Kurt Vile turns out ‘fried or sizzled out’ rock tunes

By DAVID BAUDER
AP Entertainment Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Songwriter Kurt Vile says he always thinks about making catchy music, but his attempts usually end up sounding fried or sizzled out. That’s a good description of this Philadelphia rock guitarist’s vibe, amiable and hypnotic, seemingly able to produce a contact high. Vile is a quintessential indie rock artist. He’s made an album with Courtney Barnett and once worked with The War on Drugs’ Adam Granduciel. But he recorded his latest album for a label best known for its jazz heritage. It hasn’t changed how he operates, though, on songs such as “Like Exploding Stones” and “Hey Like a Child.”