Reviews (page 4 of 8)
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.
No wonder this album gets hate — when half the list is classic rock and new wave and it’s written exclusively for English toots who grew up in the 70s, indie folk probably makes most of these numbnuts want to choke a liberal. High school me would have eaten this shit up. Current me still mostly does. Pretty beautiful. Wonderful guitar work. Interesting songwriting. Very enjoyable listen.
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.
okay this was actually pretty good, but is it the only young god records/swans related album here??? damn
It sounds like the kind of thing you don't get a good view of if you only listen to it once. I might give it another shot on my own time.
It was….fine
Some nice songs but nothing that blew me away. Enjoyed it though. Reminded me a bit of Alt J
this was pretty nice
Thought this was going to be another generic early 2000s indie folk album. Pleasantly surprised that it actually is channeling marc bolan's early tyrannosaurus rex era. Pretty good.
Quirky AF. But some very nice guitar work and the overall vibe (including the artwork) make it a repeat listen.
peaceful indie
Freak folky new weird America type. It’s kind of uncanny…it’s odd, familiar, comforting, offputting. It’s a classic 60s/70s folk album with a twist of something strange. The vocals, the melodies, the guitar picking all feel like you know them but they’re just a bit different (and odder) than you remember. An overall pleasant listen, but also not a standout.
Hienoa ja taitavaa soitantaa akustisella. Tiettyyn fiilistelyyn hiljaisena ja aurinkoisena viikonloppupäivänä. Yleisellä tasolla kuitenkin ajoittain vaan tylsä.
Kai tän vois määritellä nykyfolkiksi. No folkkiakin on kuraa ja jytää. Tää on jotain siitä väliltä
Not my thing
I'd heard of Devendra in the past via a folk-loving friend who raved in an almost cult-like manner about how fantastic he was. Listened to a few tracks here & there over the years but this is the first album I recall listening to in full. It was ok. Very folksy indeed, but with an edge to it. No particular standout moment.
This was inoffensive I guess, very bland. To be played in a coffee shop.
I didn't hate this like everyone else did, but it didn't blow me away.
Supple music, beautiful faint voice and great songs, I feel this is contemporary enough to had come out anytime in the last 30 years. 3.3
It was a large record show ,it like a nightclub. A lot of people I knew throughout my life was there. I tried to hide from them though one person did know I was there. I followed him. We were both wearing big brown heavy jackets and I'd sink my face into mine so he couldn't see me. There was also places to feed your pigs. Earlier in the night I had moved to London and this nightclub record show might ve taken place there.
Another album that would require multiple listens to see if it speaks to me. Initial listen all the way through was fine but nothing special
The acoustic sound is incredible. I don't know anything about the folk revival music scene, so to me Banhart might as well be the best at this style of guitar. The weird lyrics I can't get behind, although I kind of see what he was going for. To be fair, I don't think there are any words that would properly complement these melodies - more classic folk texts would sound too grounded. I don't enjoy his singing style either.
Cute some good songs
Esoteric
Gewöhnungsbedürftige Stimme, aber sonst schönes Akkustikalbum.
I like the vocals here a lot. The instrumentation is very simple, but as yet, I'm unsure if that's good or bad. This is mellower than my standard stuff but it's put together well. I feel a little bad because I think he has a reputation as a lyricist, but I'm too busy to listen carefully to the words. Anyway, I liked this. Good relaxed folk. 3.5 rounding down, just because that feels right.
Todo los Delores is one of my favorite, favorite songs of all time , and perfect for today's weather. This album was actually really foundational in the formation of my music taste, so it's hard to rate it "objectively". I had a few moments I really enjoyed, but it wasn't that lyrically compelling for me. So I'll give it a 3.5, rounding down to a 3.
i can’t be bothered. it’s probably fine
Here's an album that I had no expectations for. Rejoicing in the Hands by Devendra Banhart is certainly an album that exists. But you know what? I like it. This is a nice album. It's nothing extravagant, but it does its job well. It may not excel at anything, but it also doesn't fail at anything either. The writing is solid. Devendra Banhart is not Bob Dylan or Leonard Cohen, but does he really have to be? Can he be? Can anyone be? I didn't think so. Still, songs like "A Sight to Behold" do manage to succeed in having an emotional core to them. The same can be said about the album at large. The sound is nice. It's a tad repetitive, but I think this is more of a "tried and true formula" type thing rather than laziness. Besides, the sound is good, so who cares? The singing is also solid. I like it. The album's pacing is respectable. Overall, this is just a solid, relatively recent folk album. High 3/5.
