Ravenously creative songwriter Kurt Vile broke through to mainstream success after years of steadily working on his craft. His laidback and drifting guitar style and chilled-out vocal delivery makes him one of indie rock’s most prolific singer-songwriters. He co-founded The War on Drugs in 2005, but quit shortly after the band got off the ground to focus more on his own music. After his Matador Records debut, 2009’s Childish Prodigy, his production grew bolder and more lucid on breakthrough records like 2013’s Wakin on a Pretty Daze and 2015’s b’lieve i’m goin’ down.
Kurt Vile’s latest release, the eclectic and electrifying, Bottle It In, is a masterpiece; recorded at various studios around the country over two years, during sessions that usually punctuated the ends of long tours or family road trips.
Our thanks to the fine folks at Skyloft, where Dave Michaels had a chance to chat up Kurt about Philly and the new album during his recent stop in the 518: