Oliver the Crow is a special case. A folk duo comprised of cellist Kaitlyn Raitz and fiddler Ben Plotnick, their music is anything but simplistic despite their minimalist approach. Rather, their two-pronged orchestral instrumentation offers room to urgency, inviting every moment struck between their cello and fiddle to permeate with substance. Their self-titled debut album is out now, available via Bandcamp.
Raitz and Plotnick’s first foray into the studio together first culminates with the subtle majesty of their album opener, “Sailing With the Tide”. It’s a song much more about the journey than the destination—if, in fact, its subjects even make it there within the boundaries of the tune in spite of their valiant efforts. Even still, a sense of liberation pervades its sonic corridors, painting it as a hopeful number. After all, regardless of what missteps we may make along the way, there’s always a hope that our efforts will eventually coalesce into some form of tangible victory.
This glimpse of optimism in the midst of such darkness envelops Oliver the Crow’s new music video as well. In it, we see Raitz and Plotnick perform “Sailing With the Tide” amidst an actual tide—of sorts. Complete with homemade props, the duo erects a set in a down-home neighborhood setting to convey the adventures that their performance takes us on. Its ‘DIY’ frills lend a certain charm towards the goal of translating the band’s underlying perseverance to their audience. Like their video itself, the future looks bright for this folk duo.