Lovely acoustic folk that’s influenced by classic folk singers while adding a modern style. I like that he gets a little weird in his vocals sometimes.
I think I just missed the Devendra Banhart train when a lot of my friends in college were getting into him. I remember listening to a few tracks from an album or two but not really getting pulled in enough to want more, so I'm happy to have to go through a full album now. My first impression is that I'm sad that I didn't listen to him more when I was younger as I liked this kind of sound a lot back then. The guitar and voice together sound alone and allow so much room sonically for little vocal inflections and real nice musical moments. There's a lot of thought here for all the little moments where his voice quivers or when he arpeggiates a chord instead of doing a full regular strum. After a few songs though I feel myself wanting more; and the sound has started to become a repetitive one. On "Will Is My Friend", we get some soft kick drum hits and a distant old timey piano which is cool, but the song itself is pretty boring and feels like when I've finally been given more interesting elements it's unfortunately on a song that is forgetful. It's a middle of the road 3 for me. There's a few choices that I think are really nice and enjoyable in the sound, and then a few other choices that I find make the album drag on.
Not a huge fan but the guitar finger style and voicing work is amazing
it was fine, I feel like I should've liked it more
Weird
Had some promising moments but overall I felt it just wasn't something I had any personal draw too.
Correcto
While I don't think it was revelatory, it's cool to see the development of Psych-folk from one of its most prominent artists. I'm hopeful Smokey is hidden somewhere else in the list then
Not my thing but pleasant listening.
++: This Is the Way, The Body Breaks, Poughkeepsie, Tit Smoking in the Temple of Artesan Mimicry, When the Sun Shone on Vetiver, Insect Eyes +: A Sight to Behold, Dogs They Make Up the Dark, This Beard Is for Siobhán, Fall, There Was Sun +-: Will Is My Friend, See Saw, Rejoicing in the Hands, Autumn's Child -: Todos los Dolores 7,0/10
Not familiar with Devendra prior to this. Rather enjoyed it - a solid 3.
Not bad, just long and monotonous. 3/5
Twiddly melodic folk sung by an angry cat.
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.
Modern folk-rock isn't really my thing and to be honest I was expecting whiny, warbly, boring music. But, I was surprised to find most of this album pleasant. (with just a bit of the whiny, warbly, boring music in the middle) The artist had the decency to mostly keep the tracks at Three minutes or less allowing a nice variation that kept it moving.
Indie Folk for hipsters.
Nice but a bit boring - background music.
I find him a bit overrated compared to some of his contemporaries who I like more, but this album is solid. I like the interesting and unique chords he uses on many of the songs here.
Yeah I’m not remembering this tomorrow.
Non male ma niente di impressionante
Heel apart album, begin en eind is best leuk, midden niet zo. 6/10
A modern day Wielder of Words but without the bongos.
An album! That you can listen to! With your ears!
🎧This is a pretty boring but altogether fine folk album. Favorite song is an instrumental, Tit Smoking in the Temple of Artesan Mimicry. Reminds me of John Fahey, and hell of a title.
The commercial arm of the New Weird America. Quite liked it.
Surprisingly decent.
Ken deze man wel van zijn recentere art-folk, als je het zo mag noemen. Maar dit oudere werk van hem is veel stoffiger en organischer folk dan wat ik van hem gewend was. En het bevalt op momenten echt goed, en ik imagineer tijdens het luisteren Fargo/True Detective-achtige scenes, of een Coen Brothers film, en dat lijkt me een goed teken. Ik ga hier vaker op terugkomen, want ik weet niet of één luisterbeurt genoeg is om de magie - die er wel inzit - echt goed te inhaleren. Bij de laatste handvol tracks is hij me kwijt, terwijl het begin veelbelovend was. 7/10 Highlights: A Sight to Behold Will Is My Friend This Beard Is for Siobhan
Ik lees veel bagger in de reviews, maar eigenlijk ga ik altijd wel lekker op dit soort psychedelic folk albums uit de zeroes. De nummers zijn meer dan de man met zijn gitaar. Zeker door het gebruik van violen, orgel en percussie stijgen de nummers op en kan er een bijzondere sfeer worden neergezet. De stem van de singer-songwriter is dan essentieel. En ik kan altijd wel goed luisteren naar Devandra Benhart. Ik vind dat hij een echte film-stem heeft en nummers van de plaat zijn ook gebruikt in series en (horror)films. Wat hij op Rejoicing in the Hands doet is het neerzetten van een bepaald gemoed en ik vind dat gewoon wel mooi. Ik ga dus niet mee met alle kritisiche reviews en geef Devandra een... 7,5/10 Highlights -
Fine if you're in the mood to continue your depressive episode with music.
