The LA Times Highlights Devendra Banhart’s Poignant, Politically-Minded Lyrics

Devendra Banhart is often cited for his easy-going sonic style, but The Los Angeles Times has honed in on a darker subject matter on one of the standout tracks from new LP Ma. “The shuffle-step bossa nova rhythm that drives “Abre Los Manos” suggests freewheeling joy,” writes the Times, “but the video and lyrics tell a different story, one that arrives with images of Caracas, Venezuela’s capital, in quieter times, before the country’s economy collapsed. He sings of a country ‘covered with blood,’ a destroyed museum, a relative waiting in line for bread. ‘Ayer mi vecina fue secuestrada,’ Banhart sings, bemoaning the kidnapping of his neighbor the day prior.”

Read the feature, and see the video, here.