For those who do not know who Steve Von Till is, Von Till is a guitarist and vocalist in the seminal outfit Neurosis. And while that band is one of the heaviest bands on the planet, Von Till's solo records are dark, folk-esque experiences which are stark portraits into a different side of the man that produces them. His solo albums are always an intriguing foray into some gloomy, mostly acoustic pieces that are heavy in a completely different sense of the word than what he produces with Neurosis. A Grave is a Grim Horse is Steve Von Till's third solo album (following As the Crow Flies and If I Should Fall to the Field) and first in almost six years. It continues the types of tones and sounds on the previous solo albums while adding some new textures and elements.
The title track of A Grave is a Grim Horse surprisingly features quite a bit of electric instrumentation that combines with Von Till's distinct voice and acoustic guitar to create some strange dark take on stark Americana; the song sounds like a bleak lamentation which creates an evocative image of desolate grief. The subtle organ and tasteful string accompaniment present in "Clothes of Sand" gives the song an excellent counterpoint to his gruff vocals and minimal acoustic guitar styling. The slide guitar evident in "Willow Tree" helps to project a sentimental or "weepy" mood onto listeners and allows for the vocal performance to be a bit more touching. The calm and arresting quality of "Looking for Dry Land" with its quiet sounds and simple melodic arrangement is quite a beautiful song that gives me the impression of it being an aural "picture" of a scene rather than a piece with a definite beginning and ending; the listener hears the track through a "window" of a moment within a larger whole.
A Grave is a Grim Horse contains quite a bit of heavy material from Von Till. Yes, this is not a heavy record that might come from his "day job" with Neurosis, but emotionally, this album is deeply affecting. Chock full of songs to fill still moments that provide more narrative than a Television show or mediocre movie ever could, this album is powerful in the amount of space it takes up in the listener's conscious while the record plays. One cannot help but pay attention to the songs while they are running. However, Von Till's compositions really carry no poppy elements whatsoever to draw a casual listener into his oeuvre which may prove difficult to latch onto specific songs for repeat sessions with the album. In all honest truth the only way to really enjoy A Grave is a Grim Horse is to put it on to revel in the stark beauty of the whole work.
