Review: Galvezton Makes a Point To Persevere

Galvezton/Persevere/independent
Three out of Five Stars

Galvezton, aka Robert Kuhn, is a poet and musician who has lived through challenging times beginning with a difficult birth. He’s known trauma and turmoil, as exemplified by a near-fatal car wreck that left him heavily in debt and spending months in rehabilitation as result. However, with three albums under his belt, he’s still managed to sustain himself even under the most trying circumstances. An All-American linebacker in college who speaks several languages, he continues his quest through conviction and creativity, and with his latest effort, aptly named Persevere, he proves that his desire to make meaningful music need never subsides.

Named for the place he calls home and the southern Texas island where he records, Galvezton’s music isn’t the easiest outfit to classify or categorize. Yet that’s also what makes it so fascinating. The tone and temp vary, from the straight-ahead pace of “Ll,” which brings to mind early Dire Straits, and the pulsating rhythms that drive “Dragon,” to the slow, throaty vocals of “Screen Savior” and the atmospheric environs shimmering through“Looking Glass,” Kuhn makes the most of sound and suggestion. As a result, there are times, particularly on tracks like “Shake Attack” and “Persevere” in particular, where the conflict between darkness and desire reaps some decidedly disquieting results. 

Then again, Kuhn is clearly out to alter perception and leave his listeners grasping for the same sort of meaning that he’s hoping to discover despite uncertainty and intrigue. The varied changes in tone and texture don’t make that quest any easier, and in fact, there are times when Kuhn seems caught up in a malaise of his own making. The only thing that’s clear is the cacophony that often ensues, an indecipherable racket that appears indicative of Kuhn’s pent-up emotions. Nevertheless, Persevere is a fascinating progression and an impressive example of the way invention and intrigue can be all wrapped up as one.

Photo by Samantha Wiley / Effective Immediately PR