Settle in, take your time, and let this Kurt Vile gem, the (almost) title track from his stellar new album Wakin On A Pretty Daze, unfurl. Forget you were listening and drift back in. Like the best songs, it's going to be A+ driving around material — at over 9 minutes long, imagine how many landscapes could roll by. It's a perfect intro to the rest of the album which is just as dreamy and addictive. Also, check out this really cool short documentary put out by Matador in which local graffiti artist Steve Powers talks about creating the mural and how it fits into Philadelphia's urban and artistic landscape.
I got to see Kurt Vile and the Violators this past week at the Independent, and it was a great show. There was a good mix of songs played by the whole band, with guitars on top of guitars on top of keyboards on top of synth tracks (and sometimes with a sax), and stripped down moments, just Vile and his guitar. I love that Vile's songs are suffused with diverse influences in a way that's evident and traceable, but totally his own. There's this sense of earnestness in his songs and his whole approach that's really appealing. Plus, you just cannot fuck with his hair. Tip for music journalists: instead of asking the same old questions about his influences and stint as a forklift driver, ask him what products he's using.
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