Hometown Glory: The Americana icon with a declaration of love for his hometown.
Despite all of Kurt Vile’s understatement as a solo artist and as frontman of The War On Drugs, one must not forget that he always had a healthy self-confidence – and, perhaps with a touch of self-irony, called himself “Philly’s constant hitmaker” at the beginning of his career. But: He has made good on that over the last few years. Now his ninth solo album is released, and it is, more than ever, a celebration of his hometown. Just in time for the 250th birthday of the USA, whose first capital was Philadelphia.
The title song of PHILLY’S BEEN GOOD TO ME laconically lists the advantages of the city on a stage lit with hypnotic synths and typical Vile guitar, without hiding its dark side – that’s how true love really works. Vile embraces Americana in all its forms, influences from country, but also from heroes like the late hip-hop producer DJ Screw from Houston (especially on “Rock o’ Stone”), and Neil Young repeatedly mixes Vile into his own weird, but always relaxed folk rock.
A vision of the different, the better America in the USA’s fateful year.
