In 2018, Kurt Vile spent a weekend in the Catskills in upstate New York where he recorded discussions and played songs with the Violators in the 20-room estate. Now, Matador Records has released (bottle back) a 20-minute mini documentary, featuring Vile and his band. He talks about music, recording style, life and plays inside the large Victorian, classic home. His music sounds great with a natural, acoustic sound while the band plays in the living room, set with old-fashioned lamps that cast the perfect setting. Vile plays “Bassackwards” on the front porch, alone, while rain falls down pouring off the roof. There are wicker chairs on the front porch which has dark blue wood flooring.
He also plays, “Check Baby” with the Violators and “Baby’s Arms” with Canadian country-rock outfit the Sadies. Vile reflects in this mini-documentary, saying, “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.” When asked if he writes all the time, Vile says, “I don’t map out the record ahead of time. I write down potential songs and there’s always more than enough. Two records ago, I would basically do a whole album cycle and start a new record. I just get so deep into the record that I can’t stomach that ever again, I’ll puke. I just gotta live my life and make music in between everything else, family world and playing live…it’s just the way I live.”
After concluding his North American summer tour, Vile will embark on a brief fall leg, performing several dates with Dinosaur Jr.
Kurt Vile Tour Dates
10/05 — The Fillmore – San Francisco, CA
10/06 — Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival – San Francisco, CA
11/06 — The Mission Ballroom – Denver, CO
11/08 — The Criterion – Oklahoma City, OK
11/09 — White Oak Music Hall – Houston, TX
11/10 — Levitation Festival – Austin, TX
11/17 — Corona Capital Music Festival – Mexico City, Mexico
Photo Credit: Sharon Alagna