Kurt Vile is no mug.
The Philadelphian singer, songwriter, producer, and purveyor of delectably laidback indie-folk tunes has been a guest in our country a smattering of times, but he's got his audience pretty well sussed. “I think Australians, in general, really feel music,” he says.
“It's a record nerd, gut-level or emotional thing; maybe an obsessive thing, which is very similar to the way I am. But there's also a ball-busting, bullshit artist type of thing they can tap into, and [they] can have a good laugh.
“I feel they are really serious about music but also they can just bullshit and bust balls; they're both equal. You know how to fuck with somebody to show that you love them. I feel a lot of Australians have those kinds of humour and emotions, you know?”
The 36-year old will tour Australia solo for the first time in February and March, leaving his band The Violators at home. Previous, successful sojourns and a recent surge in popularity here mean the idea of playing venues and shows the size of Queensland Performing Arts Centre, Taronga Zoo and Golden Plains Festival doesn't faze him. “I've been to Australia enough – this will be the fourth time coming up – to feel like it won't make a difference,” he says.
“I'll be zoning out; kind of in my comfort zone. I'm sort of comfortable over there because, I don't know, I'm just used to it over there. With The Violators we try to mix it up with keyboards and stuff like that, but [this time] I'll just be by myself and my acoustic. I'm sure I'll bring a banjo.
"Maybe one day I'll have more of band with more instruments than a four-piece. I like to just go out, zone out, and not try to recreate the record.”
After leaving The War On Drugs, which he founded with long-term friend Adam Granduciel, and releasing his debut record in 2008, Vile has released six, solo records and a collection of EPs of top-drawer folk, rock and psychedelia, with each record marking a musical and thematic progression from the last. “I'm usually most proud of my newest album,” he says.
“But that wears off once I start working on a new record. I look back and am proud of them all, but I would say maybe most of all 'Smoke Ring For My Halo'; all those songs have a similar melancholia in the lyrics: there was a good theme going on there.
"The next few records obviously had themes going on too, but there is an interesting melancholic tone to 'Smoke Ring For My Halo'; I can go back and listen to that one. There's something about it. I wouldn't say I'm most proud of it, but it's some kind of statement.”
Not keen to rest on his laurels, and despite 2015's 'b'lieve I'm goin down' not having been played in Australia yet, the hard-working Vile has already started on its follow-up. “I've been in and out of the studio throughout this touring cycle because I feel like the last two records, in particular, took so long out of the touring cycle,” he says.
“I don't want to just get lost in this dark, black cocoon world in the studio. So I've been going in and out of the studio between touring for that reason. I probably have about half of the songs for the next record in some form.
"I think [fans] will recognise the sound; it's not like it's a drastically different record, but there's always evolution. I think there's a steady, American roots thing going on in my music, and I don't mean that it's going to come out like 'Sweetheart Of The Rodeo' or something too country, but it'll be some kind of roots scenario. I've always been into country and have been getting more into it lately.
“I read Jerry Lee Lewis's biography: 'Hellfire' by Nick Tosches and George Jones' autobiography. Since then I've basically been out of control reading about nerdy music things; especially Nick Tosches. I guess I've been a bit obsessed since my record came out.”
With talk of music nerdiness and an obvious knowledge of music history and lineage, Vile could be assumed to be a hardcore musicologist and collector. The truth is more interesting, however. “I prefer to not have too many obscure records,” he says.
“I have old country, blues and soul records. The stuff I get into is usually popular at one time or another. These days, if I go to the record store the records I want only cost two dollars or something anyways; 'Country's Greatest Hits' or something.
"I usually space out and don't even know what comes out in a particular year, but my buddy Luke Roberts put out a record which was great. Heron Oblivion's record was great. I've had my head in the clouds listening to a lot of old music.”
Despite constant touring and having critically-acclaimed albums on his resume, the amiable Vile keeps his feet on the ground. As recently as 2009 he was working in a brewery while recording his third album. “The constants are my two little daughters and my wife,” he says.
“We just moved to a bigger house. It's not a mansion, although it feels like it because I've never had any room my whole life.
“We're also keeping our little house so I can go back to my roots and record there. So my everyday life lately has been carting things between these two houses and driving around. I'm pretty comfortable driving around in general, listening to music and zoning out.
“I've also done some little side projects. I did some songs with Courtney Barnett when I was in Australia last time; I'm not sure when they'll come out or anything. I recorded in Nashville with a bunch of legendary old dudes. I've been in the studio with The Violators and I've been getting my home studio together, so I've kind of got my hands on a lot of different things and it's all coming along.”
With 2017 mere days away, February comes quickly for Kurt Vile fans. “The Violators are playing New Year's at the Fillmore in Philadelphia, and a couple more shows in New York and Boston,” he says. “We have one more tour around Florida late January, then that lines me up to go solo and see you guys.”
Kurt Vile Shows
27-28 Feb - Perth FestivalFri 3 Mar - Twilight at Taronga (Sydney)
Sat 4 Mar - Melbourne Zoo
Sun 5 Mar - Meeniyan Town Hall
Thu 9 Mar - QPAC (Brisbane)
10-12 Mar - A Festival Called Panama (Tasmania)
11-13 Mar - Golden Plains Festival (Meredith)