Enjoyable most of the way through but then noodly harp got a bit too much for me in places
He wants to fuck a cockroach or something It was fine. I liked Insect Eyes
it was ok. easy listening. nothing jumped out as great.
Folksy quivering Feels light, lofty, soars above Rains lovely weirdness
Nice sound
Better than expected
Better than expected.
Full tilgerðarlegt á köflum. En lög bera með sér að önnur umferð gæti opnað eitthvað. 3,5.
I do like a few of the songs that have a melancholic, relaxing vibe. The weird lyrics and the strange obsession this guy has with anatomy is a bit off-putting. Good, but not much else to write home about. Favourite songs: Insect Eyes, The Body Break Worst songs: Poughkeepsie, See Saw
Some folksy psychedelics. The first few songs were soothing and good for a cold day. The rest are quite strange. Nevertheless they are all performed well. Overall ok
Unexpected. 3.5
The songs could benefit from a bit of extra work, whether that be extending the song, cutting it completely, or something completely different is up for debate. The guitar intro on “A Sight To Behold” was reminiscent of Leonard Cohen’s intro to “Avalanche” and given the former’s shorter length, I would say the only good quality of the song is taken from a better one. I do enjoy the guitar melodies being played, though. They’re truly lovely. Will say that it is pretty easy to tune out though. Lyrics are pretty good. Instrumentation is everything it needs to be. All in all, just felt a little bored. 3/5
The album felt a little same-sy at times, but after a second listen, the second half of the album definitely caught my attention more. A nice folk album that isn't scared to breathe. Could do without Devendra's weird proto-cursive voice though. Favorite song: Insect Eyes Least favorite: This Is The Way Knew before? No
Best Song: A Sight to Behold. Pleasantly melancholy. Worst Song: Tit Smoking in the Temple of Artesan Mimicry. Just a not particularly interesting guitar workshop in the middle of the album... Overall: A fine, if not all that exciting, album. Quite and unobtrusive. Good for background music while reading or cooking, I suppose.
More folk. Very eclectic we’ll say. Not my bag.
Solid folk. Not much else to say. No low points. Started out pretty good and just stayed in that lane the whole time. A bit repetitive if anything.
A little too folky for my liking. One of those albums that was nice to listen to cause it is pretty unoffensive music, but i could not wait for it to be over. Low 3
This was a very soothing album. Loved the violin throughout but nothing stood out enough to go for a 4. High 3 it is.
man never taught how to sing makes album
Favorite Track: This Is The Way
Moderne folkrock, stille, og lidt forvirrende
Nice cover art and nice guitar (especially in "A Sight to Behold") but i'm sure the guy is 100% insufferable in person.
In my opinion there were mainly three flavors of folk songs on this album. They were either haunting, sweet, or weird. Haunting: "A Sight to Behold", "Dogs They Make Up In the Dark", "See Saw", "When The Sun Shone On Vetiver", "There Was Sun", and "Insect Eyes". Sweet: "This is The Way", "Body Breaks", "Will Is My Friend", "Rejoicing In The Hands", and "Todo Los Dolores". Weird: "Poughkeepsie" ,"This Beard is For Siobhan", and "Fall". I tended to prefer the haunting ones and I could have done without a lot of the weird or sweet ones. It does capture a mood from that era but overall I don't think it's a "need to listen". If you like a folk vibe, check it out. Otherwise you could probably miss it.
Like Nick Drake with really stepped up production. Seriously, shout out to the sound engineers. As for the music, it actually kinda grew on me somewhat towards the end, I might end up regretting this later, but what the hell, have a 3 Devendra!
