(photo: Caroline Desilets)

What a treat Montreal’s Leif Vollebekk is.  His subtle, supple way with a melody and gentle strumming is a welcome relief from some of the over hyped and hyperactive music that floods my inbox.  Vollebekk plays guitar, harmonica, piano and violin on Inland, his debut album, recorded at Montreal’s Breakinglass Studios and released independently in November 2008.  He strikes a perfect balance, never adding more than necessary, never wrenching the emotional quotient beyond honesty and sincerity.  The haunting harmonica solo on “Don’t Go to Klaksvik” and the way the strings swell in after it makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.  You’ve got to love a musician who sets your nerves to tingling.

He’s gained quite a following thanks to his like-minded earnest live performances, and has locked himself a record deal, to boot.  Nevado Records (home of Bahamas) is set to re-release Inland in January.. For now he’s playing a few shows in Montreal this month, with more dates expected to be added soon in the lead up to the album’s release.  I’m sad that I hadn’t heard his stuff before now, but even though I’ve only had the chance to hear the few songs on Vollebekk’s Myspace page so far, I’m already a fan.

MP3: Leif Vollebekk “Don’t Go to Klaksvik”
Myspace: Leif Vollebekk