Kurt Vile

Childish Prodigy

Matador Records

October 6, 2009

By Matt Kiernan

It’s a rare occurrence in rock ’n roll when an artist is able to combine early influences and modern music that’s being played at a moment that separates them from others. Kurt Vile is an artist that collects small pieces of multiple genres and melts them together with ease.

Childish Prodigy, the second release by Vile, shows a honing of his skills and talent following his debut album Constant Hitmaker. Childish Prodigy holds a better production following his move to indie-label giants Matador Records along with stronger songwriting and composition.

Vile’s voice holds a tone resembling that of Lou Reed with a bit of laziness and recklessness to his singing which is balanced out by his perfection of guitar playing. His lyrics are just as complex and original as Reed’s with long and lengthy phrases drawled out of his mouth.

Combining indie-rock with blues and folk songs with a lyricist who rambles along is in a model in the same mold as singer/songwriter Beck. Vile though, creates a sound original from everyone else using stimulating guitar notes and chords that echo to give a reverberating atmosphere.

The album is kicked off with the blues song “Hunchback,” consisting of only two chords but holds the New York toughness that resonates from where he comes from.

The seven-minute long “Freak Train” is a Bob Dylan type of track in which Vile speaks about being apathetic and getting by in life and plays the song while being supported by his guitar and thudding drums.

“Blackberry Song” is a calm acoustic track helped by a repeated piano chord that may have fit into the album Led Zeppelin III. Sliding guitar strings and a lo-fi feel gives it a touch of Vile’s music’s characteristics.

Childish Prodigy is an album that breaks through the genre of indie-rock and into all of rock ‘n roll with a progression of combining different influences into a sound that’s all its own.