Steve Von Till - A Grave Is A Grim Horse

Neurosis frontman Steve Von Till returns with his third solo effort, A Grave Is A Grim Horse, and a dark and sombre thing it is. Sparse folk-country arrangements are married to Von Till’s deep and cracked voice to provide a desert soundscape which is humbling in its beauty. The record is a progression from his previous two records with a greater variation in sound, though there is no variation in pace, and features four sublime interpretations of Nick Drake, Townes Van Zandt, Micky Newbury, and Lyle Lovett tracks. Newbury’s Willow Tree is perhaps the highlight of the album with Von Till’s voice at its softest and most yearning as he dreams of the simple life. The album suffers from a lack of humour, however, and the quality of the covers overshadows some of his own material. Nevertheless, Von Till has crafted a striking and heart-rending late night soundtrack, which, if not spectacular, is at least fairly consistent from start to finish.