From East Coast to West - Page 2

Kurt Vile and Cass McCombs stare down America

03.29.11 - 9:21 pm | Johnny Ray Huston |

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The song that follows, "The Lonely Doll," is even more brash in its formal marriage of poeticism and storytelling. It could be heard as an answer-song to France Gall's Serge Gainsbourg-penned 1965 hit "Poupée de cire, poupée de son," which was covered as "Lonely Singing Doll" by Twinkle in 1965 and Anika last year. An unsettling lullaby, "The Lonely Doll" is a voyeur scenario to match Vile's "Peeping Tomboy." But there and elsewhere on Wit's End — "Saturday Song," in particular — the writing, sometimes piano-based, is more evocative of Kurt Weill than Kurt Vile.

KURT VILE AND THE VIOLATORS

With RTX

April 22, 10 p.m.; $12–$14; all ages

Bottom of the Hill

1233, 17th St., SF

(415) 621-4455

www.bottomofthehill.com

CASS MCCOMBS

With Frank Fairfield

May 5, 8 p.m.; $15; all ages

Swedish American Hall

2170 Market, SF

(415) 861-5016

www.cafedunord.com

Comments

I doubt you've ever learned

I doubt you've ever learned anything about the geography of america but Philadelphia is NOT IN THE MIDWEST, numbskull.

Posted by Guest on Mar. 31, 2011 @ 5:24 pm

Fine, I'll change the piece

Fine, I'll change the piece to reflect census designations (though you'll find plenty of "Midwest" social networks that include Philadelphia). I've lived near Philadelphia and in Michigan, and while Philadelphia might be a stones throw from New York, the sensibility of Vile's music and his vocals comes across as Midwestern to me. Stone me.

Posted by johnny on Apr. 01, 2011 @ 10:54 am