Kurt Vile - Speed, Sound, Lonely KV EP review

KURT VILE
Speed, Sound, Lonely KV
MATADOR / REMOTE CONTROL

Unsurprising for any fan of the laidback Pennsylvanian indie-folker, Kurt Vile’s new five‑tracker is driven by his typical twangy, from‑the‑hip noodling and soulful, pseudo-Southern drawl. 

The centrepiece is a duet with John Prine on the late country classic’s luminous “How Lucky”, a bright and bewitching tribute framed palpably around Vile’s deep adoration and respect for Prine. But it’s the EP’s two original cuts – the dizzy, droning “Dandelions” and the cruisy, cantering “Pearls” – that leave the most of a lasting impact once Vile’s last twirling pluck winds out; understated and loveably lackadaisical, they’re so easy to get swept up in. 

Production is sparse and the mixes are raw, dry room reverb and the occasional pop of a stool or click of a heel making this feel more like an intimate live performance than a polished product.