Very nice folk songs, I love his fragile voice (Vibrato) and the lyrics. In general it wasn't the best album I have ever listened to but it's a nice one to listen whilst doing some chores or when you're travelling I guess
i'm sorry i just can't handle any more indie folk than what i've heard thus far in my life. im not demure enough for this
This was pretty good.
melow music kinda boring but okay, won't come back to it i think.
Not quite my thing but there was some good stuff here.
its ok. not my style
its a pretty good low fi singer songwriter album. some of the melodies blow out other tracks leaving a little bit to be desired
Interesting
It was okay.
Bit annoying at times but ok
This was decent; I'm not familiar with Banhard at all, but I could see putting this on again if I'm in a folksy mood.
Decent album. I thought I wouldn't like this, but it's better than expected. I noticed that later in the album there's 1-2 tracks that have minimal backing percussion, and I definitely prefer those. 3.49/5
This was nice
Not sure what to make of this one. I see this as an evolution of folk music and singer-songwriter lyric-driven albums, but maybe it’s from an alternate dimension. The guitar is clear and straightforward, but got a bit repetitive by the end. Banhart has one of those voices you either love or hate. I tend to like a higher, nasal male tone (I see you Geddy Lee and Les Claypool), so this worked for me, except when some phrasing bordered on going too “country.” Songs I liked: A Sight to Behold, The Body Breaks, Will is my Friend, Tit Smoking in the Temple of Artesan Mimicry (for the name of nothing else), Rejoicing in the Hands, Fall, the music from Insect Eyes, and Autumn’s Child. Things I didn’t understand: Poughkeepsie - what’s the deal with naming Elvis albums?, counting in so many songs, the lyrics to Insect Eyes. Not sure I would ever choose to listen to this again, but not mad that I gave it a chance. I’m going to give this one: 3⭐️
Hyväntuulinen sunnuntailevy sopi hyvin ajomatkalle kotiin.
A fresh breeze in a warm day. The album might seam at first just another guy with a guitar, but it provides a really enjoyable experience. 7/10
Never cared for this Freak Folk revival when it happened and it definitely does nothing for me now.
Really good music, but not my thing. Difficult for me to rate...
sounds like the lumineers, fleet foxes, and mumford and sons. a couple of the songs i liked enough to add to my library, but a lot of them sounded super similar. however, i could totally see this band growing on me, especially in the fall
Very nice Wasn’t in the mood I guess Meh Grew on me Cool but not a ‘must listen’
decent folk music, nothing exceptional
Very folksy sounding, spare arrangements and definitely an unique voice that sounds like something from the late sixties/ early 70's. Enjoyable enough, didn't really interest me too much, but it was both beautiful and boring at the same time. His voice did begin to irritate me the longer I listened. I liked the guitar work though.
Pretty good, liked the guitar. Singing was pretty good, but the songs sort of bled together
Really well crafted, nice, but not one I'll listen to again.
It's comfy, but not relaxing. He has a nice voice and plays well, but I think I automatically expect acoustic music to be relaxing.
Liked the acoustic sound a lot. The songs were a little weird but I enjoyed listening to them.
- erst dachte ich, dass mir die Stimme auf den Sack gehen würde, aber irgendwie wars dann einfach stimmig - der erste Song hat mich direkt gecatcht und auch danach ging es toll weiter - zur Mitte hin hat das Album ein kleines Tief - erholt sich zum Ende hin dann aber wieder sehr gut
A nice soothing listen, coffee shop vibes. Soulful singing. Nice acoustic guitar sounds.
Some of this ran together and was a little one note. Some decent guitar work though. I liked “Fall”. Overall a pleasant listen.
This was another nice surprise. Obviously not a style that many people flock to as further supported by pretty low sales. But so what. Good music is good music. And I particularly enjoyed some of his acoustic stylings which clearly show a better depth and command of the instrument. Overall an enjoyable listen.
Recognizing this one probably won’t be for everyone, likely on account of his vocals. But I used to listen to Devandra’s stuff fairly often, just liked the vibe and his acoustic skills.
I dug this. Really nice guitar playing and song writing. Vocals and lyrics were intriguing, almost haunting at times. Dev has seen some shit. 3.25
A nice little surprise. This is the way and Fall were standout tracks to me. Need to check out some of his other stuff. 3/5
Säregen röst, några fina låtar som dessutom inte är evighetslånga. Dock låter många av låtarna ganska lika.
op zich niet slecht... enkele toffe deuntjes... te eentonig wel om een hele plaat uit te zitten
Do…I like more folk music than I thought?
