Deverand Banhart - "Cripple Crow"
I was pleasantly surprised by Deverand Banhart's new album, Cripple Crow. This was a very well produced album which carried with a very relaxing undertone of what sounds of old time rag-tag. I was scared of what I may have been listening to when I got to the second to last song on the album entitled "Little Boys". I'm still hesitant to embrase this song even after reading Pitchfork.com's review.
And "Little Boys", which Banhart alleges is sung from the perspective of a schizophrenic Hermaphrodite, is divided in half by a mid-song bass change-up which shifts the song up from a sorta boring Oldham prom-dance lament to its sinister, surfy refrain: "I see so many little boys I wanna marry/ I see plenty little kids I've yet to had."
Singing of children through out the album and 'allegedly' writing this song from the perspective of a schizophrenic Hermaphrodite puts a shiver down my spine. Why would he sing from that perspective?