David Little g

This brother duo, made up of two members from Ottawa-based band The Gallop had me smiling about three guitar strums in. The music was relaxed, easy to hear, and contentedly warm what with all the Kings of Convenience-esque harmonies and simple song structures. The pair also didn’t take themselves too seriously, keeping it light with unexpectedly blunt lyrics that quite literally made me laugh out loud, such as: “Babe I’m sorry, but not really—Tough luck,” and “Are you kidding me? Honestly. Thanks. Thanks for nothing.” I was fully charmed by this set and have no doubt that these guys will be well-received as they move up through the ranks of folk stardom.

Website: http://davidlittleg.bandcamp.com/
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/davidlittleg

Download the David Little g EP for free on their website.

Jonathan Chandler front and center

I won’t lie. I’m not familiar with Amos the Transparent, but if this (mostly) solo perfomance from their lead singer is any indication, I might have to get familiar. Chandler launched into an acoustic set of mainly Amos the Transparent songs that were a nice mix of build ups, instrumental intensity and small, poetic moments. Throughout his performance, I was constantly impressed (even to the point of uttering an audible “Wow” or two) with the power behind Chandler’s voice. Few men could hit those higher notes at all, let alone with his from-the-belly strength.

One of the highlights included a cover of Alanis Morissette’s “You Oughta Know”, which sounded about as romantic as a musical fuck you could be expected to. But the communal atmosphere of the set was maybe the most amusing and heart-warming thing about Chandler’s set. Not only were there obvious Amos fans sprinkled throughout the crowd, clapping, singing, and even harmonizing along, but above Chandler’s soaring voice there came the sudden, sudden, shushing sound of a shaker. I looked over to see a diehard fan who knew every word and her way around that shaker. I wondered whether Chandler discreetly slipped it to her when no one was looking, or whether she always brought it along to shows in the event of a rhythmic emergency. Either way, it’s kind of great to see a musician do a live, impromptu collaboration with an obviously adoring audience.

Website: http://www.myspace.com/amosthetransparent
MySpace: http://www.amosthetransparent.com/

Amos the Transparent will be playing in Toronto for Canadian Music Week showcase on Friday, March 11 at the Horseshoe.

Leif Vollebekk

Maybe I’m just slow, but I didn’t really “get” all the Bob Dylan comparisons swirling around Leif Vollebekk until seeing him perform live. Now I get it, because Vollebekk most certainly has that classic, folk storytelling thing about him, where the words just keep tumbling out. And even with the undesirably constant thump and rumble in the soles of my shoes from whatever punk/metal band was playing downstairs at Mavericks, Leif jokily brushed it off with a simple “I’ll try and play in synch,” before proceeding to filter out the background noise with an absolutely enchanting set.

He built up a real sense of atmosphere in the (wonderful but) generally non-atmospheric Cafe Dekcuf as he led us through live and looped guitars, bursts of harmonica and soft walls of violin sound. I even saw a grown man sitting on the ground with his fists tucked under chin, looking a little starry-eyed as he watched the set unfold. But I can’t blame him. Vollebekk is really everything I could ever want in a solo performer. His voice is captivating: alternately controlled and wandering depending on what the moment calls for, occasionally raspy, and with a jazzy waver when he gets up into the higher registers, reminding me of Patrick Watson. In terms of stage presence, Vollebekk is again a bit of a hypnotist: not only is he a technically skilled musician, but the music seems to manifest itself in every part of his body. His movement is constant, but fluid and expressive as his torso twists around the melody, the palm of his hand hitting against the guitar with an earthy percussiveness.

Over and over again, I see little quirks in his performance that will set him apart from other solo acts. It’s in the way he deliberately chooses to tune live so that the audience can be a part of the process, remarking that he’s always liked the way you can hear musicians tuning on old, live records. It’s in the contrast between his total absorption during each song and the almost childlike giddiness between. At one point during the show, Vollebekk got amusingly sidetracked, using the light glare off of his guitar to spotlight the sound guy and proclaiming, “Look! It’s like the bat signal!” before lapsing back into musician mode. It’s in the way he injects extra lyrics and throws en Français words into his songs. Essentially, Vollebekk is a born performer. It’s rare to see someone who so fully brings together personality, stage presence, banter/anecdotes and technical skill while having it seem completely genuine.

The set was mainly composed of material from his most recent release, Inland (“Quebec”, “Don’t Go to Klasvik”, “Michael Robartes & the Dancer”, “1921”), but also ventured off the record, including a completely engaging, looped violin cover of Neil Young’s “Barstool Blues.”

But I feel as though I simply cannot call this review complete without mentioning this: in the midst of tuning, one of Vollebekk’s guitar strings broke, so he sent out a request for a guitar, and who should sidle up beside the stage with a guitar but the man I can only assume is Shaker Woman’s significant other. Screw Kate Hudson, these people are the real Band-Aids.

Anyway.

The moral of the story is that you should go and hear Leif Vollebekk’s musical stories. Live. And I have a feeling that it won’t be too long before he starts raking in support and fans of all sorts, so I’d recommend taking the opportunity to see him in intimate, teeny tiny venues like Cafe Dekcuf before it’s too late. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

P.S. Thanks to Matthew overt at i(heart)music.net for organizing this great showcase.

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For more Leif Vollebekk,

Website: http://www.nevadorecords.com/leifvollebekk.php
MySpace: http://myspace.com/leifvollebekk

Leif Vollebekk will also be in Toronto on January 22 at The Cameron House.