PRESS
San Fransisco Bay Guardian"Lone stars Musicians as diverse as guitar virtuoso Eric Johnson, feel-good rock band Los Lonely Boys, and Edwin "I Could Not Ask for More" McCain constantly seem to spring out of the Austin, Texas, music scene with furious aplomb. Steven Pile, a former Californian, joins that list with his gruff, twangy baritone, skilled guitar playing, and rustic songs that recall the outlaw country music of yesteryear."
Albuqurque Journal
“Pile is a folk/blues/country hybrid who plays a mean slide guitar at one turn and tears off a sweet pop melody the next. Sometimes swampy, sometimes sweet, sometimes rootsy, Pile's characteristic style allude to bright future for all three genres he represents."
Alibi, ABQ, NM
"The AMP house concert guys will present two Austin singer-songwriters tonight, both of whom might just blow your mind. Pile, in particular, points the traditional singer-songwriter compass in a variety of new directions, affording him a freshness that's also somehow comfortingly familiar."
Willamette Week
"With sturdy original songs, Pile hews to a rustic yet literate path." - Jeff Rosenberg
Jambase.com
"With the voice of a country crooner and the disposition of a close friend, Steven's performance was a pleasure to watch." - Adam Kaye
“If Richard Thompson had been born a generation later and raised in America, he might sound something like Steven Pile.”
-Stephen Doster, producer for “Home For Right Now”
Review For "Home For Right Now"
Phenomenal Material, At Times Not So Phenomenally Presented, (01/12/06)
There are some producers who have rather sterling reputations working with some of the biggest names in the business, as well as producing many phenomenally talented up-and-comers such as Steven Pile. One of these people is Stephen Doster. During my years at FolkWax and my eight-plus years of music reviewing before that, save for the un-screw-up-able glories of the work of the divine Nanci Griffith, I have yet to hear a Doster-produced CD that doesn't have some head-scratch-inducing production choices that sometimes completely muck-up a songwriter's materialThis unfortunately happens on a quarter of these dozen tunes on Mr. Pile's still extremely impressive CD, Home For Right Now. "Lost Child" is a moody world-spinner of dark guitar colors and evocative concern ("Who will heal your scars/Who will heal your heart") that features some excellent instrumental work. But why in the world nearly every cadence is overloaded with some God-awful Jazz chords that completely destroy any sense of forward movement in the song's chord progressions is just completely beyond me. This song itself is a treasure, like virtually everything else on the CD, but the musical production choices are hideous. "Faultlines" is a declarative, almost talk-singing sort of tune at its outset before settling into an attractive Neo-Pop Jazz groove. But while the color fits this tune a smidgen better than in "Lost Child," it pains me to hear such staggeringly evocative lyrics like "The earth shakes/pictures rattle on the shelf" once again painted with cool-Jazz chord progressions that so do not fit and make the song almost stop dead in its tracks. "Crumbs N' Resin Blues" is another really dandy up-tempo song that shows off Pile's pitch-perfect diction and there is a marvelous almost 1950s color in the steel/fiddle/guitar mix. But once again, what could have been a perfect cut is marred by the production's bizarre decision to out of nowhere jerk the tempo down by half - again an unnecessary jolt that makes what could have been superlative cut into just a good one.
The production concerns are fortunately much more minor on the rest of the cuts. "Disheveled" is an incredibly catchy and heavy-beat-laden tune of homey Country. Brian Keane and Eldridge Goins contribute excellent background vocals/keyboard work and drumming respectively on this song (and much of the rest of the CD) and the whole tune is a delight. "Honeybee" has a sweet acoustic guitar lick in its opening, launching a sweet song of reminiscence and friendship: "Two souls are on the porch and I swear to God I can hear Willie through the door" -- these lyrics put a smile on your face and touch your heart and the tune concludes with some wonderful harmonies on the phenomenal final lyric: "Every moment slips away/Sometimes I cant remember/Could you refresh my memory?"
"Good Luck" is a fun Country-Rock thumper that features a fantastic guitar mix. This is perhaps one of the catchiest songs on an album rife with wonderful hooks..."I'll see ya down at the kitchen/Where my mail's a pickin' me up/Cross in front of that black chicken/Jump over the ladder for good luck." It's an especially rollicking joy to hear Pile's occasionally a-tad-too-mellow vocals take on much more passionate scream in this wonderful song.