Decent listen.
good chill acoustic
I struggle with a lot of indie folk, but this is fine I guess. I wish that the songs varied a little more, the guitar parts are very similar on a lot of songs. His voice isn't as bad as people made it seem. 2.5
Weird artsy folk music. Good if you're in the mood for it but I probably won't come back to it
Agradable
this is so my scene but it is also not my album
I struggled so much with this album. The first few tracks made me feel like I wanted to give it a 1 star review, but then a track would come along that made me want to listen over and over again! It wavered between unlistenable and fucking awesome!! I absolutely loved ‘see saw’ and most of these stars are for that track. I could imagine jack white performing see saw, and most of the other tracks could be performed by a hippie uni student at a weekend party with an acoustic guitar and a bag of cheap weed. Such a conflict !!
I hadn't heard of Devendra Banhart before and I really enjoyed this guitar, folksy vibe! It really suited the overcast melancholy of the weather today, perfect for cuddling up in front of the heater with a coffee. I found the vibrato annoying in spots, but I think I'd come back to listen to this one again sometime.
not for me at all but an easy listen. i'm one flat white away from a feeling like i'm sitting in a Starbucks
Not bad. A little one dimensional though. Would probably not listen to again. Gives me vibes of NMWG, but not as good.
This was a pretty solid indie/folk album. Some areas got a bit stagnant, but overall pleasant. 3/5
Banhart is always freaky and unique, but the songs don’t really stick.
This was never my favorite Devendra Banhart record. In my opinion he peaked about two or three albums later. This one is fine
I got the idea after about five songs. Banhart has a lovely wistful voice, but his lyrics are lacking.
Was expecting Captain Beefheart for some reason. Very pleasant.
I need to be in the mood for DB, which I wasn't. Nice enough background though.
Incredible first side. Completely flat second side
5/10 Jesus...1001 albums...I don't hate this, far from it. If this came on the radio I wouldn't turn it off. That being said I'm not going to jump up and go find more from this artists catalog. It's the kind of thing you'd like if you like that sort of thing. 4-25-2024
chill album, not for me though mayb 6-7/10
A pretty cute and nice listen. There's not really much more I can say about it other than that. Some of these tracks I would see best being played in the background or even to fall asleep to (in the good kind of way).
3.5
It's not exactly my kind of music but I enjoyed it a bit. It caught my attention in more than 1 song. It's peaceful
Good, kind of boring though. I'm sure if I paid more attention I would have appreciated this more.
There are certain elements about Rejoicing In the Hands that I really like. The sincerity and spontaneity that seems to be a constant in his Banharts songwriting and recording technique for one. On the other hand I’m getting a bit tired of his rather one-sided folk approach about 8-9 songs in. It’s a fine record but I have no idea why it should appear on this list.
I'm a big fan of the folk genre. Some of my favorite artists of all time have turned something so simple into something beautiful. Thinking of Elliott Smith, Sufjan Stevens, Nick Drake. Now I'm not at all expecting Devandra Banhart to be in that level, the only thing that I hoped for, was he took his own spin on things. And that he very much did. I do actually like what this project brought to the table overall. His odd inflections, his incredible talent on classical guitar, and the mixing is good too. (Gotta love that background noise hiss). Lyrics-wise he seems to speak almost in tongues, with vivid imagery of what I could only describe as something out of an ancient greek novel. Although his vocal style, which is quite hard to ignore, doesn't always shine through in the best of ways. Like sometimes he reminds me of Jeff Buckley, and then the next song reminds me of Yoko Ono. Between the cursive singing and the screeches and yelps, it often breaks that soft touch that I really love about listening to folk. But who knows, maybe it'll grow on me a little more over time. 7/10
this is very interesting, but not big on folk
Ok, folksy. Didn't really stand out.
I went back and forth on this one. One minute I thought it was quite good, then the next song would be terrible. Ultimately, I think there’s better folk music from this era. Not bad, but I will not revisit.
Some inspired moments but lost its way towards the end. Minimal in a good way though and had a touch of Villagers about it
I like this vibe. Folky.
