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Devendra Banhart

National Flag

The story goes that Devendra was discovered after friends of his had encouraged him to send away his home recordings as demos to different labels. Michael Gira (of Swans and owner of the Young Gods Records label) was the one who decided to pick up the recordings and released them, untouched as his first album Oh Me Oh My [...].

He then quickly became an alternative folk sensation and was even regarded as a savior of the genre. The songs are raw, thick with tape hiss and the natural reverb of the room the recordings were made in is quite prominent... and then there's Devendra's voice, some sort of Tiny Tim-esque high pitched, off-key, wail with a lisp. You either love it or hate it. It certainly might require some getting used to for some. Listening to these records feels like you are invading someone's private space, they are very intimate and personal even though sometimes what he sings about might seem childish or absurd. He is very poetic however and has a way with words that is wholly his own and out of reach to anyone who might want to find fault in his work. A modern troubadour.

Genre Button Genre Button Genre Button
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Album Cover Oh Me Oh My... The Way The Day Goes By The Sun Is Setting Dogs Are Dreaming Lovesongs Of The Christmas Spirit
Label: Young God Records
Release: 2002
Format: CD
Cat. no: YG20

Song list:

  1. Tick Eats The Olives... (0:39)
  2. Roots... (1:33)
  3. The Charles C. Leary (2:46)
  4. Nice People... (3:15)
  5. Animals... (1:25)
  6. Cosmos And Demos (3:32)
  7. Michigan State (3:47)
  8. Lend Me Your Teeth (1:55)
  9. Hey Miss Cane (3:19)
  10. Soon Is Good (4:03)
  11. Tell Me Something (1:09)
  12. The Red Lagoon (1:13)
  13. A Gentle Soul (1:59)
  14. Happy Happy Oh (1:26)
  15. Pumpkin Seeds (4:30)
  16. The Thumbs... (2:04)
  17. Legless Love... (2:08)
  18. Marigold (1:54)
  19. Make It Easier (0:55)
  20. Ones (2:21)
  21. Little Monkey (1:48)
  22. The Spirit Is Near (1:28)


Album Cover The Black Babies (UK)
Label: Young God Records
Release: 2003
Format: CD
Cat. no: YG23

Song list:

  1. Bluebird (1:25)
  2. Surgery I Stole (3:35)
  3. Cosmos And Demos (3:34)
  4. Onward The Indian (2:50)
  5. Lagoon (2:24)
  6. The Charles C. Leary (2:48)
  7. Long Song (2:26)
  8. Old Thunderbird (4:38)


Album Cover Rejoicing In The Hands
Label: Young God Records
Release: 2004
Format: CD
Cat. no: YG24

Song list:

  1. This Is The Way (2:50)
  2. A Sight To Behold (2:24)
  3. The Body Breaks (2:45)
  4. Poughkeepsie (2:16)
  5. Dogs They Make Up The Dark (1:16)
  6. Will Is My Friend (3:04)
  7. This Beard Is For Siobhán (2:32)
  8. See Saw (3:22)
  9. Tit Smoking In The Temple Of Artesan Mimicry (1:22)
  10. Rejoicing In The Hands (1:41)
  11. Fall (2:50)
  12. Todo Los Dolores (2:28)
  13. When The Sun Shone On Vetiver (3:32)
  14. There Was Sun (1:28)
  15. Insect Eyes (5:00)
  16. Autumn's Child (2:40)


Album Cover Niño Rojo
Label: Young God Records
Release: 2004
Format: CD
Cat. no: YG25

Song list:

  1. Wake Up, Little Sparrow (2:51)
  2. Ay Mama (3:00)
  3. We All Know (2:40)
  4. Little Yellow Spider (3:36)
  5. A Ribbon (2:37)
  6. At The Hop (2:10)
  7. My Ships (1:34)
  8. Noah (2:26)
  9. Sister (2:34)
  10. Water May Walk (3:12)
  11. HorseheadedfleshWizard (2:19)
  12. An Island (2:03)
  13. Be Kind (3:00)
  14. Owl Eyes (2:43)
  15. The Good Red Road (1:59)
  16. Electric Heart (5:30)


Album Cover Cripple Crow
Label: XL Recordings
Release: 2005
Format: CD
Cat. no: XLCD 192

Song list:

  1. Now That I Know (4:53)
  2. Santa Maria Da Feira (4:35)
  3. Heard Somebody Say (3:20)
  4. Long Haired Child (3:45)
  5. Lazy Butterfly (4:00)
  6. Quedate Luna (3:07)
  7. Queen Bee (2:44)
  8. I Feel Just Like A Child (4:46)
  9. Some People Ride The Wave (2:27)
  10. The Beatles (1:44)
  11. Dragonflys (0:59)
  12. Cripple Crow (5:58)
  13. Inaniel (3:43)
  14. Hey Mama Wolf (3:52)
  15. Hows About Tellin A Story (1:21)
  16. Chinese Children (5:17)
  17. Sawkill River (1:52)
  18. I Love That Man (2:26)
  19. Luna De Margarita (2:07)
  20. Korean Dogwood (4:02)
  21. Little Boys (5:20)
  22. Canela (1:55)


Album Cover Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon
Label: XL Recordings
Release: 2007
Format: CD
Cat. no: XLCD 283

Song list:

  1. Cristobal (4:27)
  2. So Long Old Bean (2:53)
  3. Samba Vexillographica (4:46)
  4. Seahorse (8:01)
  5. Bad Girl (4:46)
  6. Sea Side (4:33)
  7. Shabop Shalom (4:36)
  8. Tonada Yanomaminista (2:54)
  9. Rosa (5:05)
  10. Saved (5:32)
  11. Lover (3:41)
  12. Carmensita (4:47)
  13. The Other Woman (3:47)
  14. Freely (4:56)
  15. I Remember (4:23)
  16. My Dearest Friend (2:33)