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Devendra Banhart 'Cripple Crow'

added 19 September 2005 at 11.27

Those who subscribe to the maxim that you can never have too much of a good thing may well find themselves exercising a spot of revisionism after the epic haul that is Devendra Banhart’s latest opus.

That’s not to damn this, the fourth album from Banhart, as contained within its 22 tracks are what should be two very good albums and an excellent EP but to experience 'Cripple Crow' in a single sitting is not unlike being forced to watch The Lord Of The Rings trilogy in one go with no toilet break. And the director’s cut at that.

But, as with LOTR, there’s plenty here to enjoy provided that you’re willing to put in the time. Recorded – where else? – in Woodstock, 'Cripple Crow' is an album that seeks inspiration from 60s pop, folk and South American tropicalia and, much like deciding to run a marathon instead of taking a jog around the park, it’s a combination that at once intrigues and overwhelms.

Constant throughout is Banhart’s, quavering, tremulous voice that picks up where Marc Bolan left off. Delicate yet commanding, its almost child-like quality adds a certain poignancy to the acoustic boogie of 'I Feel Just Like A Child', 'Little Boys’' nod to doo-wop and the off-kilter playfulness of 'Chinese Children' whilst offering a world-weariness on the tenderly fragile folk of 'Now That I Know'.

Banhart’s acoustic musings are sparsely spellbinding. 'Queenbee'’s starkness induces a strange sensation of isolation while the 'The Beatles' offers a warped sense of humour that’s daftly profound when Banhart warbles, “Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr are the only Beatles in the world.”

The troubadour’s venture into Spanish language tracks is where Cripple Crow really raises the bar. The shuffling 'Santa Maria Da Feira' arrives early, almost like a statement of intent while 'Quedateluna' is deliciously lush. Elsewhere, 'Luna De Margarita' stands in melancholic contrast, burdened by the weight of emotion.

However, with so much variety on display and with no respite available to the listener, 'Cripple Crow' sadly becomes an arduous task and one that works to the detriment of the album. The fact that there’s a nine-minute track tagged on in MP3 format shows either a prolific talent or a lack of editorial control that either way reduces the overall qualities 'Cripple Crow' has to offer. Sometimes, you really can have too much of a good thing.

Devendra Banhart 'Cripple Crow' (XL) Released September 19 2005.

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