Rejoicing in the Hands
Banhart's professionally recorded follow-up to his debut, released by Young God Records in 2004 and later placed on the 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die list.
Devendra Banhart, 2004
- Released
- May 4, 2004
- Recorded
- 2003
- Label
- Young God Records
- Producer
- Devendra Banhart and Michael Gira
Making the record
Rejoicing in the Hands was recorded during 2003 and released on May 4, 2004, by Young God Records. Banhart and Michael Gira produced it. Jason LaFarge, Georgia Bridges and Lynn Bridges engineered, and Doug Henderson mastered and mixed it.
Pitchfork's Dominique Leone noted that, unlike the 2002 debut Oh Me Oh My, it was professionally recorded, and that a few tracks had backing musicians. Gira, he wrote, did not want to pigeonhole Banhart as a lo-fi eccentric. The sleeve holds a folded sheet with sketches and all the lyrics drawn by Banhart.
Reception
Leone described "This Is the Way" as setting forth an unhurried charge. He also described "When the Sun Shone on Vetiver" as built on slide guitar and a ghostly violin, and the closer "Autumn's Child" as a vocal over a soft, minor-chord piano. On one track Banhart forgets the lyrics and begins again. Leone concluded that the album established Banhart as "a major voice in new folk music".
The record holds a Metacritic average of 88 from 21 reviews. Pitchfork later placed it at No. 193 on its list of the top 200 albums of the 2000s and No. 18 on its list of the top 100 albums of 2000 to 2004. By September 2005 it had sold 24,000 copies in the United States. Songs from it were later used on screen: "Insect Eyes" in the teaser trailer for The Hills Have Eyes 2, "The Body Breaks" in Eagle vs. Shark, and "A Sight to Behold" in an episode of Sons of Anarchy.
Track listing
- This Is the Way2:53
- A Sight to Behold2:26
- The Body Breaks2:43
- Poughkeepsie2:17
- Dogs They Make Up the Dark1:20
- Will Is My Friend3:04
- This Beard Is for Siobhán2:36
- See Saw3:22
- Tit Smoking in the Temple of Artesan Mimicry1:25
- Rejoicing in the Hands1:41
- Fall2:53
- Todos los Dolores2:30
- When the Sun Shone on Vetiver3:34
- There Was Sun1:31
- Insect Eyes5:08
- Autumn's Child2:40
Personnel
- Devendra Banhart bass, guitar (acoustic, electric), piano, vocals, producer, drawing
- Michael Gira producer
- Vashti Bunyan vocals
- Paul Cantelon violin
- Thor Harris percussion, vibraphone
- Julia Kent cello
- Joe McGinty organ, piano
- Steve Moses percussion, drums
- Jason LaFarge engineer
- Georgia Bridges engineer
- Lynn Bridges engineer
- Doug Henderson mastering, mixing
More from Devendra Banhart
Niño Rojo (2004), Cripple Crow (2005), Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon (2007), Mala (2013)
Sources
- Rejoicing in the Hands, Wikipedia
- Devendra Banhart: Rejoicing in the Hands, Pitchfork (2004-03-16)