Kurt Vile-B'lieve I'm Goin Down
9.2/10
"I woke up this morning/didn't recognize the man in the mirror/then I laughed and I said/oh silly me, that's just me." A puzzling, yet appropriate opening statement by a man so varied, yet so familiar as well. Kurt Vile has been making waves in the singer-songwriter world for about 7 years now, but things have really began picking up for Vile in the last couple of years. While his earlier work was a little more barred back by limitations of recording quality, and struggle with identity, his new material has been revered for has greatly improved in these areas. Smoke Ring For My Halo was a great step forward for Vile. The songs felt intimate and close to Vile's heart. Everything was markedly less robotic than before. These arrangements were also lush. The material was a little more immediate, while somehow not sacrificing any of his artistic ambitions. I thought this project was great, but I was wowed even more by 2013's Waking On a Pretty Daze. The atmospheres created on that record were just astounding. I felt like I could get lost in those tunes forever, and some of the guitar work was magnificent to me. I do think things dragged on a bit long on this record, but sonically I think it is still perhaps Vile's most impressive work. I think Kurt also can be a little tired and non-sensical on this record, but honestly that's kind of who he is. He's got that lazy vibe to him, and the more you listen to his music, the more you respect that. So after such magnificent progress, did Kurt Vile finally hit a plateau, or did he continue to put out consistent rock tunes? I'll just answer that by saying that this album is Pretty Pimpin'.
Much like any Vile project, I was not initially impressed here. Everything kinda just seemed so soft and laid back compared to the lavish Pretty Daze. I was kind of sad, but then one fateful day it started pouring outside, and I heated up some vegetable soup. I had a stuffed nose, and I just really felt like laying back and kind of sulking in my pain. Knowing that KV hits that sad spot in my heart extremely well, I put this baby on. I was amazed! I can't believe I slept on this thing. I think I didn't like it initially because there is so much to digest here. Pretty Pimpin' is both catchy and features Vile's best lyrics to date, Dust Bunnies is simultaneously extremely groovy and catchy, Wheelhouse is a slowburner that hits me in the feels, All in a Daze Work has excellent guitar work, really the list goes on. I think possibly the best thing about this album is that the dull moments are few and far between. With the exception of That's Life Tho (Almost Hate to Say It), nothing on here is particularly weak. That song isn't even that bad either, it just is way too long, and the lyrics are really iffy. Other than that song really nothing bad to say here. It is a relaxing record that won't blow you away or anything, but holy moly is it enjoyable to listen to. Vile's songwriting is sharper than it's ever been, and his tongue-in-cheek method is working way more affectively than on previous releases. While Vile stays pretty much in his comfort zone here sonically, I do appreciate that a lot of the "hazy sounds" on Pretty Daze have been replaced with a more clear and mellow studio sound. Songs like Wild Imagination and Stand Inside have a clarity that previous Vile releases don't necessarily have. Vile feels more in charge, whereas in some previous releases he would tend to get lost in the haze of music. Somehow, 6 albums in, Vile is just getting better and better with each tweak he makes. Although those tweaks may be small, they are effective. Vile has also improved his charisma and likability as a songwriter, so I honestly b'lieve the only direction he's going is up.
I would recommend this album to anyone who really loves lazy day music. There is so much beauty here, but it is also really easy to just get lost in. You can either dig into this thing, or you can just take it on its surface level, and I still think you'll really enjoy it either way. Yet again Kurt Vile has proven to me that he is one of the most exciting singer-songwriters in the game, and there is no reason to b'lieve he won't do it again.
Best Songs: Pretty Pimpin', Dust Bunnies, Wheelhouse, Life Like This, All in a Daze Work, Lost My Head There, Stand Inside, Bad Omens, Kidding Around, Wild Imagination
Worst Songs: I'm an Outlaw, That's Life Tho (Almost Hate to Say It)
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