Corvin Silvester or Corvin Silvester Keurhorst-van Wees is a Dutch singer/songwriter whose music would be termed Alternative Country. He performs solo with an acoustic guitar or occasionally a mandolin but also fronts Southern rock band Copperhead County. He has a brand new six track EP “The Sun And The Cloud” which was released at the beginning of this month.
This extended play begins with `Be Still My Love` and the first thing that hits you is how rich, smooth, and deep Corvin`s voice is. A melodic tale seemingly of a relationship put under strain from forces outside of the participants control. A song written when the singer had an accident with his left hand follows with `Sally Joe`, a time the artist was having to find himself again, play guitar again and differently. Unable to play guitar, the number is about giving up and surrendering to the situation. It`s quite a melancholic piece understandably made all the more pensive with just vocals and a quietly strummed acoustic guitar.
`Time` is another heavy-hearted reflective composition again with just a vocal and guitar. It seems to contemplate on the benefits of time and how it effects your life positively or negatively, with highs and lows. An account of the things you go through together as a musician, the unity you can become as a band…. if you’re lucky and affect the right people is shared with `Howling` Corvin rewrote the music as he wanted to make a more subdued version with Ron, a former band associate who had died in mind. His voice seems to reflect the anguish within and at times you can hear his fingers as they glide across the frets.
Title track `The Sun & The Cloud` is a much more uplifting piece musically although the subject matter is less favourable. This ep closes with an interesting track with `Lowdown` which is performed as if it is a retro country-tinged number and is quietly shared and recorded as if it`s a long way away. Quite strange but compelling.
There was a lot to enjoy with Corvin Silvester and his “The Sun And The Cloud” EP, quite a subtle play on darkness and light, which his songs seem to relate to.
Corvin has a wonderfully deep and powerful vocal range, and these songs gave me a taste of what this singer songwriter is capable of. Now that I’ve heard him in an acoustic setting, i`m looking forward to checking out Copperhead County, the band he fronts. You should too.
Rating 8 /10
