Kurt Vile, the War on Drugs, Real Estate [monday Threesome]

This installment will examine a trio of artists who have all worked together in the past and all released exemplary records in 2011, each rooted in a similar sonic landscape. All three albums relied heavily on a consistent vibe of textural, layered, and interlocking guitar melodies, often soaked in a smoky, reverb-laden haze. I’ve always been drawn to records that sound cohesive and timeless — this threesome nailed that concept.

Jesus Fever – Kurt Vile // Buy

Kurt Vile (@therealkurtvile) has been a key cog in the Philadelphia indie rock scene since the mid-2000’s, releasing records primarily rooted in garage rock with a nod to the classics (Springsteen, Petty, etc). Following this initial local success, his profile took a significant upturn in 2009 when he signed to Matador and released Childish Prodigy to critical acclaim. 2011’s Smoke Ring For My Halo, though, was what truly helped him make the leap. I remember hearing that Vile would be doing an in-store at Academy Records in Brooklyn on the day the record dropped. I sauntered over expecting to hear a loud, muddy set through a bad PA system. Boy, was I wrong. It was just him with an acoustic guitar, delicately finger-picking gorgeous melodies beneath poignant lyrics. I immediately bought the record, which would soon become my favorite of the year. The guitar work throughout Smoke Ring For My Halo is masterful. Check out a Take Away Show clip of “Baby’s Arms” to feel the song’s hazy warmth with layer after layer of pleasant guitar melodies. This collection of songs feels tied together in perpetuity, which is a damn good quality for a record to have.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that Kurt Vile was a founding member of another great Philadelphia band. What band you ask?

Baby Missiles – The War On Drugs // Buy

The War On Drugs (@warondrugsjams) was formed by Philly natives Adam Granduciel and Kurt Vile over a shared love of Bob Dylan. While beloved on the regional scene, the band was reluctant to tour and thus had difficulty gaining national attention. This didn’t prevent them from getting signed to a respected indie label, though — Secretly Canadien inked the band and released their debut record Wagonwheel Blues in 2008. The band has always consisted of several shifting members, and this trend continued when Kurt Vile left to pursue a solo career. Granduciel kept the spirit of the group intact, though, which brought us their 2011 album, Slave Ambient. I would be hard-pressed to find two albums by two different artists that sound so sonically similar yet triumphantly unique as TWOD’s Slave Ambient and Vile’s Smoke Ring For My Halo. Tracks like “Brothers” (video below) display just how closely these groups are intertwined. The War On Drugs are a phenomenal live band as well, having stolen the show when they opened for The National at The Beacon Theatre in December.

It’s Real – Real Estate // Buy

Out of Tune – Real Estate // Buy

Real Estate (@realestateband) shares some tangential connections to the artists above, having released content, along with Vile, on the imprint Woodist and toured as his support. The reason they’re present in this Monday Threesome, though, is the sound of their most recent release Days. I was familiar with the band after their critically lauded, self-titled 2009 debut, but I felt largely indifferent towards them. It wasn’t until a lazy afternoon spent browsing at a record shop that they caught my ear in a good way. I actually thought I was hearing an unreleased instrumental b-side from Smoke Ring over the store’s speakers. I’ll admit, the album hasn’t moved me as strongly as those of the aforementioned projects, but few have, and this is still a fantastic record. The layered guitars that swirl and double back are expertly arranged, and the percussion stands out as simple yet remarkably refined. The instrumental that I heard in the store is called “Kinder Blumen”, and most definitely fits the vibe of this threesome. Another gem from this Ridgewood, NJ outfit is “Out Of Tune”, with the intricate layering of guitars, both strumming and finger-picking. There is a resonance to Days’ sound that contributes to the cohesiveness of the album and puts them in some great company.