I have loved Devendra for a long time, and his new album blows my mind a bit. Especially his FUCKING CRAZY as shit videos. I mean, the songs are definitely weird, and they test the conventional expectations of pop-folk-rock songs (though when you're referred to as a "freak-folk" artist, whaddaya expect?). Anyways, what I'm trying to say is that sometimes the videos don't quite match up with the song or the sound. Example A:
FOOLIN'
Shot one: camera closes in on Devendra in a car, looking adorably forlorn and ravishingly gorgeous (yeah, he was hiding a significant amount of attractiveness under all that hair of his). Shot two: he walks up to a door. Shot three: he takes his jacket off for the guy at the door, and weird shit goes down. What follows could be a little shocking, what with the whipping, biracial homosexual eroticism, cutting of fingers, dabbing of bloody fingerless stumps on girls lips, more whipping, bloody Devendra buttcracks, and other events that ensue. Is it odd that none of what's shown really freaks me out? I mean, I did wonder, briefly, just what exactly possessed him to go this route with the video. Because honestly, what he created is the last thing any listener would imagine for this song. But when it comes to Devendra, it's probably best to not have any expectations; it's more amusing that way. And it's more fun to be caught off-guard.
For instance, if I'd just stuffed Devendra in a weird-folk box, what would I have expected from him? Crooning and acoustic guitars? Weird outfits and pretentious performances? No, it's better not to expect anything at all. He might be following a certain vein of music, but ultimately, he's just another person who has room to do whatever he wants. And because my expectations are down, I'm all the more pleased when I find super-rad videos of Devendra being a boss on his skateboard. Who would have thought?
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