Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-based lo-fi indie rock multi-instrumentalist/singer-songwriter and record producer, Kurt Vile, recently released a cover of Nick Cave’s “Stranger Than Kindness.” The very stripped back and hauntingly beautiful acoustic version presented in Vile’s version retains the harrowingly moving effect that wholeheartedly remains intact in Nick Cave’s 1986 original recording. As previously reported in Pitchfork, “The song was recorded for the compilation Songs for Australia, which features songs by Australian artists covered by artists from around the world to benefit relief organizations in Australia in the wake of the country’s wildfire crisis.”

The former lead guitarist for indie rock band, The War on Drugs, Vile according to the aforementioned Pitchfork article, “Vile is set to start a U.S. tour with Cate Le Bon next month. Nick Cave’s autobiography Stranger than Kindness is set to be released on March 23.” Encompassing a wide range of genres from the likes of indie rock, folk, country and blues, Vile exhibits a jack of all trades when it comes to different facets of his music. As previously reported here on mxdwn, Vile’s latest solo effort inspired a release of a companion piece of sorts documentary where “… Vile released a new mini-documentary titled (bottle back) featuring ‘Baby’s Arms’ with The Sadies earlier this year via Matador Records. ‘Honestly nothing feels better than a great live show. But I like to capture that sort of thing in the studio – like “One Trick Pony” I did that song actually in about one day,’ Vile explained regarding the mini documentary.”

Vile has recorded eight solo full length studio albums including 2018’s Bottle It In and a 2017 collaborative project with Australian singer/songwriter and musician Courtney Barnett entitled Lotta Sea Lice, via Matador Records respectively. The aforementioned Pitchfork article furthers that, “Songs for Australia was assembled by Australian musician and songwriter Julia Stone. It includes covers by the National, Damien Rice, and Martha Wainwright, among others.”

To listen to Kurt Vile’s Nick Cave cover of “Stranger Than Kindness” stream below via YouTube.

Photo Credit: Sharon Alagna