VILE, KURT – smoke ring for my halo – VINYL LP (black)

Philadelphia singer/songwriter KURT VILE returns with his second proper album (2008’s Childish Prodigy was a compendium of sorts). Smoke Ring For My Halo is a gorgeously layered record. Ranging from the tender breezy folk in « Jesus Fever » to the tuff urban guitar riff of « Puppet To The Man » Vile’s distinctive Philly-accented vocal ties together a sweeping & evocative project – a true American psychedelic folk album.
This is no pastoral listening experience however – when Vile sings, « society is my friend: he makes me lie down in a cool bloodbath » he sounds both exhausted and distanced from the ringing harmonics of his guitar and Mike Zanghi’s pounding drums. Even the gentler songs, such as « On Tour » and « Baby’s Arms » have a distinctly dark lyrical tone. The closest that Vile gets to some kind of acceptance is in the central track, the rueful « In My Time » « I know when we get older, I’m dying, but I got everything I need here now, and that’s fine, now… that’s fine.
Recorded at the Magic Shop by John Agnello, the album is a massive step forward for one of the country’s most beloved (not least by other musicians) rock songwriters.