Acclaimed musician, songwriter and producer Kurt Vile will release his highly-anticipated new album (watch my moves) April 15 on Verve Records—his first in partnership with the label (pre-order). In advance of the release, the album’s first single, “Like Exploding Stones” is out today—watch/share the official music video featuring Sun Ra Arkestra’s James Stewart.
Recorded mainly at OKV Central—Vile’s newly created home studio in the Mount Airy neighborhood of Philadelphia—(watch my moves) was self-produced along with help from longtime collaborator Rob Schnapf (Richard Thompson, Elliott Smith). “When Waylon Jennings became an outlaw country artist, he liked to record at Hillbilly Central, which was Tompall Glaser’s studio,” Vile shares. “OKV Central is my version of that in Mount Airy. I’ve come into my own here, and at the same time I’m getting back to my home-recording roots.” In addition to Schnapf, Vile’s longtime band, The Violators, and James Stewart, the album features special guests Chastity Belt, Cate Le Bon and percussionists Stella Mozgawa (Warpaint, Courtney Barnett) and Sarah Jones (Hot Chip, Harry Styles).
Across the album’s 15 songs—which includes 14 originals as well as a version of Bruce Springsteen’s “Wages of Sin”—Vile pulls his talents in unexpected directions. The result is a vibrant, yet meditative album propelled by his trademark laid-back charm and curious spirit. Every lyric has been chiseled down into an aphorism, every bloom of distorted guitar or murmuring synth helping create that “fried” pop. “It’s about songwriting. It’s about lyrics. It’s about being the master of all domains in the music,” he says. “I’m always thinking about catchy music, even though it’s fried, or sizzled, out. It’s my own version of a classic thing—it’s moving forward and backward at the same time.”
In celebration of the album, Vile and The Violators will embark on an extensive U.S. tour this spring followed by a lengthy summer European run. Shows include Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium on May 1, L.A.’s Theatre at The Ace Hotel on May 12, two nights at New York’s Webster Hall on June 1 and 2 and two nights at Philadelphia’s Union Transfer on June 3 and 4 among many others. Tickets for the newly announced U.S. and European headline shows go on-sale this Friday, February 18 at 10:00am local time. See below for complete tour details.
(watch my moves) is Vile’s ninth solo full-length studio album and first since 2018’s Bottle It In, which Rolling Stone named #9 on their “50 Best Albums of 2018” list praising, “The long-haired poet-king of Philadelphia surveys his realm in high style on this 78-minute whopper…virtually no one else was making rock records like this…” Additionally, The New York Times calls him, “indie rock’s charming riddle,” while The Guardian praises, “such an instinctive facility for melodic logic that behind the shaggy locks and purple haze, there’s a clear-headed, big-hearted songwriter at work.”
In addition to his solo work, Vile has collaborated with numerous artists including John Prine, Courtney Barnett, The War on Drugs, The Sadies and more and is featured on last year’s compilation, I’ll Be Your Mirror: A Tribute to The Velvet Underground & Nico.
Born and raised in Philadelphia, Vile currently lives in the Mount Airy neighborhood with his wife and two daughters.
(watch my moves) TRACK LIST
1. Goin on a Plane Today
2. Flyin (like a fast train)
3. Palace of OKV in Reverse
4. Like Exploding Stones
5. Mount Airy Hill (Way Gone)
6. Hey Like a Child
7. Jesus on a Wire
8. Fo Sho
9. Cool Water
10. Chazzy Don’t Mind
11. (shiny things)
12. Say the Word
13. Wages of Sin
14. kurt runner
15. Stuffed Leopard
KURT VILE CONFIRMED U.S. TOUR DATES
BOLD on-sale Friday, February 18 at 10:00am local time
April 26—Norfolk, VA—The NorVa*
April 27—Saxaphaw, NC—Haw River Ballroom*
April 28—Asheville, NC—The Orange Peel*
April 30—Atlanta, GA—Shaky Knees Music Festival
May 1—Nashville, TN—Ryman Auditorium*
May 3—Oklahoma City, OK—Jones Assembly*
May 4—Houston, TX—White Oak Music Hall*
May 5—Dallas, TX—Granada Theater*
May 6—Austin, TX—ACL Live at the Moody Theater*
May 7—San Antonio, TX—Aztec Theater*
May 9—Phoenix, AZ—Van Buren*
May 10—San Diego, CA—The Observatory North Park*
May 12—Los Angeles, CA—The Theatre at The Ace Hotel*
May 13—San Francisco, CA—The Fillmore*
May 14—San Francisco, CA—The Fillmore*
May 15—Sonoma, CA—Gundlach Bundschu Winery*
May 17—Portland, OR—Crystal Ballroom*
May 18—Tacoma, WA—Spanish Ballroom*
May 19—Spokane, WA—Knitting Factory*
May 20—Seattle, WA—The Moore*
May 21—Boise, ID—Knitting Factory
May 23—Denver, CO—Ogden Theater
May 25—Minneapolis, MN—First Avenue+
May 26—Milwaukee, WI—Turner Ballroom+
May 27—Chicago, IL—Thalia Hall+
May 28—Chicago, IL—Thalia Hall+
June 1—New York, NY—Webster Hall+
June 2—New York, NY—Webster Hall~
June 3—Philadelphia, PA—Union Transfer+
June 4—Philadelphia, PA—Union Transfer~
*with Chastity Belt
+with Natural Information Society
~with Sun Ra Arkestra
KURT VILE CONFIRMED EUROPEAN TOUR DATES
BOLD on-sale Friday, February 18 at 10:00am local time
August 26—London, U.K.—All Points East Festival
August 27—Bath, U.K.—Forum
August 28—Leeds, U.K.—Stylus
August 29—Glasgow, U.K.—QMU
August 30—Belfast, U.K.—Limelight
August 31—Dublin, Ireland—Vicar Street
September 2—Birmingham, U.K.—Moseley Folk & Arts Festival
September 3—Manchester, U.K.—Manchester Psych Fest
September 4—Dorset, U.K.—End of the Road Festival
September 5—Antwerpen, Belgium—OLT
September 12—Köln, Germany—Gloria Theater
September 13—Amsterdam, the Netherlands—Paradiso
September 14—Nijmegen, the Netherlands—Openluchttheater Goffert
September 15—Berlin, Germany—Huxleys
September 16—Copenhagen, DK—The Grey Hall
September 17—Malmö, Sweden—Plan B
September 19—Kortrijk, Belgium—Depart
September 20—Paris, France—Le Trianon
