Kurt Vile reflects on personal connections on rootsy pop single “Hey Like A Child”

Late last week, Philadelphia singer-songwriter Kurt Vile released the second pre-release teaser of his Verve Records debut (watch my moves).

“Hey Like A Child” bounces in a rootsy pop direction — definitely a contrast to the cosmic sprawl of his lead single “Like Exploding Stones,” even at five and a half minutes — and with its whimsical energy and clever wordplay, it seems the most indebted to Vile’s hero John Prine (with maybe a bit of Daniel Johnston in the mix as well). Exploring personal connections through the imagery of a child, it feels like a sequel of sorts to “Baby’s Arms” from Vile’s 2011 album Smoke Ring for My Halo.

Listen below; Kurt Vile headlines Union Transfer on Friday, June 3rd and Saturday, June 4th; tickets and more information can be found at the XPN Concert Calendar.