★★★★½
It’s not often an artist experiences their ‘breakthrough’ with their fifth album, but Kurt Vile did just that.
After years of cult acclaim, the Philadelphia singer-songwriter’s 2013 record Wakin On A Pretty Daze took him to a level of critical and commercial success he hadn’t experienced with his first four – excellent nonetheless – albums.
Two years on, B’lieve I’m Goin Down… exudes a lot of the hallmarks of Vile’s previous records, while also displaying his natural evolution as a songwriter and performer. Opener ‘Pretty Pimpin’ is a winding slice of rambling slacker-psych that displays all of these qualities.
More so than on Vile’s previous albums, the use of piano is especially prevalent here, particularly on ‘Life Like This’ and ‘Lost My Head There’. The piano-led tracks have a mildly sardonic tone, similar to ’70s Randy Newman. Meanwhile, the haunting ‘Wheelhouse’ has been described by Vile as his “best song ever”. Of all the tracks on the album, it feels the most live, as if the musicians are playing right in front of you.
B’lieve I’m Goin Down… is a more nocturnal and contemplative record than its predecessor, but what the two have in common is how absorbing the songs are. If this album is anything to go by, it’s quite possible that Vile isn’t done outdoing himself just yet.
Kurt Vile’sB’lieve I’m Goin Down…is out through Matador.
