Kurt Vile will release a new album called (watch my moves) on April 15, his first for new label home Verve. The record will feature a cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “Wages of Sin” and a battalion of amazing guests including Chastity Belt, Stella Mozagawa (of Warpaint) and Cate Le Bon, among others.
One of those others is saxophonist James Stewart of the Sun Ra Arkestra, who features on the first single from it, a seven-minute burner called “Like Exploding Stones”. Vile says:
““Like Exploding Stones” was alchemy captured in the kv zone (OKV Central, Philly) at the start of a fateful reunion with the Violators in summer 2021. Yeah, those times were magic and we all knew it but I was still pleasantly shocked when Verve Records suggested it be the first single as well (hey, now I can go to outer space whenever I want, too, Neil!) Sheeeit! I got a million of em but this is a helluva start… so yas best to start opening up your minds for some BLOWIN… Speakin of blowin: James Stewart of Sun Ra Arkestra took it to the next level with tenor saxophone, why me lord? Thanks to band and crew, fam, friends and loved ones.”
While not radically overhauling Kurt Vile’s well-established slacker rock sound, “Like Exploding Stones” does breathe some life into it after the fairly unmemorable 2018 album Bottle It In. While it’s still easy to picture Vile strolling along through Philly as he plays (which is exactly what he does in the video), the more prominent use of analogue synth tones, and of course James Stewart’s wizardly input on the sax, makes it seem like he’s stepping off the cracked street and heading towards the stars – though he remains just as non-plussed and casual as ever.
Check the video for “Like Exploding Stones” below or find it on streaming platforms.
Kurt Vile’s new album (watch my moves) comes out on April 15 through Verve (pre-order/save). You can find Kurt Vile on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
He’s got tour dates on both sides of the Atlantic, too:
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
