A gift from the people at Eaters Guild Farm.

Gust of Wind # 12

Devendra Banhart, What Will We Be

Warner

This Gust of Wind comes to us through a haze, beaming the sunshine down on a cold atmosphere.

Devendra Banhart is one of the most inspiring Artists of the last ten years. Over time he has continued to evolve, but not entirely away from the mysterious beauty of his early low fidelity recordings. This record has moments that signal to the past, as if to say he hasn’t  forgotten his original self. He clearly hasn’t, even when enticed by the dollar bills of a major, Banhart is still Banhart. If pressed to place a bet on him, I wouldn’t pick any number but the same one since Rejoicing in the Hands. It all seems part of a bigger picture, and he’s just waiting on us to commit to ourselves, so we can commit to each other.

I dig the newer sound, and this time it seems Banhart and company are on point when compared to their previous album, Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon. That collection of tunes was out there looking for the thing he found on What Will We Be. I imagine like most things in life, we have to go through certain doors to see what’s on the other side.

Although he always seems to reach for the stars, on What Will We Be the music plays as if he’s made his connection. It’s only the first stop toward much more, but he has made it to the next level as a musical powerhouse, shining its own light on the rest of us, from its own corner, somewhere off in a hazy galaxy. From this point on, it only looks brighter from here. Devendra Banhart is the invaluable piece to a younger generations place in cultural history.

A few special words evoked by the song “Walilamdzi,” off this very delightful addition to a discography growing to be one of my favorites. I dug up an old piece of photography I took on my Brothers farm in Michigan. I think it fits well. Thank you for reading.

A room is filled with gracious hands as we dine together in a community.

The Sounds from cracks of ceiling beams, makes fog in a room with no smoke. The Red wine intertwines our words. One last chime from the door, another late addition. Pull up a seat friend, we’ll be reminiscing.

- Ryan Boos

Devendra Banhart’s new album What Will We Be is released today. This will be his first release on a major label (Warner Bros.), which sometimes results in major changes for artists. A musician with such a plethora of experience, talent and diversity, such as Devandra, should weather the evil storm well.

On Oct 27th Devendra Banhart releases his Sixth album, first with Warner, called What Will We Be.  In support of his new release he will hit the road for a small tour, which begins in the Windy City.

11-16 Chicago, IL – Vic Theatre

11-17 Ann Arbor, MI – The Ark

11-19 Burlington, VT – Higher Ground

11-20 Boston, MA – Berklee

11-22 New York, NY – Town Hall

11-24 Philadelphia, PA – Electric Factory

11-25 Washington, DC – 9:30 Club

11-27 Toronto, Ontario – Queen Elizabeth Theatre

Just released today is Rain Machine, Rain Machine. A solo album from Kyp Malone, the guitarist/vocalist from TV on the Radio. TVOR is currently on a break for the next year or so, which gives this lead-man a chance to shine alone. TVOR is one of my favorite groups and it’s gonna be a task to surpass their innovative talent and success. Kyp’s vocals on Rain Machine drive further into the soulful dynamics he gracefully accomplished on TVOR’s last album Dear Science. A method that took him three records to perfect and execute. Rain Machine goes deeper into experimentation and peers into a bluesy, folk singer-songwriter’s afternoon by the lake… dropping the drum heavy tracks for simple shakers, backwoods pickin and vocal harmonics.

Gust of Wind # 2

Cotton Jones – Paranoid Cocoon

Suicide Squeeze 2009

This gust of wind, ebbs & flows with a distinct soul, one that is weathered from the train, its many stops through out small towns, and back through the whiskey bars of our brightest cities.

Cotton Jones – Paranoid Cocoon is an album that feels connected to the roots of America. The tradition of its sounds, and loose feeling of texture, evokes images of a couple lying on an open patch of grass, looking up at the clouds, while their dogs run to fetch a stick – it’s subtle and beautiful, with enough sweetness to combat the zest of an open rd.

Many people can share an experience of driving for miles while forgetting where you’re going, or where you’ve been. There is something about songs that enable our minds to lift above the vehicle we’re in, and fly – fly above and let our souls be free with love. Cotton Jones is that record, and has those songs. It’s a back porch soundtrack for the rocking chair, a PBR, and something special with your lady, or gent. Hopefully if you’re lucky, the moon will be rich and full, the stars bright, and the surrounding neighbors quiet. Then you fully realize the calm, and chill of an evening with complete rest with Cotton Jones playing in the background, through the haze of life and all its rough and tumble.

Digging deeper in this record, my favorite moment was the first few minutes of “Some Strange Rain.” It’s a two minute instrumental intro of lush’s field folk and dreamy-hazy pop. The music paints this picture that is simply even, meaning neutral in emotion – the rain might be poring down but we are happy to be standing in it, or shelling out a few cartwheels b/c we are free to be without stress. The overall song has this psychedelic quality from the sustainability of certain sounds. Its words sound great, but don’t over power the music; they rest right on the ridge of the song, and call out questions that “honey” can only answer.

I strongly recommend this record to anyone who enjoys coffee, swings, sitting on a porch, animals, the beach, rd trips, fresh air, the light shining through the trees, vintage culture, whiskey, love songs, flowers, friendship, meditation, folk, the blues, and the moments when you realize you’ll remember something forever. For fans of Vetiver, Iron and Wine, Willie Nelson, CCR, Bob Dylan, The Byrd’s, and um, well I could go on, but you get my drift.

Reviewed by

Ryan Boos, August 10th, 2009