Devendra Banhart – Cripple Crow

Lo-fi mood maker has hit and miss effect

This new album from Devendra Banhart is giving me a headache. It may sound strange that a laid back mix of lo-fi folk that harks back to hippy sensations of the sixties could induce such a result, but the problem is I can”t decide if I like it or not. One minute I think that Banhart is a mere shadow of the original peace and love squad such as Donovan, the Seekers, the Mamas and the Papas and even Simon and Garfunkel. The next minute I find myself liking him for a twist that he gives a lyric or an arrangement that burns with individuality and freshness that is not always around today. Is he an imitator or an innovator? I can”t decide. Listen now and judge for yourself.