13. Devendra BanhartSmokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon
This is almost Devendra’s Exile On Main Street. There’s gospel singers on the song ‘Saved’, there’s a song called ‘Shabop Shalom’ which is a satirical bar mitzvah song that he performs like Elvis. It has an epic jaw-dropping song called ‘Seahorse’ which alternates between psychedelic parts and jazz parts, a fuzzy roving ballad called ‘So Long, Old Bean’. There’s so much on it and I love that. Devendra was my neighbour in Brooklyn many years ago, and it was cool watching him become a superhero version of himself. He had that kind of bravery before almost anyone I knew, to embody their personal expression in this world. Devendra is a next-level master at combining musical, visual, and poetic aesthetics. For me he is a personal hero, his work is a benchmark of how much of your brain you can get out there it. We were born a few days apart, so we are really connected as peers.
