Canadian act DOWN THE LEES, the musical project of singer-songwriter-guitarist Laura Lee Schultz, returned last April, with their first new music since the end of the
Covid-19 pandemic. Single Dead And Over was/is a grand alive and kicking comeback.
TUTV: I never ever thought about the possibility that the late great French chansonnierÉdith Piaf, born as Édith Giovanna Gassion in 1915 (yep, I’m a
great fan, with thanks to my parents) would be the star of a post-punk-rock
noise jam.
But it happens here with Canadian act Down The Lees‘ architect Laura Lee Schultz.
She wrote the song during the awful pandemic period. LL dives into the psyche of Edith Piaf and her tortured fame and eventual demise.
Since C’est La Vie En Rose sounds as turbulent and capricious – with highs and lows,
ups and downs – as the short, tumultuous life of Piaf who passed away in 1963, aged
only 47. The ghostly composition resonates as a slow-burning torch, erupting like a volcano now and then, and with Schultz’s spacey vocals adding an eerie feel to the full
film noir picture developing here. DTL will never regret the making and recording of this black and white pearl. Kudos to them.
(Photo by Turn Up The Volume)
I know you felt all alone
Solo, in your microphone
Since la vie en rose
Since la vie en rose
Your time immortal
Stretches on
Since la vie en rose
Since la vie en rose
Did you really think that nobody cared
A tarnished memory
An irresistible need to destroy yourself
Since la vie en rose
Since la vie en rose
Since la vie en rose
Chum are a pretty kooky combo that got my ears trembling with joy with their
grooves-filled debut LP a few weeks ago. Its lead single Beefake Doctrine is a
manic mind-twister with its trancy beats creating a mesmeric and puzzling
razzmatazz you can’t and you won’t run from.
With 1:18 these post-punk-rock misfits dropped a neurotic caterwaul that goes forth and back with burning pzazz. Monomaniacal vocalist Angus Rogers gets worked up to an almost hysterical level and sounds like a tormented and obsessed soul and the band’s horn duo blow their lungs out with nerve-racking urgency. Blimey!
My Illusion is a head-banging and riff-crushing jackhammer that makes
your fists pump in the air, makes your legs shake, and triggers you to check out
your vocal cords’ potential. Ignore your illusions, just get real and get out to party.
For those about to rock Electric Circus salute you.
DTL’s mastermind LL Schultz‘s expresses her frustration and stressful state of mind
caused by those two claustrophobic pandemic years with this high-strung cry out. Its ominous mid-tempo progression, its swelling intensity advancing over an ongoing
hypnotic guitar riff and her sky-scraping send shivers down your spine.
Lockdown threw Schultz to the mat, but it couldn’t
knock her out and she’s back stronger than ever.
London‘s up-and-coming young dogs DEADLETTER rattle on repeat
on this rad ripper spiced with relentless vocality, a sensuous saxophone,
a pumping bass and a sickly sticky chorus. 5-star punk funk.
With Sub these Chicago dudes sound like a cross between legends Gang Of Four and Parquet Courts. It’s a riff motherrocker making your head spin uncontrollably. On top of it comes the singer’s highly tense vocal performance. Don’t miss this holy smoke cracker.
These noisy indies from Bristol, UK Post-punk at its sharp-cutting best. Neurotic guitars and frenetic drums alternated with freaked-out vocals, rhythm changes that drive you nuts, an instrumental Devo-esque intermezzo and a mind-boggling climax. I have nothing whatsoever to complain about.
Who? A socially caring dark disco duo featuring Ony Godfrey and Fauzan Pratama from Indonesia.
Your Death Is My Glory is about political hypocrisy
that suppresses the common people for their own
benefit.
It’s a steamed-up disco corker. A catchy-as-hell boomer that
accelerates your bloodstream. An irresistible tune to jump up
and down to like mad while giving the middle finger to all
power-greedy politicians.
The video is a DIY rapid-eye-movement tour de force.
All Of A Sudden is a B-side that easily could be an A-side. It features on the 12″ of
the previous single No Reason It’s a rotating beats-banger to start and end all
(il)legal raves with. It’ll make your adrenalin production go through the roof.
Lunar Twin‘s new full-length opus Aurora is an ideal
companion to relax with when the twilight sets.
One of the highlights and my favorite track Cars is a trippy dreamwave
with tingling guitars, scintillating synths, and near-whispering voice
combining for a top-notch vibration.
This masked Italian dance act describe themselves as “losers on a planet
where nobody really wins. He who has nothing to lose cannot lose anything.”
They recently released a must-hear 5-track EP with Juicy Lips as one of the 5 highlights.
A capricious crackerjack for nightclubs where misfits, dropouts, eccentrics and other related outsiders have a ball. Wicked music for wicked people by wicked madcaps.
