Kurt Vile

Indie rock singer-songwriter Kurt Vile pushes the boundaries of his music with a range of instrumentation. His albums include piano, banjo and lap steel as Vile dabbles in folk, rock and country. The vulnerable nature of the tunes holds the songs together, making the albums cohesive. His latest effort, last year's Bottle It In, is another musical triumph. "Loading Zones" puts his voice up front and the more refined production makes the song really soar. The same goes for tunes such as the twangy "Hysteria" and the rollicking "Yeah Bones." (Jeff Niesel)