Steve Von Till - 'A Life Unto Itself' (Album Review)

By: Chris Bull

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 12/05/2015

Label: Neurot Recordings

‘This album is about discovery. This album is both darkness and light. This album is a spirit animal that accompanies you on your own journey into your psyche. Album of the year may be an understatement; it could be an overstatement, whatever it is to you, to me, I have found God. His name is Steve Von Till.’

‘A Life Unto Itself’ CD//DD//LP track listing:

1. In Your Wings
2. A Life Unto Itself
3. A Language Of Blood
4. Night Of The Moon
5. Birch Bark Box
6. Chasing Ghosts
7. Known But Not Named

The Review:

'A Life Unto Itself' is the latest solo offering from Neurosis vocalist/guitarist and demigod Steve Von Till. This is a slightly more ethereal album than some of his other work but this is Steve Von fucking Till, he can rarely do wrong!

'In Your Wings' welcomes us in with its hypnotic ambience and simple guitar picking and Steve's voice, accompanied by some reverb, sets the tone for what is to come.  The title track, undoubtedly influenced by Townes Van Zandt with its lap steel overtones and occasional subtle overdriven guitar is simply beautiful. Steve's weighty voice carries the track and all the elements compliment each other to create a musical awakening.

Fans of Steve's previous solo offerings may notice the slight change stylistically; while the "one man, six strings" approach of 2008's 'A Grave Is A Grim Horse' album is still the back bone, 'A Life Unto Itself' expands with nods towards Americana and psychedelia with its use of varied textures provided by effects pedals and synths as documented on 'A Language Of Blood' with it's swirling, delayed guitars and slow building organ and my personal favourite 'Night Of The Moon' which starts with an intro strikingly familiar to fans of The Who (or CSI Miami). Steve's raspy yet ethereal vocals resonating and the subtle overdriven guitar sound carry the track to territories normally reserved for Neurosis albums.

'Birch Bark Box' and it's melancholic guitar and vocal pattern could be from a Johnny Cash tribute album and 'Chasing Ghosts' with its synth swirls and dreamy piano conjures up images of dilapidated log cabins and abandoned farm houses observed through old photographs. Final track 'Known But Not Named' finds Steve as a shaman performing a cleansing ritual after your journey through the spirit world. It's a brilliant closer, epic and haunting melodies, soulful yet earthy vocals and an air of spirituality that no one other than Mr Von Till himself can exude.

This album is about discovery. This album is both darkness and light. This album is a spirit animal that accompanies you on your own journey into your psyche. Album of the year may be an understatement; it could be an overstatement, whatever it is to you, to me, I have found God. His name is Steve Von Till.

‘A Life Unto Itself’ is available here

Artist info: Official | Facebook

The Sludgelord News : Hear Mike Scheidt’s rendition of “To Live Is To Fly": SONGS OF TOWNES VAN ZANDT VOL II

The opening track to Songs of Townes Van Zandt Vol II, a solo rendition of “To Live Is To Fly” performed by Mike Scheidt is the latest audio insight into this new release. Scheidt, whose main act, YOB, recently signed to Neurot Recordings (releasing Songs Of Townes Van Zandt Vol II in the US), recalls where he first learned of Townes Van Zandt and became part of the man’s obsessive fanbase...

"I worked in a fantastic guitar shop called Mckenzie River Music in Eugene Oregon from 1996-2003,” Scheidt begins. “This dusty, cluttered guitar shop was no ordinary shop. We had the best of the best. Pre-World War II Martin and Gibson acoustic and electric guitars, vintage 50s/60s Fender guitars and amps, the most valuable and collectable gear you could buy, along with player's priced quality gear. It was Dick Gunn, the shop's senior salesman and RIPPING country picker, who first turned me on to Townes. It was a gift for Christmas, a CD with both High Low And In Between, and The Late Great Townes Van Zandt. Upon first listen, I knew I was listening to something that wasn't just great. It smacked of Truth, capital T. Whether that truth be tender and lighthearted, or take you to places so low that you could hardly pick yourself back up, it was so heavy. The way he combined language and guitar chords is one of a kind. Untouchable. Dick Gunn passed away in 2007, and I have yet to still reconcile his loss inside of myself. He taught me so much, gave me everything he had to teach as a player and a human. Listening to Townes functions on multiple levels for me. One of the most treasured experiences of listening to Townes is remembering my friend Dick Gunn, how we picked together, how we talked about Townes and knew that we knew that we knew he was THE BEST. Through and through."

http://www.myproudmountain.com

Source : Rarely Unable

The Sludgelord News : SONGS OF TOWNES VAN ZANDT VOL. II, ALBUM DETAILS AND FIRST SINGLE FEATURING JOHN BAIZLEY & KATIE JONES

In 2012 the label My Proud Mountain was established specifically to pay tribute to Townes Van Zandt. The first release, Songs of Townes Van Zandt featured Scott Kelly & Steve Von Till from Neurosis, as well as Scott 'Wino" Weinrich from Saint Vitus, The Obsessed and more, each taking on the troubadour's music.

On Monday 10th March, My Proud Mountain shall release Songs of Townes Van Zandt Vol. II in the UK/Europe in partnership with Neurot Recordings, who shall take care of the US release. This second volume features an outstanding cast of artists who front full-time bands in addition to releasing their own solo and collaborative works, these are; Mike Scheidt (YOB, VHÖL), Nate Hall (USX), John Baizley (Baroness), Katie Jones, Stevie Floyd (Dark Castle, Taurus) and Dorthia Cottrell (Windhand).

We reveal a stream of the album's closing rendition of "If I Needed You", as performed by John Baizley and Katie Jones, who both provide a mixture of heartfelt vocals to an acoustic backdrop in their remake of this beautiful yet gloomy classic.

LISTEN NOW: http://noisey.vice.com/blog/baroness-us-christmas-windhand-yob-townes-van-zandt-baizley

Songs of Townes Van Zandt Vol II Track Listing:

1. To Live Is To Fly (Mike Scheidt)

2. Pancho & Lefty (Nate Hall)

3. St. John The Gambler (John Baizley & Katie Jones)

4. Rake (Mike Scheidt)

5. Waitin' Around To Die (Nate Hall & Stevie Floyd)

6. For The Sake Of The Song (John Baizley & Katie Jones)

7. Highway Kind (Mike Scheidt)

8. Our Mother The Mountain (Nate Hall & Dorthia Cottrell)

9. If I Needed You (John Baizley & Katie Jones)

Source : Rarely Unable PR