Kurt Vile

Again to Moon Seashore

Verve

Nov 22, 2023
Net Unique

By Mark Moody

Kurt Vile has worn loads of hats over the course of three many years in music, however prophet of doom is a brand new one. The almost hour lengthy Again to Moon Seashore is laughably described as an EP (prolonged play for certain), and consists primarily of outtakes recorded over the previous few years. The second tune right here, “Touched somethin (caught a virus),” brings Vile his newfound doom monger moniker. Written and recorded effectively earlier than the COVID-19 pandemic was upon us, Vile well reduce the observe from his Verve debut, (watch my strikes). However the trippy and fairly pretty tune has an virtually nostalgic really feel to it a number of years on. “Man I acquired a migraine,” Vile complains at a few factors because the tune wends its means alongside.

Different highlights right here embrace the opening tune, “One other good yr for the roses.” The tune continues Vile’s ongoing string of ideas of the hat to his musical heroes (artists as numerous as Hank Williams, Chastity Belt, and Horace Silver all acquired shout-outs on his prior album). Right here George Jones will get the nod as having sung the best nation tune and being a “man possessed by the satan.” The tune’s crazy piano pushed melody is totally infectious because it builds to a frazzled shut. And the eight-minute, “Tom Petty’s gone (however inform him I requested for him),” salutes Gainesville’s favourite son with a rambling tempo on par with Vile’s personal “I’m an Outlaw.”

However a lot of Again to Moon Seashore suffers from the patchwork method that taking issues from the chopping room ground is typically certain to supply. The opposite eight-minute tune on the album is what most of Vile’s lengthy kind songs ably keep away from—dreary. The title observe could convey the weightlessness of the lunar panorama, nevertheless it’s a slog to get via. Vile’s repeated wide-eyed remark that “there’s a seashore on the moon,” wears its welcome out early on. Although the run via of “Should Be Santa” with Vile’s daughters available is cute, and although it might be Grinch-like to say it, its crawling tempo does little to get one excited for the return of the person of the season at hand. And a tacked on “single combine” of top-of-the-line songs from (watch my strikes), “Cool Water,” is each a head scratcher and proof of the hodgepodge of fabric right here.

A canopy of Wilco’s “Passenger facet” is an enthralling late album second that has extra on par with Neil Younger’s “Roll One other Quantity,” which is referenced within the tune. And the picture of Vile selecting a guitar on a tenting journey additionally brings a smile on the drum machine pushed sketch, “Like a wounded chook attempting to fly.” The album additionally marks a number of the closing recordings that Vile made with very long time musical accomplice Rob Laakso, who died earlier this yr. On steadiness, Again to Moon Seashore leans simply sufficient into the advisable class and provides a number of low key gems to Vile’s catalog alongside its meandering means. (www.kurtvile.com)

Creator ranking: 6/10