Wasn’t really in the mood for this yesterday so figured I’d save it for later, I actually quite liked it today 3.5/5
Pretty ok, but a bit long winded at times
This is an album with no strong tracks. It’s flat, the singer’s got an annoying voice, and I really don’t understand its collective praise nor its inclusion here. The only saving grace is that none of the songs are really bad. They just are. Edit: Upon a second listening, I don't mind the first 6 songs, which are okay. The last 10 on the other hand...
I have long suspected that Devendra Banhart is not For Me, but "Insect Eyes" is a hell of a song
it ended about five minutes ago and I barely noticed
Devendra Banhart is one of those artists I feel I should know more about, but I tried listening to this album and couldn’t finish. I do like the feel of it, the softness of it, but it felt like a rough cut, like a better version of those songs were hiding somewhere.
more like 2 1/2
Psychedelic Folk - now there's a fabricated genre with a mysterious membership! This is folk, but nothing psychedelic about it. The vocals are good and I like the music. Some good guitar work on here, too.
Wasn’t sure on first listen, but second I got it more, great folk album good voice, just quite my personal taste to come back to this frequently but deserves its place on the list.
Fine indie-folk album. I used it as background music for working and did not find any outstanding moment in the album.
I got excited thinking this would be something weird and interesting after seeing that it was produced and published by Michael Gira of Swans, but it's literally just a default preset "acoustic guitar-man singing" album with some quirky lyrics. Nothing wrong with that, 3/5-worthy in fact, but a completely pointless slot on the list. Lacks that fully genuine magic that I hear from artists like Nick Drake and Bert Jansch. First half was better than the second - I can't lie, he kind of lost me once he started singing in Spanish. This album released in 2004, the book's first edition was released in 2005. Hey, it's hard to predict what albums will stick in the musical canon. Should have just went with a Swans pick instead, like come on dude, the reviews for something like "Soundtracks for the Blind" would have been so fun to read (the guy who adds that to the user-submitted albums will forever be known as the funniest man to ever live).
A solid acoustic collection of songs.
I'm not familiar with this album or artist, but my first impression as I listened to it was that I may have heard one of these songs on TV or in a movie at some point. As I kept listening to it, this album definitely sounded like a folk album from the aughts; Devandra's vocals are unique, and the stripped down instrumentation is well executed, creating a sound that's different, but still accessible. Overall, this album was pretty good. The vocals were nice, and the arrangements were really pleasant to listen to. The worst thing about it is that it didn't stand out to me. A few months from now, I'll probably have forgotten about this album, and when I see it in my history, the thing that'll stick out the most is that the artist was born in my hometown of Houston. I can't really understand why this album is on the list. Sure, it was well received when it came out, but that can be said about a lot of albums that aren't on the list. I wouldn't mind listening to it again, but there are just so many more folk albums that are worth my time more than this one is.
This is an interesting folk album. An easy but not boring listen. I liked this. I'd like to listen to it again on headphones while walking or something that would let me focus on it more. I think it's a bit more captivating vs being incredible.
Personally I liked this sound. But this doesn't need to be on this list and I wouldn't say this is required listening for anyone. So for that reason I'll go with a 3. Insect Eyes is a cool track.
Du indie folk on ne peut plus ordinaire. Je ne sais pas si mon mood affecte trop mon écoute, mais pour sûr en ce moment je ne suis pas tellement impressionné et je ne vois pas le but d'inclure cet album dans les 1001. 5/10
Really chill 3
Very nice (if a bit leftfield) modern folk. As much as I like the music, the vocal style doesn't do much for me. At times, it seems borderline silly to the point of distraction. I can't help but picture the stereotypical Williamsburg hipster of the early 2000s while listening. Tone down the vocals a bit and you'd have a very good album. Alternatively, go full experimental and really make it weird all around. 'Rejoicing in the Hands' is somewhere in between those extremes. The result is a ok album with some interesting peaks but not enough to really be memorable. There are better alt folk albums out there but it's not bad.
A discovery and a pleasant suprise. Understated vocals and guitar- good to listen to and I guess it would grow on you with repeated plays. Needs further exploration I guess.
simpa :) bas pasalo uz suncano jutro 3.5
Tää oli ihan jees! Folkimpaa osastoa kun ajattelin. 3/5
Ihan hyvä, tasainen 3/5.
