Leif Vollebekk – Inland

On Inland, Leif Vollebekk aimed for 'Hank Williams meets Sigur Rós'. Surprisingly, the results reflect the aim, with the influence of both (just about) discernable, but the amalgamation is less satisfying than might have been hoped. From the former comes an emotional tenor, from the latter a grandly forlorn atmosphere, but from their synthesis stultifying disappointment is born – seems Williams + Rós = a down in the dumps Fionn Regan in Dylan fancy-dress. This is Serious music, about Serious affairs of the heart, but ‘Serious’ has unfortunately translated to an unleavened tone that puts the ‘dour’ in ‘splendour’. Nonetheless, his soul-bearing intermittently hits hard: for example, he is lyrically fascinating throughout (“your body’s been honest but here again it lies”), and the trembling In The Morning evokes tumultuous emotion delicately. While sad songs needn’t be so dull, Vollebekk’s debut is intriguing enough to hope for another instalment. [Chris Buckle]