also thought there were quite a few boring songs, and the whole experience failed to capture me - either via the lyrics or the music.
Ok
Sounded like a sad dude with a guitar but in a modern kinda way. Didn't do anything for me for good or bad. 2.5/5
Devendra's middle name is Obi, taken from the Star Wars character, which should give you a good idea what kind of household this guy grew up in - I can only imagine that the arts were emphasized, that he was encouraged to be 'different,' etc. Nothing wrong w/ that - in fact that sort of parenting ought to be adopted by each and everyone. What I'm trying to get at is my ambivalence w/ this record - it seems he's more affected artiste than real folk artist. That's not to say there aren't any good songs here, tho nothing strikes me as great, or eloquent lyricism: 'We've had a choice / We chose rejoice'; 'This is our father / And this is how he strayed.' It's to say I don't buy his cabaret number. I'd like this most at a cafe in Bennington, Vermont.
не зашло.
I didn’t hate it
Contemporary Folk has not sounded this good in so long, and that is why I am so excited to be covering this stunningly beautiful album from Rejoicing in the Hands by Devendra Banhart for the 1001 albums to hear before I die challenge. Much like what @DREscapePlan stated this album is "A nice, serene, campfire-y record that's perfect for October and only October." It is warm and flickers with pieces of sharp songwriting but for the most part settles down as being quite enjoyable. Devendra's vocals are so sweet and mix beautifully with his soft strumming all throughout the project. While Devendra may get a bit lost in the music here from time to time, I still feel he has such a nice grasp on the feelings he provides all throughout this project. It is a straightforward and stripped down album that will surely hit if you are a sucker for any Folk music as a whole. Not a standout project by any means, but just a really good time through and through.
I really liked it at first, but then it started getting really avante garde and annoying.
I was expecting a different sound from psychedelic pop - not unpleasant. 3.
This seems to get compared to Joanna Newsom quite a bit, but I enjoyed this album a lot more. His voice is still divisive like Newsoms, but I could actually enjoy this. The songs being a lot shorter and concise helps too. It's a bit monotonous at times, but the albums length and amount of songs keeps it bearable. Guitar playing here is excellent and I did like a few songs here and there. Interesting enough listen, although I wouldn't rank it as one of the 1001 essentials.
I really liked this to start with but how did it feel a million hours long? Despite being 40 minutes, feels like 20 minutes would have been the perfect length.
Didn't think I would like it - but it's a vibe
This Is the Way 3.4 A Sight to Behold 3.2 The Body Breaks 3 Poughkeepsie 3 Dogs They Make Up the Dark 3 Will Is My Friend 3 This Beard Is for Siobhan 3.2 See Saw 2.8 Tit Smoking in the Temple of Artesan Mimicry 3.3 Rejoicing in the Hands 3.1 Fall 3.2 Todos los Dolores 3.3 When the Sun Shone on Vetiver 3 There Was Sun 3.2 Insect Eyes 3.3 Autumn's Child 3.1 Score: 3.13125
Mellow singer/songwriter. Generally just an acoustic guitar but a good picker, little bit of a classical/flamenco flair to the picking.
3/5. A unique and quiet album of songs that almost sound like demos, all recorded in a big room with crushing weight of production. It feels like the singer is trying to either break free or allowing the water to push them under, through the instrumentation and lyrics. It sounded familiar and when I checked the people involved, it made so much sense that Michael Gira of Swans was included. And then I saw this list doesn't have a single Swans album and that's criminal. Back to the album, it was unique and enjoyable but I don't know if it's offering a lot to be part of this list. Or maybe I'm just a little salty about the Swans snub so I'll give it the benefit of the doubt. Best Song: See Saw, Poughkeepsie, Will Is My Friend
A little spare for me -- add a bass! or a drum line! or harmonies! -- but not unpleasant
Sounds very 2004. That annoying way of singing was very popular then. It's not the worst they could pick. To be fair this was slightly ahead of the curve. Some songs are alright. Favorite song: dogs they make up the dark
This peaceful Folk album reminds me of the "Juno" movie soundtrack. It would have been fine when I was an 18 year old college student walking on campus while some hipster plays this on campus, but listening to an entire album of it gets old after awhile. Favorite Track: "A Sight To Behold".
Fairly clever just a bit tedious after a while.
It's fine. Didn't hate it, don't know why it deserves a spot on this list though.
A beautiful voice I never heard before
Liked, didn't love. Not sure it's something I'd revisit.
Never heard this one before, but enjoyed. Some great guitar picking.
It was just okay. I didn’t mind the light folky indie music but it definitely lent into the cursive singing/indie songwriter sound that gets old after a while. It was fine for a once through but I will not revisit.
Quirky folk and I can't really decide what I think of it. I... think... I like it. I'll need to give this a 3 but it may deserve a 4.
