Kurt Vile is wrapping up another impressive year. “I just know I go in and out of studios, and somewhere in there is the record,” he said to our Steven Hyden upon the release of his excellent album, Bottle It In, and it’s a good summation for how the world views his career. Even though it is his first proper solo album since 2015’s b’lieve I’m goin down…, Vile has never really gone away from the spotlight. He’s almost always on the road in some way, and even managed a collaborative record with Courtney Barnett in the interim. It might feel like he bounces around aimlessly, but there is purpose in his movement, and when he arrives at his destination, you always know it was where he was meant to end up.
His latest landing spot was on television, performing last night on Jimmy Kimmel Live in Los Angeles. Playing “Loading Zones” through a haze of smoke and in front of flashing lights, Vile jammed his way through one of the highlights of his latest album. Don’t let his hair-covered face fool you, this song is wildly technical and incredibly tight, not the work of some dude who just rolled out of bed. For the many who might not have been familiar with Vile before the performance, it’s just the kind of song that could turn them into fans.
Watch Kurt Vile And The Violators perform “Loading Zones” above. Bottle It In is out now on Matador Records.
