"If Jeff Buckley, Bob Dylan, and Over the Rhine had a musical orgy, this album would be their bastard lovechild."

12 MP3 Songs
ROCK: Acoustic, POP: Piano



Details:
Only Anyways - Steev Richter

Brilliance can be subtle.

That's what I've come to realize as I've been listening to Steev Richter's latest effort Only Always for the past month.

The more I listened to Only Always the deeper into it I found myself being absorbed. The more time I spent with it, the more I noticed many of its idiosyncrasies and charm. And before I knew it, I realized I had something very special on my hands.

Like I said, brilliance can be subtle.

The songs on this record are intelligently crafted. Steev's piano work provides the musical foundation that the rest of the sound is built upon. His playing style is distinct and strong, but not too complex or overbearing. The melodies are tight and the bridges and breakdowns are powerful and effective. The weathered tenor of Steev's voice provides passion and urgency to the vocals, and is matched well by the strength of his backing band's performance.

Hints of Steev's influences are evident throughout the album. Whether it be the swirling falsetto of Jeff Buckley on "07-04-05" or the earthy tones of a peaking Bob Dylan on "Leave Me Be," it isn't difficult to identify the artist's that have impacted his style over the years. And like any good musician he has learned to draw from these influences while developing a sound that is unique to himself.

Lyrically the album is well above par for someone so young in his songwriting career. Steev's words evoke emotion as his songs survey the complexities of life and love.

In "Wilting Rose" he speaks to the depth of true love when he proclaims, I'm hopelessly caught within her vine, drunk on her soul's wine. While in another song he explores the sometimes painful uncertainties the quest for love can bring; I want to look you in the eye and see if there's a love there for me. In "Portrait Artist," probably my favorite song on the album, he flirts with infatuation while boldly proclaiming his intentions to fight for a woman's affection "like I've never fought for nothin'."

In all the record is a well-rounded mix of up-tempo tunes, heart-heavy ballads and a few playful samplings that showcase Steev's musical diversity. It deserves to be listened to repeatedly, as it gets better with each spin. It's not a perfect production, but it is a solid effort by a budding musician.

It will make you laugh, and possibly even make you shed a tear as well. It will conjure up emotion, that's for certain. It will make you think of good times and good friends, and it will bring to mind loves lost and won. It will make you want to hoist a pint and - to borrow a line from Steev - "drink the world alright." But most of all it will stay with you long after you first hear it. That's probably the best compliment anyone can give.

(Shane Bertou@joshway.com)



Interview with Radio Free Tobias


RFT- Who are some of your biggest influences?

STEEV- I was strictly hip-hop until I figured out the piano, but, as I did, I was immediately drawn to The Beatles-especially to John Lennon. after that it was the Dylan phase, Leonard Cohen, Tom Waits, Weezer, after I heard Pinkerton, and Radiohead. Then came the two most influential in Over the Rhine and Jeff Buckley, when I really learned how to sing by emulating them to the best and worst of my ability. Since then there's been Ryan Adams, Rufus Wainwright and Jess Klein.

RFT- What do you call your style of music?

STEEV- Your guess is as good as mine or anyone else's. I don't think that it's overwhelmingly original, but as of yet no one's come up with an adequate genre. I guess if all those people from the last question were to have some wild musical orgy I would be the bastard love child.

RFT- What are some things you've heard said about your music?

STEEV- That's hard to answer. I've heard some beautiful things from some beautiful people about how it has affected them. I guess those are the most important things to me. Live shows to me are an extremely intimate experience and I think that there are some people who really connect to that. My motto has always been "what you lack in talent, make up for in emotion". What was the question again? I've heard that it's sappy chick piano BS pop music, but I think I'm the one that said it.

RFT- What is your musical background?

