Kurt Vile
“Baby’s Arms”

Kurt Vile’s Smoke Ring for My Halo is, for lack of a better phrase, obsession-worthy: a piece of work so lyrical and self-contained it not only fails to ever grow old, it radiates clarity and ease with such effortless intensity it can’t help but come off as a whole, as a complete, well-rounded musical experience. It’s also pretty rare in that respect; the last record to make the cut for me was Girls’ Album back in 2009. Perhaps I just have a thing for long-haired introspective types; or perhaps both albums are classic growers, collections that seem warmer and wittier and more gorgeous with every obsessive listen. MORE