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Album Details

• Artist: Devendra Banhart
• Album: Rejoicing The Hands
• Label: Young God
• Year of Release: 2004
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: dscanland on 2004-12-17

I bought Rejoicing In The Hands because I really hadn't heard the end of praises for Devendra Banhart and felt that this was as good a place as any to jump into. Well, this was definitely one different album in the respect that some listens I fully enjoy it and others his voice gets on my nerves. It strange because an artist like Devendra is usually a love it or hate it sort of thing but I can go either way depending on my mood. It usually dependent on if I feel like listening to lyrics or not. Devendra Banhart writes some very amazing songs that are pretty much just accompanied by acoustic guitar and maybe a piano. He might appeal to folkies but his voice is almost too eclectic for the likes of the Lucinda Williams type (or maybe not). He has a bit of warble to his voice, the closest comparison I can think of is the quiet Ron Sexsmith. The songs are indeed very mellow with the loudest song probably being "This Beard is for Siobhan", one of the only ones that has drums incorporated. But it's not just Devendra's voice that is different, he manages to come up with some very creative guitar parts that even Will Oldham would be proud of. On "Tit Smoking In The Temple of Artesan Mimicry" we get a showcase of his guitar playing with a 1.5 minute instrumental. My favorite track on Rejoicing has to be "Fall". It is one of the more upbeat tracks and I just felt that it had the most going for it out of an album of gems. There really isn't a track that should have been left off this 16 song album. They are all very impressive, considering this album is the companion piece to Nino Rojo (released later in 2004), the pearl of a big recording session at Lynn Bridges house. Again, I found Devendra Banhart's music could only be palliated if I was in the right mood. If I was, it was amazing. If I wasn't, then the album would see a quick stop.

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