Philly-based singer/songwriter Kurt Vile lit up the indie rock radar in 2009 with his cynical, lo-fi, classic rock-meets-N.Y.C. proto-punk Matador debut. Fans of the visceral, D.I.Y. fuzz-folk that dominated Childish Prodigy may be taken aback by the production upgrade on Smoke Ring for My Halo, but the cleaner sound doesn‚√≥¬ªt mean that the floors aren't still filthy. Channeling everyone from the Dead to Mellow Gold-era Beck to Lou Reed, Vile comes off as malcontent, but there's an oddball warmth behind his laconic sneer that echoes the late slacker comedian Mitch Hedberg; for every I wanna write my whole life down/burn it there to the ground? ("On Tour"), there's an If it ain't workin, take a whiz on the world? ("Runner Ups"). Vile's guitar work remains predictably strong, especially on the fingerpicked Peeping Tomboy and the shimmery title cut, but it's his efforltess, serpentine melodies and amiable, burnout wisdom that keep the listener so enthralled. All Music Guide

ITEM DETAILS:
Artist: Kurt Vile
Title: Smoke Ring For My Halo
Label: Matador
Cat #: ‚OLE938
Year: 2011
Format: LP