Since leaving The War On Drugs a decade ago, Kurt Vile has built a sterling reputation as an indie singer-songwriter. That’s why it came as a surprise on Tuesday when Vile announced he has signed on to legendary Verve Records, leaving behind his 13-year legacy with indie labels including Mexican Summer and Matador. Billboard has since reported that he will release his major label debut in 2022.
For those a bit puzzled by Vile’s move, he clarified his position in a lengthy Instagram post.
I’ve admired the Verve logo on the back (and front!) of many a Velvet Underground album since my teens. In particular the logo on the back of the vinyl boxset of the Quine Tapes has been haunting me for the last several years now… for whatever reason I often find myself staring into it (true story!). So when I was approached by the label to be signed I was surprised and honored to be sure… but I had already felt that subliminal enchantment and I knew it was a, well… sign! I think my previous album Bottle It In is my deepest record and I’m still really proud of it. I’m excited to release its follow-up on Verve. It’s been a crazy fuckin year and I’ve got hundreds of songs and ideas in the can, on paper, and in tape recorders all strewn about the “kv zone”… nuggets recorded before-and-after pandemic times… in studios and from home… music past, present and, yup, we’re still rolling. It’s gonna be heavy, it’s gonna be beautiful… and it’s gonna be out there.
Related: Dinosaur Jr. Announces New Kurt Vile Co-Produced Album, Shares “I Ran Away” [Watch]
The addition of Kurt Vile to the Verve Records family adds to the label’s long and ever-evolving history. Founded in 1956 by Norman Ganz, the label hosted legendary jazz musicians including Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone, Bill Evans, Billie Holiday, and more. The label maintained relevancy through the rock revolution of the 1960s and 70s by signing acts like the Velvet Underground, Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention, and more. In the 1990s the label landed new wave artist Talk Talk while also keeping its early jazz influences with acts like Herbie Hancock and John Scofield.
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[H/T Brooklyn Vegan]