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2012 NMF Artist Spotlight: Kurt Vile & The Violators

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In the weeks and months to come, WOUB will feature musicians and bands who will be performing at this year's Nelsonville Music Festival. Today, we're spotlighting Matador Records artist Kurt Vile.

Vile has been a rising star in the indie music scene since his first solo album, Constant Hitmaker, was released in 2008. Since then, his elegant, haunting songs have caught the attention of a wide audience.

Vile’s ghostly “medium-fi” melodic compositions are contrasted with his often strung-out vocal performances, creating an eerie, yet beautiful, atmosphere. His most recent LP, Smoke Ring For My Halo, also features a number of upbeat, quasi-pop tunes, such as "Jesus Fever" and "In My Time."

The late Nick Drake is a big influence, both in Vile’s acoustic fingerpicking, as well as his ability to create, first and foremost, a mood in a song. Listeners may also detect a bit of Iron & Wine, Bert Jansch, and even Iggy Pop in Vile's music.

The Violators, Vile’s three-piece backing band, will be joining Kurt on May 18 at the 2012 Nelsonville Music Festival. Visit www.nelsonvillefest.org for more information.