Devendradradradra...

Devendra Banhart has been doing his trippy psycho-horror-folk music since 2002-ish when he put out "The Charles C. Leary"--an amalgamation of 3 and 4 track snippets that amounted to a sort of grainy patchwork quilt of music. He's got that Justin Vernon warbly falsetto going on, and a whole lot of soul.

Fast forward 2008 and Banhart is six solo albums deep into his career, and last year's "Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon" is less a patchwork quilt and more a weird, silky tapestry. Banhart has some better recording equipment, and a band, and he's fused his falsetto with a loungy Jim Morrison swagger.

Now, look at that picture, and keep it in mind when I tell you that Banhart is currently spending a devil's share of his time with NATALIE PORTMAN. For all you weird artsy types out there, take some lessons from this guy, and watch the video for "Sea Horse" off his new album. It's a slow burn at first, but by the end it goes into one of my favorite grooves I've heard in quite some time. Enjoy!

Video: Sea Horse-Devendra Banhart