Expounding on everything from misunderstood duck people who buy hummus at Trader Joe's to governmental failure, Devendra Banhart's Megapuss inhabit a baroque realm far from peculiar in their debut album Surfing.
A concoction of bizarre lyrics, heathenous humor and insincere flashes of solemnity, listening to Surfing qualifies as nothing more than a guilty pleasure. But the album's brilliance isn't solely in itssinful lyrics. Its eclectic tone ranges from jaunty to somber and, combined with Banhart's vintage vocals, gives
Surfing a genuine feel.
Banhart, known best for his holistic harmonies and contributions to the emerging psychedelic indie scene, joins forces with Priestbird's Greg Rogove to give Megapuss a unique sonic blend of eccentric spoken word and radical '70s protest rock. Fabrizio Moretti of the Strokes accompanies the two on drums, and the group's collective randomness is the only constant throughout the album.
The album begins with the naughtily named Crop Circle Jerk '94
