By: Daniela Patrizi
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Released on May 11, 2015 via Neurot Recording
Steve Von Till demonstrates again to have a penchant for producing subtly immense and beautiful compositions as a solo artist. The front man of the immense band Neurosis is about to release a new solo album under the moniker of Steve Von Till. A Life Unto Itself is coming out on Neurot Recording on May 11th and no other title would give more justice to his commitment to music: he has spent about 25 years in producing music and, aside from the albums with Neurosis, this will be his fourth solo record and he also produced several albums and EPs with Tribes Of Neurot, the dark ambient project with Scott Kelly, and three under his alter ego Harvestman.
The acoustic guitar based soundscapes of A Life Unto Itself reveal again the soft side of an artist that never stops discovering the power of sonic expansion and the brilliance in experimentation. The new full length album can be considered Steve Von Till’s most focused album to date. A Life Unto Itself presents the same minimalism of the previous records – the stunning As the Crow Flies just to mention one of my favourite albums from him – but he now adds to the winning formula composed by his distinctive voice and acoustic guitar, a wider range of textures. The mixture of the electric guitars, the percussion and the solemn strings that Von Till has crafted with the seven expansive songs of A Life Unto Itself is just some of his best material.
A Life Unto Itself is an extremely contemplative record and intimacy is at the heart of it. Each note of the new album provides the mood and the environment. Von Till’s emotional outpour and unique approach make this record an engaging listening: lay down and let the music have you and you’ll truly feel as if you’re sitting in the same room where the artist is performing. Very few artists are able to achieve this kind of personal connection, but he perfectly does it. In other words, this is an amazing record.
The title track is an example of the special relationship the musician establishes with the listeners: the opening percussion, his bassy, warm voice and the very modest guitar arrive directly to your heart and bring space and light into your house and let your emotions exploding from the very first beginning of the song.
From the opening ‘In Your Wings’ the intensity of the “beautiful Celtic balladry, haunting folk songs, dark psychedelia and expansive Americana” may strike some listeners. ‘A Language Of Blood’ is full of melancholic beauty and it’s so intense and deep that, closing your eyes, you can practically see the acoustic guitar strings dancing like elegant figurines around you. There are moments of this track so emotion packed that it’s very hard to remain untouched by them.
Another milestone of A Life Unto Itself is ‘Night Of The Moon’ that’s the most different song of the album. Its dark psychedelia is brilliant and when Von Till starts singing he gently brings you into another world where notes reverberate form everywhere and the sound wraps you and it’s so deep that you can touch it.
‘Birch Bark Box’ might be my favourite moment of this brilliant record for the amount of emotions is able to send to every fibre of mine. Von Till’s voice is just pure excellence here and the guitar lines are laced with and emotional depth only obtainable with acoustic guitars.
Forty-five minutes of Steve Von Till and his guitar playing from the heart are never enough.