STEEV- I grew up in church (four generations of ministers on both sides of the family all the way down to my dad, brother and two brother-in laws), so I guess the old hymns are my foundation and earliest memories, musically. My entire family on both sides are very musical, but only used it within the confines of the church, so I kind of took it for granted that everyone could sing, pull harmonies out of the air, and every woman (all pastor's wives of course) could play the piano. After that, given where I was raised in New York, I was strictly hip-hop, and spent my time between the ages of 9 and 15 as an emcee. To this day I still believe that I was far more talented in that field of music than i am in my current one.

RFT- How old were you when started playing piano?

STEEV- I think I was 15 or 16. I'd always had a piano and always sat dow nat it hoping I'd magically be able to play it. One day, midway through my senior year in high school, it happened, and I wrote and recorded my first song that day. It was that simple.

RFT- Where are some interesting places you have played?

STEEV- Well, for notorietyâs sake, the coolest place I ever played was the MetroChicago. it was unreal to be on a stage that I'd seen both Jeff Buckley and Bob Dylan perform on. As for my actual personal favorite places... the Town Crier Cafe in Pawling, New York - a definite musician's venue. Then there's Dixey City Limits in Mansfield, which is in Jack Dixey's basement and is, coincidentally, where I recorded my second album, "Jack's Basement". Also, I suppose I should mention Knuckleheads in Nyack, NY. It's where my first band, Jameson Steinway, cut our teeth and paid our dues, but that was in the pre-piano playing days.

RFT- Track list for your new album? (that's not really a question)

STEEV- Well, there's a few that probably won't make the final cut, but here's what we have cooking for right now:

1. carried away
2. your monkey song
3. wilting rose
4. portrait artist
5. into you
6. 07-04-05
7. kool whip
8. natalie
9. leave me be
10. unreasonable
11. little sister
12. natalie
13. mantucky
14. elise

"Barmaid" and "Tables Turned" have already been cut, and more than likely two more won't make it onto the final product.

RFT- Who are some interesting people you've shared the stage with?

STEEV- I played with a guy from Twisted Sister, but not the main sister. that was crazy. I also had John Lennon's old guitarist sit in with us one night and I played for Jeff Buckley's mother. As far as other bands, I've played with some pretty big names, but it usually wasn't that fun. I enjoy playing with Jonathan Hape, Rob Allen, Josh Grady, and Bill Corbett, and am hoping to do shows with Nate Phillips and Wreck of the Hesperus.

However, my most memorable evening as of yet was a couple of weekends ago when I shared an intimate musical evening with my musical idol, Linford Detweiler of Over the Rhine. He's a huge part of why I do what I do how I do it, so to share a piano (and organ) with him was pretty overwhelming. Also, he was the most genuine person I've ever come across. He didn't say a single negative or sarcastic thing all evening.

RFT- Has the process gone for writing 'Only Always' (or whatever it is you're calling it these days)

STEEV- Well, what we've accomplished and finished so far has been above my fairly high expectations. I've worked with people who are great at what they and who have inspired me to go beyond anything that I've ever done before.

As this is my first all out full-band album where I have the actual musicians I want playing with me, I've been able to pull off some things I honestly would not have thought myself capable of. Speciallyconsidering the ass-backwards way in which the album has been pieced together -- no musicians have been in the studio at the same time, and almost none of the bass or guitars were recorded start to finish on any song -- it's come off surprisingly well. I have a very strange way of working that can be very frustrating, and I'm profoundly grateful for these guys who have put up with me and helped me pull these songs together in brand new fancy clothes. However, finishing the project and getting the last of the songs completed has been unbelievably frustrating. It's dragged on from the summer until now and there's still a ways to go. I'm not a very disciplined person and I suck at buckling down and finishing anything, especially if it might be something beneficial or worthwhile.

RFT- What are your future plans (musically speaking)

STEEV- I'm gonna keep killing time until I get famous. It's only a matter of time now. I'd like to not have to work a "real job" and I'd like to live somewhere and beable to eat from time to time. I miss having a bed, so I guess my plans are to find a way to turn my music into a bed that I can sleep on...a bed made out of solid gold and record deals. And feathers.