Tää folkkis taas ei oikein napannu samalla tapaa. 3/5
I rather enjoyed this. It's different and kind of chill. The singer's vibrato was kind of weird but it wasn't excessive and didn't pull me out of the performance.
Pretty mediocre. Interesting voice and well jell of the guitar skills, but no really stand out tracks even on second listen. Reading the reviews don't really understand how it's a cult classic. Maybe another 20 listens would be required...
Soothing and acoustic, matches the store atmosphere but not a personal favorite. 3/5
Not exactly my vibe but a nice listen
Don’t see the point in this at all
She sounds as if she had a lot of fun recording
this is the way- this is the soup. facts. 5 if im not sure what to make of it. a sight to behold- boring. 4 the body breaks- is this the whole album.............. fellas im not sure i can do this. 4 poughkeepsie- 4 dogs they make up the dark- 4 or 5 will is my friend- good for you. 3 this beard is for siobhan- 5 see saw- 2 tit smoking in the temple of artesan mimicry- 3 rejoicing in the hands- 7 i like this one no more
This one is kind of strange. Basically singer/songwriter folk music with some nice finger picked guitar. Some of the songs are pretty good and at times have an interesting otherworldly sound. The vocals are a problem for me, his delivery for the most part is fine for the material but at times it can get downright annoying. I may come back to this.
Sounded like the epitome of college radio music. Music was good but lyrics were weird. Enjoyed more than disliked.
Good folk album, good songs, some boring
Felt like Mumford and sons folk-kind of garbage but not unpleasant-3/5
A unique voice for indie rock at the mid point of the 2000s. I don’t think this is his best output. It’s certainly good but not up to what he’d later create. Great vocal melody mix well with the production to form a fine little piece of indie rock.
Dnf
2.6 listened 2x
Lots of interesting stuff in this album, even if he does frequently sound like Tyrannosaurus Rex era Marc Bolan, which is no bad thing, but as with Bolan's work, it can be a little hit and miss.
Relaxing indie vibes. 3.5
Enjoyable
Some very decent and some not too excited songs mixed in. It feels very Bob Dylan-esque with the poetic lyrics with tons of imagery. I enjoyed it for one listen, but may or may not come back to it. 6/10
eh. nothing great nothing bad. just dull, will never think about it again
New to me. Hot take: I loved this album. 🤣 I was expecting something much worse given the comments here, but it was lovely. Loved his voice and songwriting.
Not my preferred genre. There were a few good ones
Too indie, think campfire songs but I couldn’t make neither head nor tail out of what the music was
Poughkeepsie and the end of This Beard is for Siobhan ruuuuule
Some shades of Elliott Smith with a more folksy feel. His voice was okay, but not great, although it did fit well with the music. Musically, it was pretty mellow and melodic without having anything really stand out from the rest. A lot of it is if Simon & Garfunkel had ADHD and had written all of their stuff while tripping on acid. Or it is a mellow, acoustic Radiohead. I don't know.....something like that. "A Sight to Behold" "Insect Eyes" "Autumn's Child" and "Fall" were the best for me. "Tit Smoking...." was a nice instrumental. Would I listen to it again? Yes. Would I add it to a playlist? No.
Never listened to Devendra Banhart before... is was ok
Psychedelic folk... it's not bad, but it's nothing special. If i was laying in a field of flowers tripping on acid, I'm sure I'd love it. Enjoyable.
Very chilled
This is the Way - 2/5 A Sight to Behold - 4/5 The Body Breaks - 2/5 Poughkeepsie - 2/5 Dogs They Make Up - 3/5, really like the music, but the vocals still suck Will is My Friend - 2/5 This Beard - 1/5 See Saw - 1/5 Tit Smoking - 4/5 Rejoicing in the Hands - 2/5 Fall - 4/5 Todo Los Dolores - 1/5 When the Sun Shone - 3/5 There was the Sun - 3/5 Insect Eyes - 3/5 Autumn's Child - 2/5
It’s a pleasant enough listen but not a lot feels memorable
That was not what I expected it to be. Weird, haunting, beautiful... it was all over the place. But I was really into it... for about half of the album. Then it got truly weird. In a not so great way. More in a "Devendra has lost the plot and is spinning out of control" way.
Soft and atmospheric, nice voice, but not quite enough for me.
Very weird. Not entirely good and not entirely bad. Just weird.
Enjoyable but not my favorite of Banhart's