On Leif Vollebekk‘s aptly-titled sophomore LP, North Americana, the Montreal songwriter proves some of the best alt-country born in Chicago, North Carolina, and Georgia migrated north in recent months. So why not start with an album cut? Well, his take on “Read My Mind” carries its own weight. A bonus track from the deluxe-edition arriving today, it’s a fine introduction to ears familiar with “Sweet Lil Gal (23rd/1st) “ and others from his forebears. Turning the Killers hit into a heartfelt piano ballad is par for the course, but stick around for the drum part around 0:48 and the overall inspired take. While making the record with Arcade Fire collaborators Howard Bilerman (producer of Funeral) and Sarah Neufeld, among others, Vollebekk refused to quit until they found moving moments akin to this one. “There was just not a good take,” he says of early sessions for “Cairo Blues,” a standout from the set. “I ended up doing it a few months later… between takes of something else – and that’s just how it went.”
