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.
Karl Blau
One of the first shows I ever played (the third, I think) was opening up for Little Wings, the Microphones and Karl Blau. It was life changing; those dudes rocked (and still rock) my world. Karl has amassed a herculean catalog of classic albums; here’s his foray into a more dance-oriented sound. He’s one of the greats!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Y62PWRTuOA
Hermeto Pascoal
The superstar of Brasilian avant-garde; just watch this! He also used a pig, gently squeezing it to get cute (slightly frightening) squeals from it. Super badass dude. He also wrote a song every day of the year so everyone would have a song for their birthdays!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTgGc0YMTX4
Leslie Duncan
I listen to this song every single day. Listen for that little moment at the end where the “field recording” matches up with her maudlin lament.
Karen Dalton
My favorite singer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-BIKjypNsE