I know him from Nick and Norah's infinate playlist. Dogshit movie.
This isn't bad, but I really have no idea why this album is on this list. In fact, I would probably say that I like this, but it doesn't really measure up to the actual good albums on this list. And the Wikipedia blurb here, doesn't imply this has any large cultural impact. Okay, I really love the song "Rejoicing in the Hands". That song is pretty special and is enough to bump this up a half a star or so for me personally. Yeah, there's nothing particularly special or unique about this album. I like it, and if I had to make a list of my favorite 1,000+ albums (which that's A LOT), it would be on the borderline of making/falling off. But I'm not sure if the general public needs to listen to this before they die. It's pretty standard modern guy and a guitar album. Favorite Song(s): Rejoicing in the Hands.
Boring but okay folk music.
Decent. Not quite my thing.
I somehow missed Devendra Banhart back in the day, but I certainly remember the name. It may have made more of an impact back then. This was really pleasant but nothing transcendent here.
Pleasant, but a little boring.
I liked the first few songs, but then it started on the experimental acoustic vaudeville stuff and guys voice became more and more grating.
Beautiful singer-songwriter music! Fingerpicking acoustic guitar stuff, sparse arrangements, impactful lyrics. Some of the guitar parts I really like, but this kind of downtempo music is something that I rarely listen to nowadays.
There are 2-3 good songs on here and the rest is mind numbingly boring.
Might come back to revise score, because there are a few tracks I've listened to again, POUGHKEEPSIE, THIS BEARD IS FOR SIOBHAN and INSECT EYES that left a positive imprint in my brain. There's something there, there, but can't describe, aside from recognizing the idiosyncratic vocals and lyrics.
a coffee shop guitar, quirky lyrics album
Album builds as it moves through its 16 brisk tracks.
I don't like folk music, but the psychedelic elements make it somewhat interesting.
Devendra Devendra Devendra. creative solo 🎸 +voice, nice artist
It's unique to say the least. Little messy here and there, but I enjoyed it.
First album! From plane home from Nashville !
tralalalala
Some interesting acoustic arrangements here, but it felt very one-note by the time it was finished. The generally wayward and vibrato style of the vocals didn't grow tiresome, though; they complement the darker parts of this album quite well. I enjoyed this, but didn't get much out of it after my first listen.
A bit dull
I enjoyed the music, the production was nice, in places low-fi and kinda unfiltered. On the whole the music didn't do that much for me, and the album as a whole didn't feel tight enough, just a random collection of songs.
this was fully new to me, album and artists, and it was a nice listen!
This was a solid folkish album. Pretty enjoyable to me.
Light acoustic easy listening.
the best Marc Bolan tribute I've heard in a while
Light psychedelic folk. Warbly-ness is more restrained than I remember from the stuff of his I heard at the time. Decent.
couple of nice songs but ultimately not my prefered genre
Not terrible, but also not really my thing. The Body Breaks was my favorite, but I had a hard time to focus on the music as a whole. Gounod everything a bit boring.
Beautiful album but also quite Restrictive in its adherence to a sound.
Thoughts before listening: Indie rock wierdo folkie. I once told my cousin that he should check out Devendra Banhart because I wanted to impress him with how cool I was...thing is I've still to this day never actually heard Devendra's music, I just knew he was getting a lot of praise from music sites. Guess I can now figure out if this was a solid recommendation or not. Review: I stand by my rec. This is weird for sure, but I like it. There is lots of emotion in these songs which is resonating with me. I see where the sparse instrumentation and warbly vocals could be a turn off for some, but its working for me. Not too far off from stuff I enjoyed around this same time like Iron and Wine or Bright Eyes. A few songs are going on the playlist and I'll give this 3-stars because while I do like quite a bit of it, there are some songs that get a little too out there.
Starts well - thought I was going to like it - and then.... Meh!
I forgot about this guy. Some good stuff here. Album is too long though
3/5
5.5/10
Decent enough
Pretty solid album. Reeks of Joanna Newsom influence tho. 6/10 Favourite: Fall Least Favourite: Tit Smoking
kinda disappointed in this, went in expecting it to be weird but no its a guy who wants to make weird folk but doesn't commit
drony
Good modern folk music album
Not bad songwriting I guess but his voice was not my favorite
Fascinating little album that I enjoyed more than I probably should have. Folk undertones with some delicious menace woven through.
There's something not-of-its-time about this; like a Donovan or Incredible String Band record from 30+ years earlier. Or a slightly less likeable James Yorkston. Not quite freak-folk, if pretty freaky nonetheless. Interesting and pleasant enough.
