Leif Vollebekk
Hailing from Ottawa, Canada, Leif Vollebekk is a multi-instrumentalist and singer/songwriter known for his somber, melancholy pop songs, which capture the themes of yearning, long-lost love, and adventure. During his childhood and teens, he discovered the music of Bob Dylan, Neil Young, and Lou Reed while also discovering a connection with the writings and works of Beat Generation authors Allen Ginsberg and Charles Bukowski. Having tried his hand at a multitude of instruments, he was initially interested in composition and shaping a song, rather than lyrics; at least until he heard Dylan's "Simple Twist of Fate." With a newfound obsession for illustrating stories and images with words, he sought to expand upon his creative abilities and headed to Iceland to discover his Nordic roots. Immersed in the country's unique culture, and experimenting with different types of sound and songwriting, he eventually created his sonic palette, described as falling "somewhere in between Sigur Rós and Bob Dylan." Feeling confident with this, he returned to Canada, settling in Montreal, and went to work on a cohesive collection of songs. The result was Inland, released in 2010 through Fontana North. The record was commended for effectively exposing the little-known Icelandic country scene.
After promoting the album on tour, he then set about working on his sophomore effort, North Americana. Determined to focus even more on creating inventive and magnetic lyrics, he also sought to introduce an altogether fresh aural tone to the album and traveled to New York to enlist the talents of engineer Tom Gloady (Ryan Adams, Sigur Rós). The album took a while to record, with Vollebekk holding sessions in Montreal, New York City, and La Frette-sur-Seine in France, painstakingly going through take after take to perfectly encapsulate the sound he was searching for. This, in part, was also enhanced by the addition of Arcade Fire violinist Sarah Neufeld. The album was eventually completed and released in 2013 to widespread acclaim, and was particularly commended for the songwriter's choice of recording live to tape. North Americana was a success and garnered comparisons to the work of Ryan Adams and Jeff Buckley. Vollebekk returned in 2016 with his third effort, Twin Solitude, which featured use of the Moog synthesizer and harp performances from Sarah Pagé of the Barr Brothers. With the album being nominated for the prestigious Polaris Prize, Vollebekk's soulful, emotional pop was exposed to a growing number of listeners. For his fourth album, Vollebekk took notes on the changes in his life over the next two years and they informed his songwriting. The brasher, louder, and less self-reflective album New Ways appeared in 2019, preceded by the single "Hot Tears."
© Rob Wacey /TiVo
Discography
14 album(s) • Sorted by Bestseller
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Long Blue Light
Alternative & Indie - Released by Secret City Records on 10 Nov 2020
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Twin Solitude
Pop - Released by Secret City Records on 24 Feb 2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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New Waves (Live Recordings ’19-’21)
Pop - Released by Secret City Records on 1 Feb 2022
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
North Americana
Alternative & Indie - Released by Secret City Records on 28 Jan 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Inland
Alternative & Indie - Released by Secret City Records on 19 Jan 2010
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Tallahassee
Alternative & Indie - Released by Secret City Records on 27 Oct 2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Hot Tears
Alternative & Indie - Released by Secret City Records on 18 Jun 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
I'm Not Your Lover (Live at the Troubadour)
Alternative & Indie - Released by Secret City Records on 18 Nov 2021
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Elegy
Alternative & Indie - Released by Secret City Records on 2 Nov 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Into the Ether
Alternative & Indie - Released by Secret City Records on 13 Jan 2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Transatlantic Flight
Alternative & Indie - Released by Secret City Records on 10 Sep 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
All Night Sedans
Alternative & Indie - Released by Secret City Records on 10 Feb 2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo