Kurt Vile & The Violators with special guest Easy Action
Kurt Vile
Back to Moon Beach (Verve Records) is an EP by no one’s definition but Kurt Vile’s. Clocking in at just shy of an hour, this would be a long full-length record by most any other artist’s yardstick, but for Kurt, the collection is an expression of just how deep his well of non-album material runs. Culled from various sessions over the last four years, and representing a wide swath of the inspirational musical community Kurt surrounds himself with, the core 4 songs of the record (tracks 1, 2, 3 and 6) were born in the fall of 2019 at Panoramic Studios in Stinson Beach, California alongside close musical partners Rob Laakso, Stella Mozgawa, Chris Cohen and with coproduction on tracks 1, 3 and 6 by Cate Le Bon. Later fleshed out with bandmate and producer / engineer Adam Langelotti, additional musical parts were played by “Farmer” Dave Scher and Mikel Patrick Avery.
Many other moments (including hella overdubs on the Stinson Beach material) are from intense sessions on planet Philly at Kurt’s studio: OKV Central. It’s been a heavy few years and plenty of excuses to get lost in outer space behind the microphones. Mant Sounds – KV’s go-to recording studio in Los Angeles – was a third and crucial launchpad to ram these sessions home… a familiar spaceship run by Rob Schnapf and often flown by Matt Schuessler as engineer.
EP opener “Another Good Year For The Roses” is a richly psychedelic piano-driven earworm with swirling lap steel and catchy blues-pop guitars, and a deeply meditative yet characteristically hooky bend. Written a full year before the pandemic – and recorded in October 2019 just shy of it – “Touched Somethin (Caught a Virus)” was originally intended for Vile’s 2022 full length (watch my moves), but was ultimately left off of that record out of concern that it would be interpreted too literally, given the state of the world that unfolded shortly after its recording.
Somberly, the Stinson Beach material in the collection are some of the final unreleased recordings with Kurt’s longtime creative partner Rob Laakso, prior to his passing in early 2023. The EP is rounded out with a few fan favorites — his covers of Wilco’s “Passenger Side” and Bob Dylan’s Christmas song “Must Be Santa,” (featuring vocals by Kurt’s daughters Awilda and Delphine Vile) which Kurt is excited to bring to a wider platform (“just in time for the holidays!”) after its Spotify-only release last year. The final track brings-it-all-back-home with a punched-up, radio-ready version of (watch my moves) standout “Cool Water” – originally recorded with the Violators in January 2020 by Rob Schnapf at Mant sounds and remixed by Rob Schnapf again in May 2023 for this release – and for the radio!
Easy Action
Easy Action is a Detroit rock band comprised of seasoned musicians, each with an impressive musical legacy. The current lineup includes John Brannon on lead vocals, Harold Richardson on guitar, Ron Sakowski on bass guitar, and John Lehl on drums. John Brannon, the lead vocalist, is a legendary figure in the Detroit music scene, known for his intense vocals and uncompromising stage presence. With a rich musical heritage from Detroit, Brannon gained prominence as the frontman for influential bands like Negative Approach and Laughing Hyenas, leaving an indelible mark on punk and rock
genres.
Negative Approach, formed in 1981, showcased Brannon's raw energy and confrontational lyrics, becoming a cornerstone of the hardcore punk scene. After Negative Approach, Brannon fronted Laughing Hyenas, exploring bluesy, post-punk sounds and earning critical acclaim.
In 1996, John Brannon and the Harold formed Easy Action at the Performance Center in Ann Arbor, joined by Ron Sakowski. Easy Action relocated to Detroit in 1997. Over the years, Easy Action underwent various lineup changes, with the current formation solidifying in 2016.
Notably, Easy Action and Negative Approach share the same members, creating a unique synergy. Harold Richardson who previously played in the 90s experimental noise rock band Gravitar, has been a performing member of Negative Approach since 2006. Ron Sakowski also has been preforming with Negative Approach since 2006 and rejoined Easy Action in 2016. His history with bands Necros, Laughing Hyenas is impressive. John Lehl, who joined Easy Action in 2016, brings his own extensive musical background to the mix. Prior to Easy Action, he played drums in Chapstik, Tesco Vee’s Hate Police, and the Meatmen. Lehl has also been a performing member of Negative Approach since 2013, further solidifying the musical connections within this tight-knit group.
