All in the Family

Thirty years ago Iggy Pop rejected the term "punk," calling it a word that is based in contempt, fashion, style, elitism, satanism and everything that is rotten about rock n' roll. Today, Devendra Banhart is taking on a similar pegging, with the term"freak-folk." It doesn't take a person versed in psychoanalysis to understand why Devendra would object to the label of "freak." It's a bullshit phrase, given by people that can't wrap their heads around ideas of openness and community. So Devendra has gone with "the family" as an alternative to the prior label. Who's in this family? During an interview with Spin, Banhart described the universe, and how his family fits into it.

"Ben Shatley is the gardener
I'm [Devendra] just a snail eating the lettuce in the garden,
Antony is a big palm tree... with suns instead of coconuts,
Coco Rosie are the water,
Vetiver is sunbeams,
Joanna Newsom is roots that grow upward,
Born Heller is the wind,
Espers are soil,
Damon & Naomi are reading a good book in the corner."

I thought it would be nice to present a taste of this magical universe to all of you, so I've gone through and picked songs that I feel best characterize each artist in regard to Devendra's explanation.

[mp3] Antony & the Johnsons - Lake (live)
[mp3] Coco Rosie - Noah's Ark
[mp3] Vetiver - I Know No Pardon
[mp3] Joanna Newsom - Sadie
[mp3] Born Heller - (get the album)
[mp3] Espers - Moon Occults the Sun
[mp3] Damon & Naomi - In The Sun

Last but not least:

[mp3] Devendra Banhart - Long Haired Child

Transforming soundwaves into physical elements is a bit of a abstract science, so I hope you can just close your eyes and go with it. The mysterious Ben Shatley (not sure if I heard it right) is no where to be found. If anyone knows who Devendra was referring to, please let me know.

Enjoy.