Kurt Vile

Bottle It In

BY Brad GarciaPublished Oct 10, 2018

7
Travel changes people, that's no secret. It gives us a chance to reflect on our relationships and gain perspective on what really matters. Fear does that even better. After two years of travelling the globe and developing a brief, but serious, fear of flying, Kurt Vile figured it out.
 
Despite its name, Bottle It In is a record that doesn't hesitate to let it all out. These songs are the long and frizzy-haired champion of indie rock's audible postcards to those he's left behind or yet to meet. Along the way, Vile confronts feelings that are undoubtedly familiar to anyone who's ever found themselves unable to speak face-to-face with those occupying our minds or (more importantly), our hearts.
 
The sonic nature of this record is melodically soothing and laidback, with no shortage of guitar-centric genius. This, like most of his work, is humble songwriting, and for Vile, humility has always travelled far and wide.
 
There are still quintessential Vile singles, like the hook-heavy "Loading Zones," and "Come Again." Though most of these songs are longer looping progressions, performed in Kurt's stream-of-consciousness style of rambling, and that's okay. At the core of Bottle It In, the 38-year-old husband and father of two offers his family the comforting illusion of his presence, a chance to hear his voice, and a reminder that they're with him, wherever he may be.
(Matador Records)

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