Vile, Kurt: Wakin On A Pretty Daze (Vinyl 2xLP)

In 2023, Kurt Vile is making numbers count. Just last month, Matador Records presented the iconic Philadelphia songwriter with a (vegan) cheesesteak trophy to commemorate the 100-millionth stream of “Pretty Pimpin” on Spotify. Today, though, we’d like to draw your attention to another significant KV digit: The 10th anniversary of his fifth full-length and first 2xLP, Wakin on a Pretty Daze (2013).  

Where previous albums alternated between gorgeous fingerpicking and heavy guitar workouts, ‘Wakin’ blended the two into dreamy and expansive songs that frequently stretched well out beyond the five-minute mark. Back then we said: “It’s a record that would have sounded great 30 years ago, sounds great today, and will still sound great 30 years from now.” Ten years down the line, we’re still confident that ‘Wakin’ will deliver the goods – yesterday, today, and in 2043.

The reissue serves as the latest entry in Matador Records’ Revisionist History series, our ongoing campaign to jog the record-buying (and streaming!) public’s memory about our many catalog items now poised to celebrate a significant anniversary. Matador will mark these anniversaries with new reissues and re-pressings.  So far, the Revisionist History class of 2023 has highlighted Bettie Serveert’s Palomine, Pavement’s Slanted and Enchanted, and Yo La Tengo’s I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One.

1. Wakin On A Pretty Day
2. KV Crimes
3. Was All Talk
4. Girl Called Alex
5. Never Run Away
6. Pure Pain
7. Too Hard
8. Shame Chamber
9. Snowflakes Are Dancing
10. Air Bud
11. Goldtone