New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Leif Vollebekk wrote his song "Apalachee Plain" in one sitting but it took many different forms until he nailed the perfect feel - a shimmering country song in 6/8. The stunning New Ways album closer now has a video, unveiled today. It captures Leif, glazed with rain, and a sprawling Icelandic landscape in black and white. "Apalachee Plain" was recorded at Capitol Studios in Hollywood and includes vocals from Australian singer-songwriter Angie McMahon and legendary pedal steel played Cindy Cashdollar.
"A few years ago I was driving through the painted desert and saw a lone mustang running alongside the road. He looked so free. And he seemed to know everything. That image came back to me when I wrote it," says Leif.
"I wanted to create a photographic video for this track which used mixed media, icelandic landscapes and portrait photography to give an other-worldy vibe to the track putting Leif and his voice at the centre of the visuals," video director Joe Connor says.
Leif has had a big year on the heels of New Ways (Secret City Records). In the past month alone he's sold out his biggest U.S. shows ever in NYC (Bowery Ballroom) and Los Angeles (Troubadour) during a sold out U.S. run that continues through this week, and then brings Leif back to Australia, dates announced today before returning to Europe and U.K. Last week he also performed on KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic,which was live to air. He was also recently featured on NPR's Heavy Rotation, KCRW Morning Becomes Eclectic's Today's Top Tune and their Top 10, CBC's 'q' show and much more.
New Ways is the follow-up to his 2017 album Twin Solitude, which was a Polaris Prize finalist and earned Leif his first Juno nom.
Praise for New Ways
"Pensive and restless, blossoming with stream-of-consciousness verses that bear the marks of long nights spent alone on the road" - New York Times
"New Ways is an album confident in its vision and powered by terrific songwriting" - WXPN
"Unhurried observational vividness ....the bittersweet lilt of his voice all tangled up in blue" - Uncut, 8 out of 10
"A transformative journey sweeping the depths of the soul" - Atwood Magazine
"His most elegant album yet" - Rolling Stone France
"Vollebekk's signature is creating melancholy, yet delightful R&B-tinged folk songs and New Ways does not waver from this standard" - Bandcamp Essential releases
"It's slow, sensuous and utterly beguiling...brilliant, an unforeseen shift in direction" -Thank Folk For That
4 out of 5 stars - Independent UK
9 out of 10 stars - Exclaim!
"The poetic Canadian composer deepens grooves and strips his instrumental palette to piano, bass, percussion, and tasteful washes of guitar and violin for this soulful rumination on love" - Pasadena Weekly, 4 out of 5 stars
TOUR DATES:
1/23 - Portland, OR @ Doug Fir
1/24 - Seattle, WA @ Columbia City Theatre - SOLD OUT
1/25 - Vancouver, BC @ Imperial SOLD OUT
1/26 - Saskatoon, SK @ Winterruption Festival
3/1 - Brisbane, AUS @ Nine Lives Festival
3/2 - Brisbane, AUS @ Jet Black Cat (In-store)*
3/4 - Melbourne, AUS @ Northcote Social Club*
3/5 - Sydney, AUS @ The Vanguard*
3/13-22 - Austin, TX @ SXSW
3/28 - Madrid, Spain @ Cafe Berlin
3/29 - Barcelona, Spain @ Sidecar
3/31 - Zurich, Switzerland @ Bogen F
4/1 - Munich, Germany @ folks! Club
4/2 - Vienna, Austria @ Arena
4/4 - Berlin, Germany @ Privatclub
4/6 - Stockholm, Sweden @ Nalen Klubb
4/7 - Gothenburg, Sweden @ Pustervik
4/8 - Oslo, Norway @ John Dee
4/14 - Aarhus, Denmark @ Atlas
4/15 - Copenhagen, Denmark @ Hotel Cecil
4/16 - Hamburg, Germany @ Nochtwache
4/17 - Rotterdam, Netherlands @ Motel Mozaique Festival
4/18 - Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Paradiso Noord
4/21 - Belgium, Brussels @ AB Club
4/22 - Cologne, Germany @ Blue Shell
4/23 - Heidelberg, Germany @ Halle02 Club
4/24 - Luxembourg, Luxembourg @ Rotondes
4/25 - Paris, France @ PopUp!
4/27 - London, UK @ Bush Hall SOLD OUT
4/28 - London, UK @ Bush Hall SOLD-OUT
4/29 - Bristol, UK @ Exchange
4/30 - Manchester, UK @ Soup Kitchen
5/1 - Glasgow, UK @ SWG3 Poetry Club
5/2 - Dublin, Ireland @ The Soundhouse
*Co-headline with Ainslie Wills