"Sitting Shotgun" is another highlight of the album whose irresistible beat is propelled once again with Mr. Goins' fantastic drumming. The aural joyland of toe-tapping sound with well-constructed lyrics ("I'm feeling sad, but I'm feeling alright/And I can wash it down with a bottle of wine") is accented with some wonderful sax work by Brad Houser. One of the oddest highlights of the album (that thankfully Mr. Doster doesn't even attempt to "fiddle" with) is a straightforwardly barn-burning cover of the Folk classic "John Henry." Mr. Pile's pipes perhaps sound nowhere on the rest of the CD as wailingly glorious as they do here and Guy Forsyth's guest harmonica licks and vocals are superb.
"Zinger" is an oddly titled little gem that is a complex story song of an on-and-off love affair. Pile's magisterial songwriting talent turns this song in to some brilliant little novelette. The harmonies in this tune's chorus are especially gorgeous and the fiddle work by Eamon McLoughlin is to die for. "Just a Little Girl" is another infectious bout of dandy picking in this little story song about a single mother from Alaska. "A Little Bit" drips with Pop-Folk gorgeousness and is the only song where Mr. Doster actually seems to earn his reputation as a producer. The sweet hi-hat-inflected builds to choruses and the gorgeous color overdubbed in the harmony mixes is spectacular.
Mr. Pile saved the best for last in his title cut. An almost honky-tonk acoustic guitar lick launches a touching song about those of us who travel a great deal. Every song, lyric-wise, on this dandy CD is great, but this tune is head and shoulders above all of them: "I turned off the engine but I left the keys in/'cause the silence would be too long - My heart's empty and I fill it in/then it's too full and I spill" and "home - it's a loose term" are wrenchingly emotional lyrics that reach out of your speakers to grab you by the soul and don't let go. Even if the rest of the songs on this album weren't so well constructed, this song alone would show why Mr. Pile is destined to make his mark in the overcrowded world of singer-songwriters.
Despite my concerns of why Mr. Doster's production work is always peppered with bizarre mixings and cadential oddities - none of this ever completely keeps Mr. Pile's massive talents as a song weaver from shining through. I look forward to hearing this music "out of studio" live from Steven Pile someday so I can completely appreciate his marvelous talent.
P. Kellach Waddle is a senior contributing editor at FolkWax
Rambles Cultural Arts Magazine
Consistency is a wonderful thing, especially in an album. Isn't it great to just put in a CD, push play and simply enjoy it? It gets so annoying to lean over now and then to skip over a horrible "filler" song. Well, with Overnight by Steven Pile, you won't get carpal tonal syndrome in your index finger -- just let that album play.
Overnight is a really good album, especially for a debut. The music is consistent and understated, providing an even amount of pleasure for the ears. Pile has a vocal style reminiscent of a quiet Jimmy Buffet mixed with the late country crooner Roger Miller (arguably best known as the rooster Alan-A-Dale in Disney's animated Robin Hood). For those that pay attention to the lyrics, they are approachable yet not predictable. In some cases, he goes for the road not taken.
"Icarus" is a great example of his crooning vocal style mixed with his unique perspective for writing lyrics. Instead of going the obvious route -- talking about Icarus flying too close to the sun -- he salutes Icarus for going as far as he could, as many of us never even try. The lyrics are absolutely beautiful: "Though I raise a toast to time well spent, writing letters I never sent, writing words to songs I never sang. I'll say a prayer that don't make sense to innocence and angels with broken wings."
The most heartwarming song on the album is an unlisted bonus track, whose chorus is "God, How I Love This Place." It's an acoustic sing-along with family and friends about the simple pleasures of life. (Steven, everybody likes Easter Eggs, but you should at least have listed it on the jacket as a bonus track!)
While Pile is consistent with each track, don't interpret "consistent" as monotony. He does provide a variety of styles. There's a bit of blues in "Nobody's Fault But Mine," a particle of pop country in "Green Eyes" and a fraction of folk in "The Simple Truth," but they all blend in with the entire album.
Good music, good lyrics, a good voice. This all equals a good album. So, don't worry about the skip button when you get Overnight. -C. Nathan Coyle, published 1 November 2003
Rootstown Music Ezine
"Steven Pile's OVERNIGHT is listens to very certainly worth." -Pierre Verbert
"An unsteady serving of folk-pop, with a smattering of country blues." -Lil' Jimmy Caliguiri
Appleseed Records
"OVERNIGHT represents the full drop of roots music, a compelling mix of country, blues and folk. Swampy, bluesy and Haggard, the clarity of musicianship on the album lets the emotion center of each song shine. A sweet reward indeed." -Casey Neill, Appleseed recording artist
Big Red Studio
"OVERNIGHT jumps through a variety of styles, but Steven�s voice(in perfect blend with Sara on harmonies) provides continuity. A very mature first studio outing. Definitely someone to look out for. -Billy Oskay, Producer/Musician, Big Red Studio