Tonight at 9pm, the Music Hall of Williamsburg as a great lineup: Kurt Vile and The Violators, followed by J Mascis. Unfortunately but not surprisingly, this show sold out a few days ago, but if you managed to grab tickets, good work.
I first heard about Kurt Vile a couple years ago, but it was one of those things that I mean to keep in mind but then it slipped on by. Now I think its time to take notice again and look closer into this up and coming singer/songwriter who cites Neil Young as one of his greatest influences. Ok, so do a lot of people, but lets be honest, there are less credible artists to take inspiration from, and inspiration it is – Kurt still makes his music his own. Pennsylvanian drawl and finger picking included:
Speaking of drawl, the headliner of this show is, of course, the one and only J Mascis. Most well-known for his apathetic vocals and blown-out guitar in Dinosaur Jr., Mascis has just recently put out a new solo album that sounds just like another good helping of those trademark vocals with paired down instrumentation (and with the help of some backup vocals by Ben Bridwell of Band of Horses).
Kurt Vile is no doubt touring in support of his own new album, Smoke Ring for My Halo, just released earlier this month. Its what Matador Records calls, “a true American psychedelic folk album,” and also, “elusive but companionable.” With lyrics like I don’t want to work but I don’t want to sit around all day frowning / I don’t want to give up but I kinda want to lie down, I will tend to agree. I imagine that catching Kurt’s live set is like a storytelling session with guitars, and the more the lyrics sink in, the more they make perfect sense. I wouldn’t predict it to all be a slow drip, though. This song is from his last full length, Child Prodigy:
Again, tickets are sold out, but if you want to chance it at the door they open at 8pm. Show starts at 9pm. Kurt will also be touring the U.S. until the end of April, hitting up Boston with J Mascis next, and then a solo upstate New York gig at Bard College on Sunday before he rejoins J and heads across the midwest.