I mean this is decent folk music, but not groundbreaking nor do I (or anyone) needs to hear it before I die. 3/5
im pleasantly surprised by it being folk, (ephrath will kill me if i dont like it though). its fine, i might jus rate it a 3 and move on with my life. Im happy its as short as it id given im writing this review from the rate yr previous album page due to oversleeping and waking up at like 7PM with like an hour to do the project. It lowkey gets better as it keeps going. Will os my friend has a cool title (will wood reference?????), its also a good song but thats less important. yeah this is a three if ive ever seen one (3.5 on rym). looking at the cover it kinda reminds me of Mahashmashana in a good way (can that be done in a bad way?). overall its fine when i said 3.5 i really meant three.
i understand why some may not like this but i enjoyed the warmth and authenticity
Cozy vibes.
Psych folk always seemed a better idea in concept than execution. Still, this is consistently interesting and mostly original seeming, if also too willfully weird and intentionally off-kilter. One’s full tasting notes mention vague Tom Waits vibes, whiffs here and there of Leon Redbone and darker Drake-ian notes. Also succeeds in being just a little creepy and uncomfortable (partially from the mumbly vibrato effects).
From the jump he creates an interesting atmosphere of slightly dark and brooding folk. Instrumentals are sparse but impactful.
In a span of seconds this was flip flopping from oh wow thats a really cool vibe to please stfu already damn. And within the same song even. Some of the wackier genre stuff i liked. With a full band this woulda felt incohesive with the stranger genres and vibes but with the same textures it matches. Too bad i was also annoyed half the time
had never heard of this artist before, but i really enjoyed it! atmospherically made me want to be sitting in a comfy chair contemplating life, pretty guitar maybe like 3.5?
Pleasant listening even if the vibrato is a little silly, so much so he even had to restart one of the songs
very chill and i liked the folk genre of it
I’m someone who enjoys stripped-down folk music and I did enjoy this. But I’m unclear what sets this album apart from any other stripped-down folk album enough to include on this list.
Mouef, background vibe
Like a guy at a party who brings his guitar and then plays for himself in the corner for 48 minutes.
Interesting but I didn't like it enough to add it to my library
Fine
I enjoyed this a little more than I thought I would! The first song has me thinking here we go again another milquetoast post 2000’s album that doesn’t commit to any one sound or idea. But I was wrong! I laugh as I say this, but in a way, once again, Bob Dylan’s influence shows its impressive reach. Armed with mostly just a guitar, Devendra Banhart tells some cool stories and paints some fun pictures, occasionally getting a bit abstract with his choice of paint or technique in which he brushes. Maybe it’s just present in my mind, but “A Sight To Behold” could fit very well into the new season of Last Of Us, with its solemn, rolling acoustic guitar. “Poughkeepsie” has this little one second nugget at the beginning which sounds like an Aphex Twin vocal stab. It’s nothing significant, but it was fun for me. The real highlight of this song is the prolonged stutter at around 1:40 - it’s one of many examples of how he packs a lot of flavor into songs with just some minimal instrumentation. I loved the messaging and vivid imagery of “This Beard Is For Siobhan”. More excellent, eclectic vocal performances in the repetition and pronunciation of “you’re here to get this baby dancing” on “See Saw”. “When The Sun Shone On Vetiver” might be my favorite of all these though, the way the vocal melody rises upward with some accompanying strings and vocalists. This is about as strong of a 3/5 stars I can give. I’m left wanting more, wanting the songs to evolve a bunch. But all in all, with lots of conviction in his deliveries, Devendra shows that he was born to be a performer.
Must have been removed in the 2021 edition, couldn’t find it in the book. Could hear Nick Drake influences, but not quite there.
Pretty lazy-riffic Will is My Friend ain’t bad Overall an enjoyable enough listen, but not wholly memorable
Kind of a nice chill vibe, though nothing is really going to stand out in a good way on this one. Couple clunkers, but I can hang. Kind of a pleasant tickling of the aural passages, makes me wanna lie back and watch the sky.
First listen
Feels like this album wouldn't have been out of place around 2010, so 2004 surprised me. High 3 rating. It's fine, but overall meh.
Yea ok sure. Didn't bother me. Was kind of quirky and weird. Will never revisit. I did like the review of the one person who said its the worst album they've ever heard. All I could think was god bless you on all the brian eno encounters you're about to have on this list. There's WAY WAY WAY worse shit on here than this...
Quirky, whimsical, and pleasant acoustic singer-songwriter tracks. I don't know if this works as an album, what it is all about, or if it is even supposed to be about anything. Nothing I enjoy actively listening to, but I think the album deserves a bonus just for breaking the mold a bit.
Hipster met een gitaar bij een kampvuur en een obsessie voor z'n eigen hipsterbaard. Wel aardig, maar terwijl de vlammen langzaam doven, sukkel je er zelf bij in slaap.
I have never heard of this artist before. It was well done, although somewhat repetitive and uninvolving at times. It will be worth another listen, and I might listen to his other albums as well.
Lovely, really lovely. Bit downbeat
Inoffensive modern folk, good background music.