December 18, 2013

Neurot Recordings Confirms Songs Of Townes Van Zandt Vol II For Stateside Issue

Mike Scheidt, Nate Hall, John Baizley, Katie Jones, Stevie Floyd and Dorthia Cottrell Contribute To Tribute Album


Following the 2012-released Songs Of Townes Van Zandt—the tribute album to late folk/country music icon, with covers from Saint Vitus/The Obsessed's Scott "Wino" Weinrich and Neurosis' Steve Von Till and Scott Kelly—this week Neurot Recordings proudly confirms the upcoming second installment of homage to the artist.

Once again through a partnership with their cohorts at Germany's My Proud Mountain Records, who envisioned the pair of tribute albums to Townes Van Zandt and will again handle the release for Europe and all international territories, Neurot will release Songs of Townes Van Zandt Vol II stateside in March of 2014. The second wave of tunes contained on the new volume complimenting this legendary but often overlooked American singer-songwriter will feature nine more TVZ covers, with contributions from a variety of artists who not only front full-time bands but whom also forged their own solo and collaborative works, including Mike Scheidt (YOB, VHÖL), Nate Hall (USX), John Baizley (Baroness), Katie Jones, Stevie Floyd (Dark Castle, Taurus) and Dorthia Cottrell (Windhand).

The cover art and track listing for Songs of Townes Van Zandt Vol II have been unveiled, with an official street date, music from the album and more to be released early in 2014.

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)

"It happens every now and then. I'll be in a bar, some guy will declare that Townes Van Zandt is his favorite, settle in to a well-rehearsed, perfectly tuned and meticulously finger-picked rendition of .................whatever. I'm gone, I can't take it. I'm not buying anybody's domesticated, presentable, un-slurred, smiley faced and emasculated version of the man. And I ain't selling it either. If I'm going to play one of Mr. Van Zandt's songs, it's going make anyone in earshot a little uncomfortable. It will harsh some mellows, trigger some bad memories, some tears, bring it.....way down. Hell-fire man, play them in that hazy, beautiful, dangerous, wild and unreasonable place that birthed them! Forget you played it and play it twice! Botch the chords, miss some words, fall down off the chair. Man, he's up there, out there, under the bar and in your guitar laughing his guts out! Never forget, we're talking about a man who would walk across the Texas desert with only a bag of records, sniff some glue, steal his best friend's girl, make up a lie that was way better than any truth, and then write a better song in his sleep than any rational person's waking pinnacle. I love Townes for the beautiful, low-down, disaster of a genius that he was. And God help you if you run him down around me. Trust me, it's happened before - I am not afraid to make a scene. And by God, you'll know you just saw something then. I believe that Townes is still very much alive, more alive than you and me. We are living in the shadow world right now, all of us soon to move on. Don't fear it, don't water it down. Listen to these songs and then cuss me for the fool I am, run out and scream at the moon. Have one for the man, then move on down the road and don't look back."
 - Nate Hall, 2013



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