Kurt Vile On World Cafe

Philadelphia's Kurt Vile, formerly a member of The War On Drugs, has been making solo albums since 2008. The process of recording his latest, b'lieve i'm goin down, included an extended stay in California: He went to Los Angeles to record with Warpaint drummer Stella Mozgawa, and to Joshua Tree to soak up its unique vibe.

Vile has described b'lieve i'm goin down as a "loner record," more real and vulnerable than his other work. The album features more acoustic guitar than usual and introduces a little banjo and piano into the mix. Vile says that one song was even inspired by a desert jam with the Malian group Tinariwen. Hear the full conversation and performance, recorded live in Philadelphia, on this page.