Down the Lees are originally from Vancouver and began as a solo project of Laura Lee Schultz. The project migrated to Belgium where Down the Lees recorded three albums including Bury The Sun—which was recorded with Steve Albini—an EP, and a whole slew of powerful singles. The pandemic saw the project return to Canada, where Schultz gained a new band, forming a trio with Andy Ashley on drums and Chris Carlson on bass.
The band’s new EP, DIRT, was recorded by recorded by Jesse Gander (Brutus, Anciients) at Raincity Recorders and will drop on May 3 on Off White House Records. Today, “Down the Lees” are debuting the video for the first single off the album, “Douse.”
“’Douse’ holds a special place for us as it marks the debut creation of a new lineup for Down The Lees”, says Schultz about the new single. “The undeniable chemistry we felt during its making is the kind of ‘feel’ I always seek when collaborating with other musicians. This held special significance for me, considering the turbulent years that I, along with numerous other musicians, have endured over the past four years. I was also feeling uncertain about my path and repeatedly knocked down as an older queer woman in the less popular rock scene, which is exhausting. It was that sentiment that spawned the energetic riff and lyrics to Douse, ‘Don’t you douse my flame.’ I aspire for this song to serve as an inspiration for others to stand up and assertively declare, ‘NO, no more.’ Let it be a reminder not to allow others to extinguish your passion, your will, or your purpose.”
“Douse” is a powerful alt-rock track with droning guitar riffs while Schultz’s voice moves from crooning to warbling to a sharp chirp to a passioned scream. Playing off a classic alt-rock loud-quiet-loud formula, it creates emotional peaks and valleys that make it a journey of the heart. The video sees the band exploding the song onto the screen, bathed in colored lights and blended with gritty images of flower to create a moody atmosphere.
Check out the video, which was filmed by Irisphere Entertainment and which has been nominated for the Best Music Video at the 2024 Okanagan Screen Awards, below.
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Photo courtesy of Down the Lees
