I’d given Vetiver a chance last year, but was never really won over. Maybe I was a little wary of them because of the Devendra Banhart connection. DB’s okay, but some of his cohorts scare me. “Freak folk” is not my bag. But after overcoming my initial distaste for the band, I was happy to discover that their new album, To Find Me Gone, is actually really superb.

MP3: Vetiver – Been So Long
Ah, the gradually building hum–a true staple of the opening track. After the drums create the heartbeat of the song, “Been So Long” picks up like the Castanets collaborating with Two Gallants. It’s very folk and very mystical; but also maintains a level of minimalism that’s important to the core of the song. But just when you think you’ve got the song figured out, a flute cuts through the haze in one of the most beautiful surprises you’re likely to get today.

Buy To Find Me Gone