News / Records

Following previous compilations in 2012 and  2014, Neurot Recordings has announced Songs Of Townes Van Zandt Vol. III, featuring nine covers of Van Zandt songs by Amenra, Cave In, and Marissa Nadler. Neurot has teamed up with My Proud Mountain for the release, which is available for pre-orders now and releases officially on April 22 on vinyl, cd, and digital platforms.

Lennart Bossu, of Amenra, discusses their participation (watch "Kathleen" below):

Being Belgians, the very American folk and country of Townes Van Zandt is not exactly the music we grew up listening to, but upon discovering his songs in our early twenties, they immediately struck a chord with us. Even people who do not understand the lyrics can probably tell that they are listening to someone who has lived and suffered, and, oddly enough, at the same time find deep comfort in his soothing voice. It is the kind of comfort that often defines great music or art in general, and it made the prospect of trying our own hand at a few of his songs no less daunting. Nonetheless, when we were asked to be part of this collection of Townes Van Zandt cover songs, we felt excited and compelled to be part of it, as, in a way, it offered us a chance to do something in return for the great songs he has given us, and also be a part of a series of albums that are almost exclusively comprised of artists we deeply respect.
 
"'Kathleen' is about being in so much pain and distress that you almost do not know how to handle it anymore. As almost everyone comes to experience this at some point or other in their lives, we can all relate to it.

 
Townes Van Zandt passed away at the age of 52 on January 1, 1997. Vol. 1 featured covers by Scott Kelly, Steve Von Till, and Scott "Wino" Weinrich, and Vol. 2 later featured John Baizley, Nate Hall, and Mike Scheidt prior to this release.