Devendra Banhart “Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon”

He’s done it again. Two years since his groundbreaking album Cripple Crow, Devendra Banhart has once again packed our bags and taken us on a musical journey he calls Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon. The problem is this time, he forget to give us a map. Now don’t get me wrong, Banhart’s perpetual creativity and skill is to be envied. Not to mention his cultural influences which give him quite a few steps above his fellow “freak-folkists”. Packed with gems “Samba Vexillographica,” “Seahorse,” “Bad Girl,” “Tonada Yanomaminista,” etc., this could easily be Banhart’s most accessible album. But give each song a listen on it’s own and one would never suspect that these songs sit side by side on an album as a whole. Despite using plenty of Banhart-esque ingredients, his mixture of influences ranging from all over the musical spectrum cooked up into one slightly unappetizing entrée.

Despite the slight musical inconsistency overall, there was definitely no flaw in his ability to continue writing mind blowing pieces, such as Smokey’s eight-minute-centerpiece, “Seahorse.” The piece begins as a lazy folk ballad with almost uninspired lyrics (”so I leave my possessions to the wind, and I’m done with ever wanting anything”) before kicking into a fast-tempo progressive rock masterpiece, hinting at Brubeck’s “Take Five.” Pieced together with Banhart’s emotional lyricism, guitarist Noah Georgeson’s enticing riffs definitely lead the song along a path of hand-clapping and body-shaking.

Immediately after, the album takes a turn for the serene with “Bad Girl.” Carrying on the slightly pessimistic tone set by the beginning of the album, “Bad Girl” is characterized by the hypnotic cries of Banhart’s “wah wah wah wah’s” as well as the mimicked (yet just as emotional) “wah wah’s” of the slide guitar.

After witnessing the incredible workmanship and diversity, Banhart subjects us to “Shabop Shalom.” In an almost mocking tone, Smokey’s “Shabop Shalom” is Banhart’s Jewish take on 50’s style doo-wop love ballads. Littered with embarrassing couplets and complete with slightly comedic opening narrative (”Her walk was soft and delicate, with a thaumaturgical touch that only a Rabbi’s daughter could have”), the song takes away from the theme and mood of the rest of the album, as does “Saved,” the gospel-anthem complete with backing choir and Hammond-style church organ.

Despite the mellow nature of a few of the tracks (”Freely,” “Seaside,” “I Remember,” “My Dearest Friend”), Banhart still lives up to his reputation with a shocking and commanding stage presence. Along with Spiritual Bonerz (silent “z”), Devendra and friends are truly pioneering their performances on as well as off the stage.

Smokey’s exhausting stylistic elements only touch upon the different abilities of Devendra Banhart, both the good and the bad. Still one of the most ambitious and captivating albums of 2007, Banhart needs to sit down before his next album and decide which face of Devendra it is that he’ll be wearing next.

Devendra Banhart - “Seahorse”