The War on Drugs – A Needle in your Eye #16
Kurt Vile rocks. I want to make that very clear. And quite frankly, his solo work – especially the careening opus, ‘Freaktrain’ – says more than enough about the intensity of his talent. I had already been a fan of said work when I was turned on to The War on Drugs – his pet rock band with Massachusetts native, Adam Granduciel. No doubt both sides of Vile are similar. Both have a haunting, desert drone and a propulsion that weigh heavy on the general vibe. But, and many Vile fans may disagree, I think War on Drugs’ ‘Wagonwheel Blues’ is a much more concise, and ultimately fully-realized offering than anything in Vile’s solo catalogue. It’s all balls – rock star stuff, and I’m a shameless sucker for a good hook. But I’m also just a normal dude from the ‘burbs. It’s so interesting to me that Vile, a guy – unlike me – clearly in touch with a ‘Freak’ element, can curl up next to a juicy hook as well.
p.s. – Don’t miss ‘Wagonwheel Blues’ 10-minute swan song ‘Show Me the Coast.’ It’s one of those songs that strides easily in the weighty shoes of a potentially-grandiose title.
