CD of The Week

Throughout his entire catalog, there has always been a polished spontaneity to each Kurt Vile album. Each song on every album gives the impression of the poetic drifter that’s got something to say not only about where he’s from but also where he’s headed, even if that final destination is still undefined. On Philadelphia’s been good to me, Vile composes an album from a truly unique perspective. This is not a person scared of middle age or settling down in their hometown, but rather someone (as the album’s title suggests) that now revels in the notion of home, family, and the roots one plants when they decide to stop drifting.  

Produced mainly at his home studio in Mt. Airy, there are the usual hallmarks one has come to expect from a Kurt Vile album. A muddy acoustic guitar melody juxtaposed with an electric guitar lead that is equal parts Neil Young and Pavement (“99 BPM,” “99th Song”), along with shoegaze tunes that wander beautifully (lead single “Chance to Bleed,” “Holiday OKV”). But it’s the tracks that truly stray where the record gets most interesting. 

With a slightly more polished production and speedier tempo, “You don’t know cuz it’s my life” could have been a B-side to any classic 80s Hall and Oates single. And while the name drops (both local and personal) are fun, the closing lines of the song strike a simple yet heartfelt message to the friends that have moved on from their hometown. It again exemplifies Vile’s comfort in middle age and where both he and those around him have now ended up: “A few of my friends they moved away / But that ain’t where they’re from / (But I still love ya) / So come back when you can.”

The real standout track on the album is “Every time I look at you.” Channeling Harvest Moon-era Neil Young at his most romantic, it’s a quiet love song that achieves the delicate balance of nostalgia for youth and optimism not only for the person you now are, but also the person next to you that shapes your entire world now. It’s a real breath of fresh air to hear something composed out of reverence for both the before and after of everything.  

There’s lots to dig in and appreciate on Philadelphia’s been good to me. The usual trappings of a Kurt Vile album are here, and the joyous attitude towards the notions of home and getting older make commonplace themes unique. And you know what? Sometimes it does take some wandering to realize the real treasures are around you where it all started.

Kurt will headline night two of the Make the World Better Concerts on Saturday, July 25th at The Dell Music Center.