ABOUT THIS ITEM

Philadelphian one-man Americana band Kurt Vile kicks off this excellent record with a lo-fi pop anthem: "Freeway" is a simple enough guitar and drum machine affair, but there's a raw, energetic romanticism that instantly taps into the tropes of great Americana songwriters, and the fact that this is all strung together in a punky, DIY setting only serves to make the record more effective and heartstring-tugging. Not all-out pop though: you'll find weird sketchy pieces that sound like the emissions of some far out supermarket synth drones, like some freakish combination of Ariel Pink & Atlas Sound. Thoroughly weird and unfocussed, but not without considerable pop melody... and structure. Imagine Bob Pollard and Lou Barlow losing their lo-fi Crown(s) to this chap... its easy.