Reviewed by: Nick Southall
Reviewed on: 2007-09-19

Posted 09/19/2007 - 10:15:18 AM by Richie_A:
	I found this album to be pretty sounding and nicely arranged but ultimately fairly lacking in memorable songs (with one or two exceptions).. he seems to use the same couple of lilting vocal hooks on almost every tune, no?
Posted 09/19/2007 - 10:53:41 AM by florenz6:
	...haven´t heared this one yet. I´m curious if i will hear it more in Nick´s or Richie´s way:) - but, what I find quite interesting, is the special situation the writer refers to as a kind of background vibe of the review. Should be part of "writing about music" more often! Hope his move didn´t bring him near Rasky´s place (big laugh)! P.S. Can´t wait for the near future, which will produce funny arguments on this site about Devandra Banhart´s sophisticated(B+)record!!
Posted 09/19/2007 - 10:54:52 AM by Simon_H:
	I concur. His nasal vocal style, combined with a lack of any real charm to either his lyrics or delivery, make this a difficult one to sit through. Also, "Borderline genius"? C'mon. Just because he can lift a Balkan tune or twelve, doesn't make him a genius.
Posted 09/19/2007 - 10:55:25 AM by Simon_H:
	Woops, x-post! I meant I concurred with Richie.
Posted 09/19/2007 - 10:58:31 AM by florenz6:
	Well, Simon, pure empirical synchronicity...
Posted 09/20/2007 - 09:04:55 AM by meatbreak:
	Yes Florenz, I would expect some arguing over Devendra's new album too - but likely it will get 0 comments because everyone has lost interest - There's a backlash going on, if you didn't know! (for the record, it's well ace). I've been listening to Flying Club Cup this week and I have to agree with Richie: Dude needs some new vocal licks.
Posted 09/21/2007 - 05:08:54 AM by florenz6:
	meatbreak: What kind of backlash? Just out of curiosity! Read some brilliant and positive reviews about the banhart cd from obviously intellgient people who are no crowd pleasers per se. Ýou just shouldn´t speak for everybody; and accept "minority rights"; it´s easy. (Maybe you think about everybody of the indie crowd, which would be quite vague:)
Posted 09/21/2007 - 09:39:43 AM by florenz6:
	Re: meatbreak. Here is another one: this fabulous cd "Good Arrows" from Tunng only got some special responses from my side. Is it part of your backlash, too?
Posted 09/21/2007 - 12:17:06 PM by axiomatic:
	i think "backlash" in this case is meant to be interpreted as "small reduction in the hype machine's production of freak-folk fellatio" rather than a backlash in any sense of the word.
Posted 09/21/2007 - 12:48:45 PM by florenz6:
	that´s a nice definition, nearly axioamtic, isn´t it!? But how come the music is good?
Posted 09/22/2007 - 03:05:48 PM by meatbreak:
	Neither - I meant that there seems to be a lot of industry people getting sick of hearing about Devendra and his band of merry men and women who he's involved with and keeps giving 'leg ups' to (Coco Rosie, Vetiver, Newsome, Bat For Lashes - plenty more than those too). The music is great, I'm far more impressed than I expected to be after the shiny over-exertions of trying to out-weird the freak folk scene on Cripple Crow. I've not read any reviews of it yet, just heard a lot of people bitching about ubiquity. Great definition though Axiomatic. Flo, you should know that hype and music quality have very little to do with each other. But I think we're jumping the gun here, I didn't mean to hijack the Beirut review for this - let's wait 'til the Smokey review shows up before we bleed our Banhart veins dry.
Posted 09/23/2007 - 06:29:33 AM by florenz6:
	re: meatbreak. Good morning! That´s what I was pointing out, that industry and music have nothing to do with one another in this case. My remark was drenched (right word??) in irony. But I am really surprised you like the album: I thought this would me the "song minstrel I love" (to quote Meaty "Bob" Break)!!
Posted 10/28/2007 - 05:32:47 AM by florenz6:
	Finally got a copy of Beirut: what a great album!!!!