To think, we almost let Kurt Vile Day pass without celebrating our favorite rock’n’roll dream-weaver. As previous reported, the City of Philadelphia formally named August 28 in honor of their favorite hirsute son, and even threw a parade in his honor immortalized in the “KV Crimes” video. Considering the wonderfully chill vibes traded on Vile’s SPIN Essential Wakin on a Pretty Daze, we couldn’t be happier to see the man get his due in the clip above.
Therein we see a city official praise Kurt’s Philly-repping ways and present him with a miniature Liberty Bell (“As our mayor likes to say, ‘This one actually works!'”) before the musician tunes up and plays his semi-titular jam, the wonderfully sprawling “Wakin on a Pretty Day.” All in all, the experience warms the heart as much as the album warms the ears. For more, read David Bevan’s in-depth feature on the estimable Mr. Vile, “Lost in the Stars?”. Also, be sure to catch his cover of Nine Inch Nails’ “Down in It,” since the industrial titans eschewed that track at last night’s Los Angeles homecoming gig.
