Kurt Vile & The Violators
“With his distinctive guitar style and chilled-out speak-sing delivery, [he] is one of indie rock’s most prolific voices.” – Pitchfork
Since his earliest self-produced CD-Rs, Philadelphia psych-pop master Kurt Vile has referred to himself as “Philly’s Constant Hitmaker“ — and while he gave himself that name with a sly wink, he was also nodding toward the songwriting prowess that would result in him becoming one of his home city’s most celebrated rock artists. The singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer is known for his solo work and as the former lead guitarist for The War on Drugs. Vile formed that band with friend and frequent musical collaborator Adam Granduciel in 2005. They released their debut album Wagonwheel Blues in 2008. In the same year, Vile released his first solo album, Constant Hitmaker. He subsequently decided to leave The War on Drugs to concentrate on his solo career. Accompanied by his backing band, The Violators, composed of Jesse Trbovich (guitars, bass guitar, saxophone, keyboard), Kyle Spence (guitar, percussion) and Adam Lengelotti (bass, keyboards), Vile continued releasing solo albums, including Smoke Ring for My Halo in 2011. The album peaked at #154 on the Billboard Top 200, placed highly on many end-of-year lists, and in 2013 was named number 475 on NME’s ‘500 Greatest Albums of All Time’. He’s remained busy putting out records in the years since. In 2022 Vile released Watch My Moves, his ninth album, on which he pulls all his talents in unexpected directions, resulting in a vibrant, yet meditative album.
