OEB’s 5 SXSW Q’s – Leif Vollebekk

Hometown: Montreal, Canada

OEB 2013 SXSW Review

Canadian singer-songwriter Leif Vollebekk grabbed a great spot at SXSW, where he’ll showcasing alongside OEB favorites Half Moon Run, The Staves and Lucy Rose on Friday night at St. David’s Church with a full band in tow.  Last week, Vollebekk released his anticipated follow-up North Americana and he took a couple minutes out of his week to chat with OEB about the arduous recording process surrounding the record, exploring some “trashier” tones on one of the tracks and what’s on deck for Vollebekk through 2013.

After a relatively long break, the follow up to Inland is only weeks away.  Was it by choice to take your time recording North Americana or is there a larger story at play here?

Well, there was a lot of touring. But mostly there was a lot of me just wanting to re-record things - either because they didn’t sound like the record I had in my head or the vibe, the way I was playing, didn’t convey the songs right. It took a while. I wanted to get it done in a week like the first one and it didn’t work. So we just kept booking time, wherever we were and took new stabs at the songs.

Are there any new directions explored on the new record beyond the folk/rock tone you established with Inland?

Well, I think “When the Subway Comes Above the Ground” was really refreshing. Sarah Neufeld’s violins are going through some guitar amps and it’s the first time I played electric guitar on a recording. It’s a bit ballsier, I think. And we went with everything live, vocals, drums, all in the same room, too. Which made things sound a bit trashier and I liked that.

Any other plans lined up for 2013 to promote North Americana beyond the trip to SXSW?  Are you planning on touring with the band you recorded the record with?

We’re playing a whack of shows in March and April and then we’re setting up summer and fall right now. Touring as much as possible. The band on the road is the band on the record, but it’s a bit of a rotating cast, since I can’t always have six musicians onstage.

Do you have any shows lined up for SXSW yet? 

Yeah, Communion on the Friday night - around 10pm. That’s at St David’s - beautiful place. And Swan Dive on Tuesday around 8pm. And some day parties, of course.

As a repeat performer of the conference, what has SXSW meant for your career and is there anything particular you are hoping to accomplish this year while in town?

It’s been good for a lot of reasons. I try not to accomplish anything at SXSW, I feel that’s not something you’re gonna get a say in anyhow. Just play your shows and find the out-of-the-way Texas BBQ.

Have you had a chance to check out the SXSW roster yet?  Any artists you are looking forward to catching while you are swinging through Austin?

To be honest, I find it a bit overwhelming and I haven’t really checked it out. All I know is that I’m not leaving my showcase on Friday. Every band on it is absolutely wonderful.

SXSW 2013 Spreadsheet 54:

Have a safe and happy new year everyone!  Highlights:

Leif Vollebekk (9) - These songs are more for a chilly winter’s day than the back-porch country it alludes to throughout most of Vollebekk’s songs. 

Trails and Ways (6) – New buzz band Trails and Ways are somewhere between bright electronic pop and morose indie rock on early tracks preceding the release of their debut LP, Trilingual, early next year.  The band is generally upbeat with a dreamy gloss that has a ton of appeal.

Ume (6) – Local SXSW mainstay Ume return this year, hopefully with a new record in tow following 2011’s Phantoms.  The band features an energetic frontwoman with a strong vocal range playing on top of dark and aggressive alternative rock.

Unknown Mortal Orchestra (5) – UMO has surprisingly caught on with the indie pop community given their lo fi approach to psychedelic rock.  The band sophomore record, II, is due in February.

The Virginmarys (5) – Like a heavier version of Spoon, The Virginmarys mix psychedelic rock and blues licks into punchy pop songs.  I bet these guys have a great live presence as their energy screams on record.

SXSW 2012 Spreadsheet 41:

Getting close to finishing the third round - next big release should be coming sometime next week!  This afternoon’s highlights:

Leif Vollebekk (9): Influences from jazz to folk to rock all bleed into Vollebekk’s music, a singer-songwriter in the vein of Elvis Costello.  

The War on Drugs (9): They don’t sound the least bit retro, more so using the familiar 80’s underpinning for comfortability to surround an experimental soundscape.

Vetusta Moria (7): Every track I’ve listened to has embraced its own direction, from quiet, spaced out post rock to fuzzy and upbeat pop jams.

Ume (6): Austin’s Ume plays a dense and heavy brand of indie rock, like a more pop-focused version of Warpaint.

J Roddy Walston and the Business (6): Down and dirty blues rock from Baltimore, Walston and the boys deliver fist-pumping rock coming from some honest souls.

We Are Standard (5): Appropriately standard musically, this Spanish band does have some nice experimental flourishes throughout their shiny, electronic pop catalog.

SXSW Spreadsheet 144 - Highlights:

Leif Vollebekk – a piano-based folk singer-songwriter from Montreal with a strong and soulful vocal delivery.  The first that that took me aback with Leif’s music is his marvelously rich voice.  His tones are actually really reminiscent of Jeff Buckley, with a jazzy and tender warble around the notes.  This builds right into his musical style, using soft music and then building jazzy instrumentation on top of that.  His quieter material has a little Damien Rice in it.  He mutes the music to allow the emotional resonance in his voice really shine through.  There’s a great deal of patience in Leif’s music, he really lets his pieces play out to explore different territories throughout.  Leif’s debut LP was released last year, so it could be a good year for Leif if his music reaches a larger audience.

Ladies Gun Club – a folk duo from Los Angeles with a traditional country vibe.  Ladies Gun Club succeeds not by trying something new, rather just to very nicely pay respect to their Americana roots.  They have a sound based in traditional country and bluegrass with a focus on songwriting and vocals.  The two lead female vocalist hit some strong and interesting harmonies throughout their songs.  The rootsier the better with Ladies Gun Club; I like when they really take advantage of the space in the music.  Ladies Gun Club released their debut EP late last year, so it’ll be interesting to see if they move towards pop or traditional styles as they progress forward.

Lesands – an electronic rock band from San Diego with a pop-based dramatic sound.  Lesands starts their music with pretty simple mid-tempo electronic percussion and some new wave inspired synth work.  Their sound is based in dance music, but I would definitely describe Lesands as a rock band.  Their vocal delivery is akin to Local Natives; it’s very pointed and direct but still maintains interesting melodies.  They certainly have some signs pointing to a band early in their career.  The songs reflect a few different ideas and approaches concerning the fidelity and general sound of the band.  They are at their best when they really go for it and find a sense of “build” in their music, best seen in the track “Pretenders”. 

Lance Herbstrong - an electronic band from Austin combining dance music with live instrumentation.

The Laughing - a rock band from Austin with a fast new wave and grunge inspired sound.

Lauren O’Connell - a folk singer-songwriter from Sonoma, CA with a nice voice.

Lelia Broussard - a pop/rock artist from New York City with a polished sound and a nice voice.