Wakin On A Pretty Day – New Kurt Vile

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It’s a gutsy move to play a 9-minute song on the radio. But when Anne Litt gave the new Kurt Vile a spin a couple weeks ago, it was a transcendent moment of radio magic.

Kurt is a really exciting artist. KCRW DJ, and fellow Philly native, Mario Cotto is a big fan and he was my highlight of Matador Records’ 21st anniversary show in Vegas a few years back.

He can be delicate and he can shred and it’s the combination of those things that I love. He’s also got a voice that manages to convey tone and emotion through words that are often mumbled, and wonderfully so.

My favorite songs tend to be like places I want to visit. And I find myself wanting to go here a lot.

Many fans consider his latest album, “Wakin On A Pretty Daze”, his best yet. It comes out on April 9 but you can hear it streaming as part of KCRW’s Album Preview feature right now.

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