Corey Heuvel

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Talent and artistic courage. That is a rare combination, yet, at just 19, Corey Heuvel has already proven to have both. Presented with the prospect of a rock stardom that was clearly within reach, he has chosen to follow his heart down a musical road less travelled. That is shown by Evers, a new album that shows Heuvel is quickly developing as a singer/songwriter with a musical and lyrical intelligence far beyond his tender years. The five songs on the EP showcase Corey’s crisp and agile acoustic guitar work, hauntingly persuasive vocal style, and poetic lyrics. Aside from the occasional addition of piano and mandolin (both played by Heuvel), the only other accompaniment comes from the cello of Alyssa Wright.
The result is a sparse and gently atmospheric sound, one that slowly yet surely seduces the listener. Heuvel acknowledges that his approach is a subtle one. “You likely won’t listen to it once and go, ‘yeah this is great. You have to get used to how everything sounds and what exactly I’m singing about. I wanted to make a very sparse record, just guitar and vocals. I was trying to think of other instruments that could complement the sound. I’ve always loved cello, and when I tried Alyssa out on a few songs, it sounded really nice. We did just three or four takes of each song, then chose the best one.”
This unconventional instrumental combination makes Evers an album that defies easy genre classification. “It is hard to describe the kind of music it is,” says Corey. “It’s not the typical singer/songwriter thing that’s going on today, it’s not exactly folk, and it’s not exactly alternative. It’s all those things in one, I guess.”
Two relevant reference points would be the music of the two artists to have most strongly influenced and inspired Heuvel in recent years, Jeff Buckley and Nick Drake. The Buckley connection came from a fortuitous coincidence, as Corey explains. “When I was making my first record [In Balance], I had a song called ‘Grace,’ and I was thinking of calling the record that. I asked my producer if there was any other record out there called Grace, and he said ‘yes. By Jeff Buckley, and it’s one of the greatest records ever made.’ So I checked Jeff out, and it completely blew my mind. It literally changed my life! Listening to him definitely got me more involved with my voice and the way I think about singing, as well as thinking about what I wanted to say with my music.”
English folk great Drake has also proved an influence, both as an acoustic guitar player and a singer/songwriter. Like Drake, Corey writes songs that are introspective, philosophical, and intimate, qualities fostered by Heuvel’s songwriting approach. “I find it easiest to write really late at night, like at 2 or 3 a.m.,” he says. “You’re so tired and whatever you come up with is totally unself-conscious. You are not critiquing yourself, you just write it down and that’s it. It’s a little more honest.”
Corey continues to hone his craft diligently, working out new material at club venues in the Barrie and Orillia area and at open mic nights in Toronto. Following the ongoing continuing musical self-education of this shining young talent is going to be a fascinating and rewarding exercise.
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