#496 Kurt Vile - Smoke Ring for my Halo

2011’d!

Kurt Vile sings like he just woke up, like he’s just falling asleep, like he’s slipping through time and doesn’t much mind. The song’s seem to fall out of him, unpropelled by any particular force. He never really seems to rile himself up, muttering and moaning, awash in carefully inflected fuzzy spaces, stopping just short of the blanketey deeps of 2010’s reverbcore, landing just past The National and late Magnetic Fields. In fact, The Fields’ Merritt is a good point of reference, as Vile shares much of his bassey warmth and effortless touch with hooks.

As with the best hip hop though, meticulous thought and craftsmanship certainly underlie the effortless veneer. Vile has a way with a chord, with a shimmering detail, with a nuanced acoustic trickle in the backdrop, and while I seldom mention lyrics, his carry hidden heft. Not my cup of tea, a bit too sedated and muffled, but worth respect, and worth a listen if you’re into that kind of thing 3.5/5

You might like this if: you like singer-songerwritterey crooning, full of depth and meaning and detail, but resting deeply, with the meaning and the detail buried.