The death of John Prine earlier this year led to an outpouring of grief; whilst not a household name in the UK, Prine was regarded as one of the most influential songwriters of his generation, with many citing his presence as key to making the American country folk genre what it is today.
When familiarising one’s self with his catalogue, it’s not hard to see the effect he had on Kurt Vile, so this new EP (largely dedicated to Prine) should come as little surprise despite its four-year gestation period.
Consisting of five songs, a mixture of covers and originals, it’s a worthy tribute yet, whilst never knowingly rushed, even by Vile’s standards is a languid and laconic affair.
Prine’s own Speed Of The Sound Of Loneliness is one of the covers offered, but is immediately recognisable as Kurt Vile. Making it his own, it’s a slice of sprightly Americana with sympathetic piano and warmth emanating from each instrument.
The other Prine cover features the man himself, a version of his 1979 track How Lucky. Prine’s voice of oak works well in contrast to Vile’s drawl as the vocals dance around one another. As such a fan, surely the choice of song wasn’t an accident, Vile perhaps acknowledging that dreams do come true.
‘Cowboy’ Jack Clement’s Gone Girl also gets the Vile treatment, and gently gallops along well enough without sticking in the memory, while the centre-piece is the seven-minute Dandelion, an original which glistens and shimmers. Stating the obvious, it’s Vile with a small injection of Nashville (which the whole EP is a broader tribute to). Atmospheric and haunting, it comfortably sits in the top tier of his impressive canon. The final track, Pearls, doesn’t have quite the same impact by virtue of working at its own leisurely pace, even teasing the listener with a false finish.
This short collection of songs is a worthy tribute to Nashville and one of its shining stars. Even a hardened cynic would melt beneath the warmth and love that has gone into the work.