Harvestman

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HARVESTMANLashing the Rye is a forgery. It is a hoax, of sorts.Consider the case of a forged Greek statue that had museum curators, carbon dating experts and art historians alike fooled for nearly a decade – all of them were so convinced of its authenticity that everyone overlooked the most obvious details of the statue being far too well-preserved, as well as a composite of regional styles that had no logical reason for being combined. What we know about the past is often only what we want to believe about it.Like a purported long-lost historic artifact that links to a past that perhaps never existed, the debut Harvestman album is a deceptive relic lovingly devised – as are many such hoaxes like the Kensington Runestone from Minnesota and the Heavener Runestone from Oklahoma – to reshape our perspectives and to bring to life the vital piecemeal clues we have about cultural origins.Lashing the Rye is a document of aural shadows, grainy spirit photographs and on occasion, delusional flashbacks that explores droning and entrancing European folk music, as seen through the hallucinogenic halcyon lens of time. It is an endeavor to capture and combine the harmonic essence of an entire lineage of music from the ancient folkloric legends to the drone of fuzz-wah guitar. Similar to the enigmatic neo-folk drone of Popul Vuh, Harvestman reaps its intensity from myriad elder traditions and styles – all of which harness a power greater than the here and now.Harvestman is the brainchild of Neurosis vocalist/guitarist Steve Von Till, who considers the album a venture into a past that one would rather imagine than an attempt to authentically represent its origins. The album’s surreal sound could best be described as if you’re watching Hawkwind, but you hear Fairport Convention in the distance. And then, Tangerine Dream’s colossal bank of synthesizers begin to mutate the sounds of Pentangle and Steeleye Span while Skullflower, Caspar Brotzman and Loop pass by, attempting to drown them out with massive amplifiers to pay homage to the druidic stones. It is a massive meeting point of styles and influence, all of which boil down to a very pure and inspired sound.Traditional ballads and marches like “Scarborough Fair” and “Sheep-Crook and Black Dog” lay lovingly wrecked and mutilated – the melodies reconstructed in an entirely subjective and creative manner. Echoes of bagpipe music drift from afar only to be swathed in layers of delay-drenched guitars. The Celtic rock guitar sounds of such visionary legends as Bert Jansch, John Renbourn and Richard Thompson are dismantled and distorted. While Lashing the Rye may seem blasphemy to the folkie purist, “this odd mixture is crafted and distilled with care,” says Von Till. “The mood and intent is pure.”The first Harvestman album was created largely by Von Till over several years during lulls in his productive schedule of writing and performing with Neurosis, Tribes of Neurot and his own eponymous solo endeavors. While he played and recorded much of the album, select guest collaborators contribute vocals and cello (“Surround Me”) and bagpipes (“Green Hills of Tyrol/ The Battle’s O’er”) amongst other flourishes to various tracks.Taken as a whole, Lashing the Rye is a truly unique forgery that ties together every mythology and every belief in a reality more powerful and mystical than simple psychedelic abstractions of antique folk. But, then again, what we know about the past is often tainted by what we want to believe about it. Harvestman reaps what it sows.