This is not about wanting to be Kurt Vile but most of the attitude of his music is good to adopt. Like Sly and the Family Stone, you can’t listen to Kurt Vile and be in a bad mood. Even his most somber songs have this proverbial twinkle in the eye. No matter how hard things get, you can always find the humour. Life is absurd why not acknowledge it with laughter (or at least a chuckle). “That’s life tho’/almost hate to point out the painfully obvious,” he sings (actually his singing is mostly like melodic talking). He’ll have a song with very clear point but, rest assured it will dissolve in into surreal chatter. Kurt’s songs take a sideways glance at life.

(from “Wild Imagination”)

I’m looking at you/But it’s only a picture/so I take that back/But it ain’t really a picture/It’s just an image on a screen/but you can imagine if I was tho’ right?/just like I can imagine/you can imagine it/can’t ya?/ I’ve got a wild imagination/give it some time . . .

These lyrics are fairly typical of him. One reviewer described his songs as like having a conversation at five in the morning on the front porch before your first cup of coffee (Note: I will cite said reviewer once I figure out where the hell I got it from). He sings like a person comfortable in his own skin. Kurt also has a great way laughing at himself. He’s never mopey about it.

(from “Pretty Pimpin'”)

I woke up this mornin’ /didn’t recognize the man in the mirror/ then I laughed and I said, “Oh silly me!That’s just me.”

(from “Dust Bunnies”)

There ain’t a manual to our mind, baby/but we’re looking for it everywhere, all the time.

Kurt Vile is a Country fan (I’m not) but it doesn’t matter. He can listen to George Jones and the Misfits back to back but that doesn’t matter either. His music doesn’t adhere to any formula and expectations go out the window. All the best music is made this way (in my not so humble opinion).

Kurt Vile is good music to listen to at 5 in the morning before your first coffee.

Additional note: I just realized that all the songs I quoted were from “B’lieve I’m Goin’ Down.” It’s a good album. “Wakin’ On a Pretty Daze” is a good album to start with if you’re not familiar. His latest, “Bottle It In,” is great too. Here are some links for the less familiar.

Wakin on a Pretty Daze: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bd0K76H7sU8

Wild Imagination: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_EN762PA6o

Wild Imagination for those who need visuals: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EeFSOS1fAA

Pretty Pimpin’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=659pppwniXA

Cheers All!