Album Review: Kurt Vile - b'lieve i'm goin down...
By Daniel Marco, Contributor
[Matador; 2015]
Rating: 3.5/5
Key Tracks: “Pretty Pimpin,” “All in a Daze Work,” “Lost my Head there”
b’lieve i’m goin down..., singer/songwriter Kurt Vile’s sixth solo album since leaving the indie rock band The War on Drugs in 2009, brings his typical mellow atmosphere and stream of consciousness lyrics back into our lives.
b’lieve was recorded entirely in the small, quiet hours of the night when the rest of the world was asleep, and it definitely shows in the final product. The album is filled with gentle, sleepy riffs, and Vile’s nonchalant spoken word verses and unique vocal delivery, which sounds like a half-assed Tom Petty imitation, intertwine the songs with a strangely calming presence.
“Pretty Pimpin,” the record’s opener, is about as fast as the album gets, with a slow rollicking riff playing as Vile sings about how he no longer recognizes himself when he looks into his own mirror. “All in a Daze Work,” a Nick Drake sounding acoustic fingerpicking song, perfectly showcases the 3 a.m. feel the album exudes. “Lost My Head There” is the catchiest song on the record, with whimsical piano chords and a head-bopping drum track to match.
b’lieve i’m goin down...’s blending of acoustic folk music with soft rock is a combination that Vile completely pulls off. While it can manage to feel a bit slow sometimes, he always seems to bring it back with a prophetic lyric or an interesting little pick of his guitar strings. This music was destined to be played on lonely midnight drives and late night essay benders, which is just as Vile always intended it to be.
