Kurt Vile: Smoke Ring for my Halo Review

Artist: Kurt Vile
Album: Smoke Ring for my Halo
Label: Matador

Kurt Vile is the hardest working man in the business known as show. Vile tirelessly works, records, and tours as a solo hit machine. Since leaving The War on Drugs, Vile has recorded four full length releases. Vile’s 2011 album, Smoke Ring For My Halo represents his most diverse, and satiating solo work to date.

For his most recent effort, Kurt Vile entered a true studio, something he had not done in previous years, instead finding comfort and garnering respect for his lo-fi, DIY-style recordings. Don’t be alarmed! Kurt Vile shows his true voice clearly; listen to his lyrics, clearly, hear all nuances, clearly. Smoke Ring shows the edge of Vile’s Matador Records debut, 2009’s Childish Prodigy, while also revealing a vulnerability that is reminiscent of The Tallest Man on Earth (who is actually rather short).

“Baby’s Arms” shows stylish, tasty guitar licks, and beautiful lyrics. Along with “Peeping Tomboy“ and “Society Is My Friend”, these three songs are the most vulnerable showings of Vile. Fan’s of Childish Prodigy can grow to love “Puppet To The Man” from Smoke Ring. I often feel that fans of an artist often latch on to one or two songs from an older release and expect a recreation or evolution of that song in future works. So for you fans of “Hunchback”, “Puppet To The Man” can be your baby.

Kurt Vile fans can sink their teeth into Smoke Ring, pick it apart, play with it, and still keep coming back to enjoy it. If you have never heard of Kurt Vile, this is a great jumping off point, as it showcases a true artist, stripped, and beautiful. The past is not coming back, but it seems to reveal itself in certain ways. Kurt Vile is our Neil Young.

Rating: quarter star Kurt Vile: Smoke Ring for my Halo Review