{"id":202979,"date":"2026-05-26T23:21:08","date_gmt":"2026-05-26T23:21:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/202979\/"},"modified":"2026-05-26T23:21:08","modified_gmt":"2026-05-26T23:21:08","slug":"kurt-vile-philadelphias-been-good-to-me-album-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/202979\/","title":{"rendered":"Kurt Vile : Philadelphia’s been good to me | Album review"},"content":{"rendered":"

I\u2019m not one to normally note this sort of detail, but this is my fourth review of a Kurt Vile<\/a> album. Now that\u2019s nothing compared to the fact that Philadelphia\u2019s been good to me marks Vile\u2019s tenth studio album (amongst a slew of entertaining and funky EPs), but it might explain the rush of nostalgia that washes over me as I digest another KV classic. Throughout my time writing at Treble, Vile has been an artist I\u2019ve frequently returned to\u2014I still remember the awe and wonder I felt at hearing 2013\u2019s massive \u201cWakin on a Pretty Day,\u201d or the amusement I got from 2018\u2019s \u201cLoading Zones.\u201d I was immediately charmed by Vile\u2019s musical freedom and beyond relaxed approach to life. His albums between then and now have expanded on this go-with-the-flow tone of his signature rock \u2018n\u2019 roll sound, but when I heard the lead single for his latest, \u201cChance to Bleed,\u201d I knew this return would be special.\u00a0<\/p>\n

On \u201cChance to Bleed,\u201d Vile recalls a jangly, moody brand of rock, bringing to mind the sound he crafted on 2011\u2019s Smoke Ring for My Halo<\/a>, layering spirals of guitar melodies atop his rambling lyrics. There\u2019s a deep sense of yearning within the track, for the \u201cold time, lo-fi, DIY rock\u2019 n\u2019 roll nights\u201d of long ago, Vile\u2019s delivery so smooth it\u2019s almost as if he\u2019s trying to cast a time traveling spell. The track is both cheeky and heartwarming in its genuine honesty at what used to be a regular night out. Vile has been making music for a long time, and it\u2019s inevitable that this would lead to a bit of reflection. Perhaps this is indicated by the on-the-nose quality of the title track, which is more stripped down in its instrumentals, allowing Vile\u2019s open love letter to his hometown to stand out against fuzzy synths and dampened drums.\u00a0<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a swaying, slowed down heartbeat to much of Philadelphia\u2019s been good to me, especially noticeable on \u201c99th song.\u201d As Vile repeats \u201cI was holding it down,\u201d there\u2019s a whirring sound to the guitars, enveloping his velvety vocals, with dashes of shimmering piano thrown in. Vile\u2019s vocals shine on this album, consistently delivered with care whether they carry a heavier melody or lean toward a sort of rap-like delivery. \u201cEvery time I look at you\u201d is a twangy, folk heavy approach to an overwhelming type of love, a testament to Vile\u2019s ability to infuse his songs with his truest emotions.\u00a0<\/p>\n

While Vile may sometimes seem like the embodiment of pure bliss and daydreaming, the press release accompanying the album makes note of the significance of this year for the city at the center of his album, with 2026 marking the 250th anniversary of the United States, as well as Philadelphia\u2019s hosting of some World Cup games. Vile doesn\u2019t miss the chance to wink back, adding, \u201cand then there\u2019s one other thing\u2026 I gotta be that third thing. Because I am Philadelphia. I gotta own it. I gotta rise to the occasion.\u201d That\u2019s simply the Kurt Vile way\u2014stop taking it all so seriously, just leave your mark of free spirited joy.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Label: Verve<\/p>\n

Year: 2026<\/p>\n

Similar Albums:<\/p>\n

\"Horsegirl<\/a>\"Wet<\/a>\"Jeff<\/a>\"Kurt<\/a>Kurt Vile : Philadelphia\u2019s been good to me<\/p>\n

Note: When you buy something through our affiliate links, Treble receives a commission. All albums we cover are chosen by our editors and contributors.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"I\u2019m not one to normally note this sort of detail, but this is my fourth review of a…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":202980,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[48074,72251,69,71,70],"class_list":["post-202979","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-philadelphia","tag-indie-rock","tag-kurt-vile","tag-philadelphia","tag-philadelphia-headlines","tag-philadelphia-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/202979","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=202979"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/202979\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/202980"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=202979"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=202979"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=202979"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}