Two Drunk Guys Review: b’lieve i’m goin down…
Bake: A couple years ago Kurt Vile was getting a ton of buzz and I was certain that he was going to break the fuck out. Then I listened to one song that was supposedly a single that was 10 minutes long and thought this asshole is a goner. Still, Wakin’ On a Pretty Daze was a solid album that a lot of people liked. I think? Did you like it? You can probably speak for everyone right?
Cam: I can and I live in Philly so that makes me an authority on everything that happens here… cheese steaks are overrated, hitch-bot had it coming and the Phillies are some sort of sports team I guess.
I liked Wakin’ On a Pretty Daze quite a bit. “KV Crimes” was my jam for most of that summer and there’s a handful of other tracks on there that are pretty solid. However, I would have to agree with you most of his stuff prior to Wakin‘ was a little too drawn out and shoegazey for me to get on board with
Bake: Alright, so we are in agreement. Old Kurt Vile was good but not great. And no hipster can convince me otherwise since they don’t listen to full albums anyway. Dicks. So the new album, B’lieve I’m Goin Down, is uh…great? I like “Pretty Pimpin”, I’m digging the banjo on “I’m an Outlaw”.
Is this his sell out album? Am I the sell out fan? Help me make sense of this.
Cam: Well I think by the standards the kids are going on these days unless you if liked it before more that 50 people had heard of it you’re probably a sell out fan. But I don’t know what the hell the kids are doing these days. According to the news it’s jenkem, butt chugging and sending dick pics to each other… so I wouldn’t lose any sleep over it.
B’lieve I’m Goin Down is certainly a bit more accessible than some his previous albums. Much like Wakin’ on a Pretty Daze, most of the songs seem to be more concise and up-beat that the older stuff. It’s still got that spacey, freak folk feel that Vile’s know for but I think he’s reigned it in a little bit. I’m a big fan of “Pretty Pimpin”, it’s definitely a strong opening track. I’ve been really into “Dust Bunnies” as well.
Bake: Yeah I’m liking most of the tracks on here. Normally I have to been in the sort of mood when I’m really just spacing out for hours and taking my time to enjoy it, but the new album has a little bit more life to it. It’s still Kurt Vile and you can still still daze out to songs like, uh, “All in a Daze Work”, but at the risk of sounding like a record executive, it sounds “tighter”. The spacier parts are still good, but I’m even okay with the times when his voice gets a little spoken wordish or when he goes for a jazz song on “Lost My Head There”. Are there any songs here that are pissing you off? Maybe I’m getting soft in my old age.
Cam: Maybe I’m getting soft also because there’s nothing I hate on here. I’m not real crazy about some of the slower, spacier tracks like “That’s Life Tho” and “Stand Inside”… but the albums got enough great tracks that it doesn’t bother me that much.
It does seem like this is an album that the die hard fans might shit all over for the above mentioned reasons. But who cares it’s a great record. People still cry about how Modest Mouse ‘sold out‘ with Good News but they’re all a bunch of pretension hipster fucks… and it was an amazing album.
Bake: Yeah, long time Vile fans might get pissed at some of the variation but then again, they are probably so spaced out they didn’t realize he released a record yet. So they can go to hell. People should go enjoy this album before the detractors catch on and try to take it away. And while they’re at it you’re right, they should listen to ‘Good News’. That album is great. I think I’m going to listen to that now.
Cam: So we’re on the same page I guess, B’lieve I’m Goin Down is a pretty solid album? I feel confident in giving it a rating of 4 beers. Man, this is the second review we’ve done with out shitting all over anything. I think maybe we are getting soft.
Coming up next week: In an effort to stay in touch with the youth of today, Two Drunk Guys Review butt chugging.
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