Leif Vollebekk: Long Blue Light
Resonant dobro playing and pure haunting vocals make this a treat.
By Kerry Doole
Leif Vollebekk - Long Blue Light (Secret City Records): Earlier this week, the internationally praised Montreal singer/songwriter released Long Blue Light, a two-song EP The title track is a brand new original song, while the second is a cover of the Bon Iver song 29 #Stafford APTS.
In a label press release, Vollebekk explains that “Long Blue Light was recorded during the sessions for my recent album, New Ways, live with just myself and a drummer, Homer Steinweiss [The Dap-Kings, Amy Winehouse]. I had all but abandoned it but this year I kept coming back to it. I added some overdubs and had Cindy Cashdollar finish it off with a gorgeous dobro part. It was supposed to fade out but I rather liked how it just falls apart at the end.”
The addition of Cashdollar is rather a coup. She’s a legendary American roots music guitarist who has worked with the likes of Asleep At The Wheel, Bob Dylan, and Dave Alvin. Her resonant playing here perfectly meshes with Vollebekk’s typically pure and haunting vocal delivery, making this a real treat. The Bon Iver cover is also a pleasing one.
These new recordings are celebrating the anniversary of his acclaimed album New Ways, which was released a year ago (Nov. 1, 2019). "Anything that I wouldn't ever want to tell anyone - I just put it on the record," he says of the confessional record.
The album now has over 11 million streams, support from Pitchfork, Uncut, NPR/World Cafe, and The New York Times. and a credible Polaris Music Prize 2020 Long List nod. Back in June, Vollebekk released another two-song EP, Rest.
His 2017 breakthrough album Twin Solitude, made the Polaris 2017 shortlist, earned a Juno nomination and is now at 35 million streams, confirming his real, if still rather under-the-radar, success.
Links
Publicity: Take Aim Media
Booking: Adam Kreeft (Canada)
Management: Heather Kelly, Valeo
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