Devendra Banhart - Mala (04/07/2013)
The latest LP from alternative-folk singer-songwriter Devendra Banhart is more approachable than previous releases. Mala retains enough of Banhart’s trademark eccentricity to please his existing fanbase, and Latin themes throughout will appeal to lovers of world music and all things Hispanic.
Drawing on his Venezuelan background, Banhart employs his Spanish tongue to great effect on Mala. Some of the album highlights are stories told in a LOTE, such as ‘Mi Negrita’.
As quirky as ever, you would be hard-pressed to find an artist more original than Banhart – much less on your radio. The lead single off Mala, ‘Never Seen Such Good Things’ was on Triple J’s hit-list, and with its down-tempo elastic strut, is easily one of the more accessible songs from the artist previously filed under the “freak folk” genre.
A mature and polished sound sets Mala apart from previous releases. The bare bones remain: the man is adept at story-telling, and in control of a distinctive wobbly vibrato that decorates pretty melodies with a grace all of its own.
Humour is another language spoken fluently here – a sweet blessing from an artist so clearly obscure. With tongue-firmly-in-cheek, Banhart portraits the cruel irony of flawed and self-destructive relationship patterns on ‘Your Fine Petting Duck’. Through highlighting the ridiculous endlessness of the to-and-fro between former lovers, Banhart invites us to share in the private joke, and we may even laugh at ourselves too.
Mala is a collection of vivid characters sharing hilarious and intimate moments, set against a backdrop of jagged bass-lines, brooding synth and flamenco swagger.
Rebecca McCann
Drawing on his Venezuelan background, Banhart employs his Spanish tongue to great effect on Mala. Some of the album highlights are stories told in a LOTE, such as ‘Mi Negrita’.
As quirky as ever, you would be hard-pressed to find an artist more original than Banhart – much less on your radio. The lead single off Mala, ‘Never Seen Such Good Things’ was on Triple J’s hit-list, and with its down-tempo elastic strut, is easily one of the more accessible songs from the artist previously filed under the “freak folk” genre.
A mature and polished sound sets Mala apart from previous releases. The bare bones remain: the man is adept at story-telling, and in control of a distinctive wobbly vibrato that decorates pretty melodies with a grace all of its own.
Humour is another language spoken fluently here – a sweet blessing from an artist so clearly obscure. With tongue-firmly-in-cheek, Banhart portraits the cruel irony of flawed and self-destructive relationship patterns on ‘Your Fine Petting Duck’. Through highlighting the ridiculous endlessness of the to-and-fro between former lovers, Banhart invites us to share in the private joke, and we may even laugh at ourselves too.
Mala is a collection of vivid characters sharing hilarious and intimate moments, set against a backdrop of jagged bass-lines, brooding synth and flamenco swagger.
Rebecca McCann