KURT VILE - BACK TO THE MOON BEACH

Released: 17/11/23

While termed an EP, this fantastic record, which collects six tracks that were culled from various album sessions over the last four years, comes in at around a meaty, LP-length, 40 minutes. But the most curious aspect about Back to Moon Beach is how these tracks were jettisoned at all, given that, to this Kurt Vile fan’s ears anyway, they’re as good as anything on the Philadelphian’s excellent LP from last year, Watch My Moves.

Kicking off with the lovely ‘Another Good Year for the Roses’ (the title a nice nod to George Jones), a loping alt-country track that sounds like a reimagining of Wilco’s ‘I Am Trying to Break Your Heart’ as performed by Silver Jews, Back to Moon Beach saunters through the next five A-grade tracks, summoning in this listener a number of thoughts along the way, such as: ‘Does Kurt Vile seriously believe these are not album-worthy?’; ‘Just how many other songs of this quality is Kurt Vile keeping from us?’; And, ‘Where does Kurt Vile get his great sweaters from?’ Granted, the last question is not quite as profound – but I’d like to know all the same.