With the release of major-label debut What Will We Be (Warner Bros.), Devendra Banhart proves once again he has the potential to be one of his generation’s major players. His voice, with its careening vibrato and fuse-blowing intensity, sounds something like Marc Bolan’s, but his repertoire may be more all over the map than anyone making records today. He combines a love of arcane folk music with hard-rocking psychedelia and an ability to sing beautifully in English or Spanish, a skill he learned growing up in Caracas, Venezuela. He refers to himself, jokingly, as a “fake hippie,” but he appears to be the real thing, a refreshing return to the revolutionary thinking that once seemed capable of changing the course of human events. Who’s to say it couldn’t happen again? Banhart is guest editing magnetmagazine.com. Read our Q&A with him. For his posts this week, Banhart will be sharing 60 videos that are dear to his heart.
Head
Here’s a snippet from, I think, the greatest rock ‘n’ roll movie ever made. An entire franchise pulverized in one fell masterstroke. A classic. Jack Nicholson and Bob Rafelson produced it, and yes, that’s Zappa with the cow.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0Uu3hSdYXM
Elis Regina
Whereas Nara is the high priestess, Elis is the great interpreter, the majestic hot mama of MPB! Ahhhh, she’s soooo gooood! Thanks, Binky, for showin’ me this performance!
Luiz Bonfa
Easily one of my favorite guitar players. I bought a Giannini ’cause that’s what he played. I still haven’t figured out how to tune a guitar, but when I do, I’m gonna totally never learn this song!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xevuv4HLrbA
Little Joy
Here’s a little muzak trivia for ya; The young lady fallin’ into the water on the cover of Little Joy’s first album (from where this tune is taken) is my mom! Weird!
