Devendra Banhart

Devendra Banhart是名謎樣的人物。
這名現年二十四歲，蓄著長發(fā)與濃胡的俊美青年，有著令人困惑的身世。他出生於德州，成長於委內瑞拉，能同時說著流利的西班牙文與英語。十三歲時搬遷至南加州，畢業(yè)於舊金山藝術學院，隨后在巴黎與紐約兩地過著游牧民族般的遷徙生活，目前落腳於布魯克林。如此動蕩奔波的音樂人生，也許M.I.A.還稍可比擬。
Devendra為印度文，譯成英文的意思是”King of Gods”；他對自己的詮釋或許能更精準地描繪出這名年輕藝術家的人格特質，Devendra形容自己是:【ed Up Hippie Kid】。這名喜歡在臺上穿著女裝打扮成巫師，私下不修邊幅，且總愛赤裸雙腳游蹤各地的美西嬉皮，如今卻引領著所謂的Freak-Folk Movement風潮，與Christian-Folk Movement的掌舵者Sufjan Stevens各霸一方。
雖然2004年的專輯Rejoicing in the Hands獲得了空前的成功，但剛出道時的Devendra Banhart卻不獲得樂評的青睞，諸如Defakera Banhard、Devendra Badhart 這些帶著消遣意味的綽號總在樂圈流傳著。即使接之而來的走紅讓他有能力Sold Out多數的表演，仍只能付給客席樂手微薄的酬勞，且始終處於居無定所的半游民狀態(tài)。於是在一連發(fā)行了兩張專輯，且忙碌了大半年的世界巡回后， Devendra Banhart決定於去年冬天，閉關於與世隔絕的Bearsville Studio。
搖滾迷對此地不會陌生，由Bob Dylan的前任經理人開設的Bearsville Studio正位於搖滾圣地Woodstock近郊，R.E.M.、Cassandra Wilson都曾於此錄制專輯。除了招募一組名為Hairy Fairy的臨時樂隊共同腦力激蕩（成員包括曾與Pernice Brothers合作的民謠吉他手Noah Georgeson），Bearsville Studio特殊的地理環(huán)境也使Devendra Banhart的新專輯Cripple Crow與過往的作品很不相同。
編輯
播放 Devendra Banhart 電臺
Growing up in Caracas, Venezuela, and Los Angeles, Devendra Banhart was always playing music and drawing. But it wasnt until his brief stay at the San Francisco Art Institute that the disciplines became his constant companions. With the encouragement of poet and SFAI professor Bill Berskon, Banhart began experimenting with all kinds of art. He also began recording songs around that same time, usually on shoddy, hand-me-down four-track machines. Brief, half-finished, or written in stream-of-consciousness form, the recordings werent initially intended for release. But friends encouraged Banhart, and he sent out a few tentative demos. He also left SFAI in favor of busking and wandering, and his travels led him from the Bay Area to Paris and eventually back to L.A. By now he was performing regularly, but he hadnt recorded or released anything officially. That changed when Michael Gira (Swans) issued the first Banhart material on his Young God imprint in October 2002. Oh Me Oh My... was an immediate critical hit, and comparisons to legends of songwriting, eclecticism, and tragedy were frequent (Tim Buckley, Syd Barrett, Marc Bolan, et al.). The Black Babies EP arrived in 2003, followed by Banharts first full-length, Rejoicing in the Hands, in April 2004. Young God released its companion, Niño Rojo, in September. Acclaim for both was nearly unanimous, and Banharts audience continued to expand. He jumped to XL for September 2005s Cripple Crow, an ambitious set and his most sonically expansive album up to that point. Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon continued in that vein, recorded at Banharts new home studio in Topanga Canyon.