They decided to invite an impressive cast of musical friends to remix songs
from that album. The collection is namedSee Trough You: Rerealized. You
can buy it here. The digital version will be available from June 2.
Andy Bell of legendary shoegaze band Ride operating under the moniker
of GLOK is one of the remixes. He picked the psych-mind-bending piece I’m Hurt and turned it into an ambient techno stunner with Kraut-rock-like
synth rhythms and chainsaw guitar fragments. Score!
Who? A British quartet inspired by a mutual passion for the sights,
sounds and creative experimentation of the mid to late 1960s with
its unique blend of garage rock, psychedelia and acid folk.
A 60s colored psych-pop gem that could be written by Californian legends
The Mamas & Papas. Layered vocals, jangly guitars (playing backward at
one point. Remember The Beatles‘ Tomorrow Never Knows song?), and an
infectious chorus. Play it 81 times.
“A song inspired by my walks to coffee shops, my friends,
the band TOPS, and the scotch I like to drink!”
Easy-going tunes you can hum and whistle like this one are always welcome on my headphones after having too much noizz buzzing in my ears. Scotch is a laid-back, jaunty, and happy-go-lucky melody enriched with sunlit guitar play. Perfect for a walk in the city on a lazy Spring day. Kelly‘s mellow voice sounds like it was meant to sing devil-may-care songs like this one. Canadacana at its strolling best. Bottoms up!
To celebrate the first anniversary of their debut album 10 MinutesGmbtLife decided to cover a Pixies classic.
They picked one of their best-known songs, Monkey Gone To Heaven from 1989. Their take is pretty special and surprising. They decelerated it and added subtle piano play, distorted guitars, and low-pitched vocals.
In order to not miss a beat Turn Up The Volume scans the musical
horizon daily (doing it for years now, actually) to stay in touch with
all new things sonically great and shares the results on a weekly
basis.
Check the 10 new rad tracks
added to this rad 2023 playlist.
Band: DOWN THE LEES Who: The post-rock noise project of seasoned Canadian singer-songwritter-guitarist Laura Lee Schultz. Backed by a bassist and a drummer DTL released 3 albums, an EP
and numerous singles so far.
It’s the first release in over 3 years. The composition captures the raw emotions
of sadness, frustration, and anxiety that permeated throughout the years since
the pandemic began.
The creation and recording of this song led Laura Schultz down a new path,
involving the addition of new band members (Andy Ashley/Chris Carlson), new
music, and a renewed passion for being a musician. It’s true that hitting rock bottom
can often be the catalyst for realizing that the only way forward is to stand up and
keep moving.
TUTV: LL Schultz’s frustration and stressful state of mind caused by those two claustrophobic pandemic years are all over this high-strung cry out. Its ominous
mid-tempo progression and swelling structure advancing over an ongoing hypnotic
guitar riff send shivers down your spine.
Second by second, like a nervously ticking clock, the sonic poignancy and heartfelt fervidness grow with exuberance and magnitude until Schutlz’s monumental vocals go through the roof, and that rotating riff ends this cathartic swipe. Lockdown threw Schultz
to the mat, but it couldn’t knock her out and she’s back stronger than ever. Alive and kicking, again.
DOWN THE LEES is a Belgium based heavy rock trio, led by gripping Canadian vox and guitarist Laura Lee Schultz. Their impassioned debut longplayer, titled ‘BURY THE SUN‘
is recorded by Chicago‘s legendary noise expert Steve Albini. He did a perfect job by giving space to Schultz’s voice, the heroine of this amazing record, and because of the flawlessly balanced way he surrounded the vocals with the crushing quiet/Loud/quiet force of her high-powered band. Schultz wrote all the songs. Trust me, all killers, no fillers with an ardent soul and a caring heart. Topnotch performance.
DOWN THE LEES is a Belgian based noise trio, led by magnificent Canadian vox Laura Lee Schultz. They recently launched their excellent, Steve Albini produced,
debut LP ‘Bury The Sun’.
One of my absolute favorite tracks is actually a quiet one with a sonic eruption
here and there. ‘WAR TORN‘ is a heart-touching ballad “about war, about missing
your loved ones who were lost in senseless acts.” Its empathetic and emotive tone is captivating and the wonderful, tender melody is just soul-stirring. Top piece!
DOWN THE LEES – BarBroos, Ghent, Belgium – 2 November 2019
DOWN THE LEES is a both, hot-tempered and sensitive Belgium based heavy rock trio,
led by impressive Canadian vox and guitarist Laura Lee Schultz. The band just released their excellent debut album, called ‘BURY THE SUN‘ recorded by Chicago‘s legendary
noise expert Steve Albini. A spine-tingling record that expresses the band’s concern
about our world’s future, about our world’s climate drama, about our world’s survival.
