Kurt Vile Leaves a Pretty Chorus In His Wake

On the strength of stage name alone I'd say Kurt Vile has the potential to go places. Nothing remotely wrong with a catchy chorus meant to stick to the sides of your brain. "Pretty Pimpin'" represents my introduction to this Pennsylvania native's recording chops. He's put all his money down on a swarthy guitar lick, and the results don't hesitate to beguile. He isn't shy about dropping down some laid back lyrics either. The only quibble from this end is that five minutes, twenty five seconds is a shade long for a tune long on cute and folksy affectations. The chorus, while charming in a brotherly love way, wasn't mean to be flogged in quite the way it has been. Again, I pick nits only because I love. Kurt's a genial sort who grows on you favorably. He makes everyday pull yourself out of bed by any means necessary sound downright Mensa. He gets maximum mileage from addressing "this stupid clown blocking the bathroom sink" How he makes standard dental hygiene sound compelling belongs in the eternally unknown category. The teeth he's brushing, those stranger's teeth, happen to be his oddly enough. I'm lead to believe most of his week gets regurgitated as some giant blur because when Saturday rolls around he and the "stupid clown" renew acquaintances. Kurt projects the image of a man for whom pursuit of a good time serves as the ultimate end. His lyrics aren't Shakespeare to be sure but I get off on hearing the everyday nudged closer to transcendence terrain. You get your fill of laid back landscape from the video which only serves to buoy the drifting along on the breeze ethos that gains momentum the longer we listen. Folk happens to be one of those genres not overloading the market in the here and now. Kurt's presence can't help but place a winning face to the formula. He unfurls other wordsmith jewels such as "All he ever wanted was to be a man but he was always a little too cute to be admitted under marbles lost." If that line doesn't merit entrance under sheer genius today, then give it some time and distance. It will turn heads for somebody. For the record Kurt's a musician of many stripes. You don't hear them on "Pretty Pimpin'" but trumpet, banjo and keyboards also factor into his toolkit. Maybe future single releases will highlight those talents. Look for "Pretty Pimpin'" on his "blieve I'm goin down" album. "Pretty Pimpin'" sounds like it's nattily dressed and eager to be caught as man about town.