''So Outta Reach'' is an EP by American

indie rock Indie rock is a Music subgenre, subgenre of rock music that originated in the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand from the 1970s to the 1980s. Originally used to describe independent record labels, the term became associated with the mu ...

musician

Kurt Vile Kurt Samuel Vile (born January 3, 1980) is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer. He is known for his solo work and as the former lead guitarist of rock band the War on Drugs. Both in the studio and during li ...

, released on November 8, 2011 on

Matador Records Matador Records is an independent record label, with a roster of mainly indie rock, but also punk rock, experimental rock, alternative rock, and electronic acts. History Matador was created in 1989 by Chris Lombardi in his New York City apart ...

. Produced by both John Agnello and Kurt Vile & the Violators, the EP's tracks were initially recorded during sessions for ''

Smoke Ring for My Halo ''Smoke Ring for My Halo'' is the fourth studio album by American indie rock musician Kurt Vile, released on March 8, 2011 on Matador. A deluxe edition was released in November 2011, including the subsequent EP, '' So Outta Reach'' (2011). The al ...

'' (2011) and reworked in the summer of 2011. Upon release, ''So Outta Reach'' peaked at 28 on the US Billboard Heatseekers Album Chart. The EP was subsequently included on the deluxe version of ''Smoke Ring for My Halo''.

Background

Regarding the songs included on ''So Outta Reach'', Kurt Vile stated: "There are a lot of songs on there that I wanted to fit on 'Smoke Ring for My Halo'' like "The Creature." I really wanted to get that one on the record."

Artwork

The EP's cover art features a

collage Collage (, from the french: coller, "to glue" or "to stick together";) is a technique of art creation, primarily used in the visual arts, but in music too, by which art results from an assemblage of different forms, thus creating a new whole. ...

of photographs featuring Vile asleep at a party. Regarding the cover, Vile noted, "I went to a party with my wife, and her friend Greg Chow—he's the Asian guy giving the devil horns—took the pictures. I drank too much

tequila Tequila (; ) is a liquor, distilled beverage made from the Agave tequilana, blue agave plant, primarily in the area surrounding the city of Tequila, Jalisco, Tequila northwest of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Guadalajara, and in the Jaliscan Highlands ...

early on in the party, and he took all these photos and posted them online. Truthfully, I was embarrassed by them at first because I'm self-conscious, but my manager found them and was like, 'That's your cover.' I just laughed. And then he sent it to

Matador A bullfighter (or matador) is a performer in the activity of bullfighting. ''Torero'' () or ''toureiro'' (), both from Latin ''taurarius'', are the Spanish and Portuguese words for bullfighter and describe all the performers in the activit ...

, and they loved it."

Track listing

All tracks written by Kurt Vile except where noted. #"The Creature" #"It's Alright" #"Life's a Beach" #"Laughing Stock" #"

Downbound Train "Downbound Train" is a song that appears on the 1984 Bruce Springsteen album ''Born in the U.S.A.'' The song is a lament to a lost spouse, and takes on a melancholy tone. Author Christopher Sandford described the song as beginning "like a Keith ...

" (

Bruce Springsteen Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen (born September 23, 1949) is an American singer and songwriter. He has released 21 studio albums, most of which feature his backing band, the E Street Band. Originally from the Jersey Shore, he is an originat ...

) #"(so outta reach)"

Personnel

Kurt Vile & the Violators

– vocals, guitar, banjo, synth, optigan *

Adam Granduciel Adam Granofsky (born February 15, 1979), better known under his stage name Adam Granduciel, is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter and record producer. He is the frontman and primary songwriter of the indie rock band The War on Drugs, wit ...

– guitar, sweet tones *Jesse Trbovich – guitar, saxophone, synth *Mike Zanghi – drums, percussion

Additional musicians

Steve Shelley Steven Jay Shelley (born June 23, 1962) is an American drummer. He is best known as the longtime drummer of the alternative rock band Sonic Youth, for whom he played from 1985 until their 2011 disbandment. Biography Shelley was born in Midland, ...

– drums (3) * Mike Polizze – bass (3) *

Rob Laakso Rob Laakso is an American musician, record producer and engineer, best known as the recording partner of indie rock musician Kurt Vile, and as a multi-instrumentalist in his backing band The Violators. Laakso is also a multi-instrumentalist in the ...

– bass (5)

Recording

*John Agnello – producer *

& the Violators – producers *Greg Calbi – mastering

Artwork

*Greg Chow – front cover photos and concept *Shawn Brackbill – back cover photo *Matt De Jong – design

References

{{Kurt Vile 2011 EPs Kurt Vile EPs Albums produced by John Agnello Matador Records EPs