Last Saturday I saw the band playing for the first time, in my hometown Ghent (Belgium), and the overall sentiment was quite overwhelming. The performance’s keyword was pretty loud and clear: P-A-S-S-I-O-N! Warm passion, caring passion, committed passion. On stage, the songs got injected with even more tension than on the album, which in itself was a huge tour de force. Laura Lee Schultz‘s vox lifted the whole experience to another level, eye-to-eye, face-to-face. Backed by tremendous drummer Jonathan Frederix and vigourous bassist Kwinten GluehorseDOWN THE LEES use their noise structures as a powerful tool to give the songs a fitting and reinforced backbone that connects directly with their soul-stirring messages. Wow! Top gig! Top achievement!
Picture this…
Caring passion…
Powerful intensity…
Face-to-face…
Stream debut LP ‘BURY THE SUN‘ here…
.
Album available on Bandcamp / The LP’s track-by-track guide right here
DOWN THE LEES: Facebook / All concert pics by Turn Up The Volume!
DOWN THE LEES is a red-hot-blooded Belgium based noise rock trio, led by impressive Canadian vox and guitarist Laura Lee Schultz. The band just released their tense and high-strung album, called ‘BURY THE SUN‘ recorded by Chicago‘s legendary noise expert Steve Albini. Here Albini shines because of the perfect way he gives space to Schultz’s voice, the prominent heroine of this striking record, and because of the flawlessly balanced way he surrounded the vocals with the scorching quiet/Loud/quiet power of guitar, bass, and drums. But, again, the poignant force in the middle, is Laura Lee Schultz. She not only wrote all the songs but gave them all a vivid soul and a beating heart with the powerful and arranging assistance of her great band. She will tell you more of all of her babies, right below, Track by Track…
Here are the songs…
. Here’s Laura Lee…
1. Bury the Sun
“This was the first song that was written for this album, so naturally it comes first. Also, it should be on top of the pile of immediate action. Climate action. It speaks of the climate crisis we are facing and how a lot of people are so blind to it. It makes me so sad and worried for our planet. “When will we wake up?” We may just wake up to nothing.”
2. A Cynical Age
“Have you ever noticed how many school shootings are happening? One is too many. “Amazing Machine, put your hands into the air, only 17”. I like that this upbeat tune turns dark and ominous on a dime. Which is what it must be like to be one of those kids. Going through your school day then all of sudden you “are hiding under tables in the library”.
3. Just a Kid
“When we started on this song, it was a poppy number. Then Kwinten laid his bass magic on it and it is now a stand out track. Imagine never knowing who your father was. Imagine having a mother who kept that information from you. Imagine having to live through a war. And now, imagine never being able to talk about it. “Do you even remember? Now
we all forget his name.”
4. War Torn
“Another song about war! It’s like there is a theme. And yes, this album has a theme. Death. A song about missing your loved ones who were lost in senseless acts. “I’ll make believe that you are here and not lost like all the daughters.”
5. Penny Straight
“The most energetic song on the album! We love playing this one live. A cheeky number about straight women breaking gay women’s hearts. Awww.”
6. We All Belong On This Surface
“We are in a very interesting and scary time right now. There are many people coming out from under their rocks, belittling and threatening the well-being of others. “God willing they say, killing all whose different” I know it sounds cliche but it’s so true, can’t we all just get along??!!! Ugh.”
7. Antiseptic Heart
“This song is about artists feeling vulnerable and trolls throwing negative, hurtful comments at them. We, as artists, have to have a thick skin, and sometimes, the skin
isn’t thick enough. Forcing them to quit making their art or worse, quit living. There is something inherently wrong with someone who takes pleasure in ripping someone
else’s livelihood apart. “It’s too late to eviscerate the tragically unkind.”
The video for ‘Antiseptic Heart’ …
8. Please Pain
“People like to ridicule. The pleasure pain of being cruel.” Some people
get a kick or a high out of hurting people. I just don’t get that.”
9. Coda
“The album comes to an explosive end, which is how we like to end our shows.”
Thank you Laura Lee.
May the road rise with Down The Lees!
Who: A fervid noise trio from my hometown of Ghent in Belgium,
led by the wonderful Canadian Laura Lee Schultz on vocals and guitar
Pick: ‘ANTISEPTIC HEART – single from their upcoming, third LP called ‘Bury The Sun’,
out 13th September via Wagonmaniac Music. The LP is produced by veteran noise
expert Steve Albini
Score: This tense, emotional reflection has the threatening power of a bubbling volcano that can explode any second. Confused sentiments swing forth and back in a bewitching quit/Loud/quit progression with Laura Lee Schultz‘s impressive vox accentuating the profound sentiments at stake here. Heart-whole performance all the way. Capture the intensive commotion this way.
