New York, NY (Top40 Charts/ Missing Piece Group) Montreal-based songwriter Leif Vollebekk's new album North Americana is out today via Missing Piece Records. In support of his US debut, Vollebekk has announced a tour with the American singer-songwriter
William Fitzsimmons.
Today, Paste Magazine premiered the music video for Vollebekk's "When The Subway Comes Above The Ground," which you can watch HERE.
The Onion's A.V. Club premiered the album on their website last week and said it features a "unique take on warbling Americana, a la
Ryan Adams or A.A. Bondy."
Ann Powers of NPR
Music included the album on her "Under-The-Radar Albums Preview of 2014" list and said "Vollebekk also openly borrows from
Jeff Buckley - always a daring move. With a grit-and-honey voice and a way of opening up his own confessions until they become universal, Vollebekk pulls it off."
Diffuser.fm premiered the album's first single "Southern United States" and said "Vollebekk's search for the 'perfect take,' coupled with his warble - which is covered in just enough rust to make us think of his contemporaries
Ryan Adams and
M. Ward - makes for an authentic take on modern Americana."
The album was produced by
Howard Bilerman (Arcade Fire, Godspeed You!
Black Emperor) and was recorded in Montreal, France, and New York. The songs on North Americana were always recorded live to tape, documenting the improvisation and space that a live jazz performance would have but using the concision of a pop song.
The ten songs that comprise North Americana were performed by Vollebekk (vocals, guitar, piano, harmonica, a little rusty fiddle), jazz musicians Hans Bernhard (bass) and
Philippe Melanson (drums), Arcade Fire's
Sarah Neufeld (violin), Joe Grass(pedal steel) and Adam Kinner (tenor sax).
Tour Dates:
3/13: Austin, TX - St. David's Bethell Hall (SXSW)
4/15: Brooklyn, NY - Littlefield*
4/16: New York, NY - NYU Skirball Center for the Performing Arts*
4/17: Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer*
4/18: Pittsburgh, PA - Rex Theater*
4/22: Charlottesville, VA - The Southern*
4/24: Raleigh, NC - The Pour House*
4/27: Nashville, TN - Exit In*
5/25: Pomona, CA - The Glass House*
5/27: Las Vegas, NV - Vinyl at Hard Rock Hotel Casino*
5/28: Phoenix, AZ - The Crescent Ballroom*
5/30: Dallas, TX - The Kessler Theater*
5/31: Austin, TX - The Parish*
6/5: St. Louis, MO - The Gramophone*
6/6: Chicago, IL - Old Town School of Folk Music*
6/7: Ann Arbor, MI - The Ark*
6/8: Toronto, ON - Mod Club*
6/9: Buffalo, NY - Iron Works*
6/13: Burlington, VT - Signal Kitchen*
6/14: Northampton, MA - Iron Horse*
6/15: Cambridge, MA - The Sinclair*
* = With
William Fitzsimmons
Find Leif on:
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www.leifvollebekk.com
