Leknes & the layoffs

Welcomes you

Welcome to the home of Leknes & The LayOffs—an alternative rock noir experience. From the icy landscapes of Norway to the sun-soaked mesas of Mexico, Leknes and his band are creating dark, cinematic sounds with howling saxophones, twisted organs, and a voice born from the desert.

At the heart of their music is M.S. Playhead, a shadowy character whose story unfolds throughout the band's debut album. Check out their new album M.S. Playhead Vol. 1, out now on all platforms, and available for purchasing here for a very low price! 

Get ready for a ride—dark, winding, and unforgettable.


 

M.S. Playhead Volume I

Leknes & The Layoffs

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Recorded live in studio, at Sørgården Studio, Ler - Trøndelag, and Nautilus Studio, Trondheim. Leknes & The Layoffs consists of the following musicians: Stian Leknes: vocals Vegard Bjerkan: organ, synth, piano and Read more

Recorded live in studio, at Sørgården Studio, Ler - Trøndelag, and Nautilus Studio, Trondheim.

Leknes & The Layoffs consists of the following musicians:

Stian Leknes: vocals Vegard Bjerkan: organ, synth, piano and accordion Per Spjøtvold: organ, synth, piano and accordion Kurt Sprenger: guitar Rolf Martin Snustad: saxophone Tomas Järmyr: drums and percussion Ingrid K Iversen: back up vocals Per Borten & Alessandro Elide: additional percussions Rune Stavnesli on additional guitars

Recorded at Sørgaarden Studio by Per Borten, and Nautilus Studio by Rune Stavnesli Produced by Rune Stavnesli and Stian Leknes Co-produced by Per Borten (for tracks recorded at Sørgaarden Studio) The mixing and mastering was done by Rune Stavnesli at Stavmix Studio, Ålesund. All lyrics written by Stian Leknes. All songs arranged by Leknes, Bjerkan, Järmyr, Spjøtvold, Sprenger, Snustad and Stavnesli.

  1. Bones Written by Stian Leknes, Vegard Bjerkan and Rune Stavnesli

  2. San Miguel Written by Stian Leknes

  3. Nahual Written by Stian Leknes and Vegard Bjerkan

  4. Sinkhole Written by Stian Leknes and Vegard Bjerkan

  5. The Hidden Hill Written by Stian Leknes, Rune Stavnesli and Vegard Bjerkan

  6. Bering Strait Written by Stian Leknes and Vegard Bjerkan

  7. O.D.D. Written by Stian Leknes and Vegard Bjerkan

Cover photos by Ángelo Silva @photoconceptual Cover design by Per Spjøtvold Layout by Per Spjøtvold

This album was recorded with support from ourselves and Trondheim Kommune. Thanks to Rune Stavnesli, Per Borten, Snorre Hovdal and Ángelo Silva for being excellent specimens of human beings! Much love.

Special thanks to you, whoever you are, for buying and/or listening to this album, and for taking the time to actually read the liner notes, respect and love, always!

A very special thanks to M.S. Playhead for living inside of me and many others.

Extraordinary, very much special thanks to our families, friends and loved ones.

Released by: Mesa Soundworks

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Sun in the Bottle

Leknes & The Layoffs

Sun in the Bottle Little Playhead had a way of figuring out How he was gonna blame something on someone else And someone needed to be blamed He had been waiting around for too long Waiting for someone or something that Read more

Sun in the Bottle

Little Playhead had a way of figuring out How he was gonna blame something on someone else And someone needed to be blamed He had been waiting around for too long Waiting for someone or something that never came And now he’s coming down He’s running down the drain

Move back to start to the heart of the problem It’s not so much a problem as it is a disease Aborigines Spend time in the desert sun Trying to figure out who we are But Playhead found his sun in the bottle And the consequence It was a lot of rain Falling behind of all the explanations To handle handles of new doors opening up Can be a hard job for anyone There’s all these expectations Turns into limitations All these expectations Turns into limitations

Now moving back towards the start again Just to find out it’s closer to the end Your looking for those aborigines Not in the desert Not here Not in the forest This ain’t a forest it’s just a lot of trees Can you see the forest No there’s only trees So go on then Pick up the bottle Yeah go on then Pick up the bottle Yeah go on then Pick up the bottle Yeah go on then Pick up, pick it up, pick it up, pick it up Pick up, pick it up, pick it up, pick it up, pick it up

What is the consequence It is a lot of rain What is the consequence It is a lot of rain What is the consequence It is a lot of rain What is the consequence It is a lot of rain

Solid rain can hold you Faster than light And strong winds may carry you Out of the night

The moons will be manifold And hours be long Your arms may be weakened Your mind not to strong

But solid rain may hold you Faster than light And sore wings shall carry you Out of the night

Sometimes life, gives you a lesson Sometimes life, gives you a lesson Sometimes life gives you a lesson but it's slower than a snail Some people buy their wings and others just set sail Now you’re picking up the pieces that was left along the trail But the fingers lost their feeling and the skin is just so frail Can you hold it all together or will it be another fail Can you piece them all together turn the rags into a veil But now the sky is boiling over and sun turned into hail It is freezing it is torment it is time to fucking bail Just bail Go on and bail

But little Playhead had a way of figuring out Little Playhead had way of figuring out Figure out Figaro Figure out Where you're gonna go next

Turn all those nightmares into wet Dreams of the teacher from his junior high This ain’t not junior high though It is a proper high It is a proper high A proper Proper High High High

What is the consequence It is a lot of rain What is the consequence It is a lot of rain What is the consequence It is a lot of rain What is the consequence It is a lot of rain

Solid rain may hold you Faster than light And strong winds can carry you Out of the nights

Your days may be blackened By sorrows and plight You’re stuck in the endings While dawnings you fight You ask for forgiveness When life should be what You seek not redemption From those who claim to have light So hold on to yourself I’ll hold on to me We won’t always be in truth And never truly free

But solid rain will hold us Faster than light And strong winds shall carry us Out of the night

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