Muscle Shoals singer-songwriter Dylan LeBlanc releases his new EP, ‘Pastimes’, a self-produced collection of covers of songs from Glen Campbell, Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Buffalo Springfield and JJ Cale that inspired him to create his own acclaimed alt- country sound.

LeBlanc shared his thoughts about his cover of Led Zeppelin’s ‘Going to California’: “When I was 15 years old I got my first paying gig at a local coffee shop called Juri’s,” says LeBlanc. “I remembered this girl that sat behind me in class and I bonded over Led Zeppelin ‘IV’. I remember I had gotten a Led Zeppelin box set that year for Christmas, and her favorite song was ‘Going to California’. I rushed home to learn that song for her and spent hours in my room at my grandmother’s house where I lived at the time so I could play it for her and impress her. This song will always hold a special place in my heart. I love this record and this era of music that I think will always remain untouchable forever and always.”

Each song was chosen for its deeply personal impact: JJ Cale’s ‘Sensitive Kind’ takes LeBlanc back to the smoky dive bars his father would bring him along to as a child. Buffalo Springfield’s ‘Expecting to Fly’ reminds him of teenage joyrides, speeding through the country and listening to music to escape life’s harsh realities. He learned the art of storytelling through songs with the Rolling Stones’ haunting ‘Play With Fire’ and Bob Dylan’s ‘Blind Willie McTell’ – a track that he compares to reading a Southern Gothic Faulkner novel. And Glen Campbell’s ‘Gentle on My Mind’ is a song he remembers from his early childhood, when his grandfather, also a guitarist, would throw parties where friends would gather to drink and sing and forget their troubles.

‘Pastimes’ was recorded at Fame Recording Studios in Muscle Shoals, live and with as few takes as possible in order to capture a sense of authenticity. Says LeBlanc, “I feel like music is nothing more than a spiritual endeavour to widen the horizons and heighten the senses of the things inside of everyone that sometimes feel unreachable.”

Dylan LeBlanc has spent the last decade releasing four acclaimed albums, winning praise for his arresting alt-country style, collaborating with the likes of Emmylou Harris and Brittany Howard, and sharing stages with heavyweights like Bruce Springsteen and Lucinda Williams.

“One of modern country’s most interesting voices, in both senses of the term.” – Uncut

“Sublime voice and evocative songwriting.” – Nashville Scene

‘Pastimes’ is released on orange coloured vinyl.