Canadian singer to wow the Blue Sky Cafe in Bangor

Jun 17 2009

ALANA Levandoski claims she never intended to become a professional songwriter – but she must have known from an early age that she was going to be a performer.

Why else did her parents build a stage in her bedroom when she was only 10 at the Levandoski family farm near Kelwood, Manitoba?

As a young child growing up in rural Canada, her passions were literature, acting, and music. Her musical influence consisted mostly of gospel music, she recalls: "I picked up a guitar when I was 12. I also took piano lessons for many years."

By 14, Alana's musical tastes were diverse. She avidly listened to recordings by Simon & Garfunkel, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton, and Johnny Cash as well as the music of rockers Nirvana, Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young and the Rolling Stones.

At age 15, Alana began entering and winning local talent contests, performing mostly her own songs which led to stints with several local bands.

In 2006, she released her debut CD Unsettled Down on the prestigious Rounder label.

A gentle little album spiked with savagely smart lyrics, it was a deep, witty, and surprisingly mature offering.

It's slice-of-life lyrics and country-gospel melodies earned favourable comparisons to Nanci Griffiths and Mary Chapin Carpenter.

June 30 sees the release of Alana's new album Lions and Werewolves which was recorded in a 100-year- old church in rural Manitoba, and at Parr Street Studios in Liverpool.

Lions and Werewolves was produced by Ken Nelson, renowned for his work with Gomez and Coldplay. He has also worked with Badly Drawn Boy, Snow Patrol and Paolo Nutini.

Alana said: "The album is very organic. Some people might be surprised that it evolved as much as it did. But I had over two years of touring in eight countries. And working with Ken Nelson, I wanted someone from outside of the roots world to put a twist to what I do."

On tour in the UK to promote the new album, Alana Levandoski will be appearing at the Blue Sky Cafe in Bangor on Thursday, June 25.

Tickets are now on sale from Cob Records and Blue Sky in Bangor and Palas Print in Caernarfon.