Hear Kurt Vile’s Sprawling ‘Bassackwards’ from New LP ‘Bottle It In’
Kurt Vile will release a new solo album, Bottle It In, on October 12th via Matador Records. He previewed the 13-track LP with “Bassackwards,” a nearly 10-minute exploration of meditative acoustic fingerpicking, reversed psychedelic guitars and existential lyrics.
“I was on the beach, but I was thinking about the bay,” the indie-rocker sings over a simple folk riff and steady rhythm section. “Got to the bay, but by then I was far away/ I was on the ground but looking straight into the sun/ But the sun went down and I couldn’t find another one.”
“Bassackwards” is Vile’s second preview from Bottle It In, following the single “Loading Zones” released last month. The album – which follows his 2017 collaborative LP with Courtney Barnett, Lotta Sea Lice, and breakout 2015 solo record, b’lieve I’m goin’ down – features guest spots from Lucius (backing vocals on “Come Again”), Sonic Youth’s Kim Gordon (“acoustic guitar distortion” on “Mutinies”), Cass McCombs and Warpaint’s Stella Mozgawa (both on the 11-minute “Bottle It In”).
Vile recorded Bottle It In in various cities across the U.S., working with several producers, including Rob Schnapf, Shawn Everett, Peter Katis and Rob Laakso. In a statement about the project, Vile spoke about the eclectic – and often dark – influences that inspired the LP.
“For a while I was terrified of flying, so I would be listening to whatever country songs I was obsessed with,” he said. “I’d have George Jones blasting in my ears. Or, I would be reading something about country music. Or, I would start writing songs in that flash of being afraid, being swallowed by life. I’m up there on a plane drinking wine because like everybody else I’m afraid to die. And I wrote ‘Hysteria’ up there.”
Vile also extended his previously announced, headlining world tour that launches with a European leg on October 12th in Hamburg, Germany. The North American run kicks off November 25th in Boston, Massachusetts and now concludes March 17th in Richmond, Virginia, followed by a stretch of international dates in April.
Kurt Vile – Bottle It In Track List
1. “Loading Zones”
2. “Hysteria”
3. “Yeah Bones”
4. “Bassackwards”
5. “One Trick Ponies”
6. “Rollin With The Flow” (Charlie Rich cover)
7. “Check Baby”
8. “Bottle It In “
9. “Mutinies”
10. “Come Again”
11. “Cold Was The Wind”
12. “Skinny Mini”
13. “(bottle back)”
Kurt Vile Tour Dates
November 24 – Boston, MA @ House of Blues
November 28 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel
November 30 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
December 3 – Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse
December 5 – Oklahoma City, OK @ Jones Assembly
December 6 – Austin, TX @ ACL Live at The Moody Theater
December 7 – Dallas, TX @ Canton Hall
December 9 – San Diego, CA @ The Observatory North Park
December 11 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern
December 12 – Oakland, CA @ Fox Theatre
December 14 – Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom
December 15 – Seattle, WA @ Moore Theatre
December 16 – Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom
December 19 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
December 20 – Madison, WI @ Sylvee
December 21 – Milwaukee, WI @ Turner Hall
December 22 – Chicago, IL @ Riviera Theatre
December 29 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Met Philadelphia
February 14 – Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground
February 15 – Montreal, QUE @ Mtelus
February 16 – Toronto, ONT @ Danforth Music Hall
February 19 – Detroit, MI @ Majestic Theatre
February 20 – Cincinnati, OH @ Taft Theatre
February 21 – Indianapolis, IN @ The Vogue
February 22 – Louisville, KY @ Headliners
February 23 – Bloomington, IL @ Castle Theatre
February 24 – St. Louis, MO @ Pageant
February 26 – Omaha, NE @ The Slowdown
February 27 – Kansas City, MO @ Truman
February 28 – Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre
March 1 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Depot
March 2 – Phoenix, AZ @ TBD
March 3 – Las Vegas, NV @ House Of Blues
March 5 – Tucson, AZ @ Rialto Theatre
March 6 – Santa Fe, NM @ Meow Wolf
March 8 – New Braunfels, TX @ Gruene Hall
March 9 – Houston, TX – White Oak Music Hall
March 10 – New Orleans, LA @ Civic Theatre
March 12 – Orlando, FL @ The Beacham
March 13 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ Revolution Live
March 15 – Birmingham, AL @ Saturn
March 16 – Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium
March 17 – Richmond, VA @ The National