The post hardcore bloodletting grandeur of "Midi Doric" ( Live) by Okanagan Valley, British Columbia's Down The Lees, the powerful three piece alt rock / post-noise-rock project lead by singer-songwriter / guitarist Laura Lee Schultz, is something to behold, breath in and head bang violently to if your neck muscles are strong enough. A progressive alt rock extravaganza with sludge metal, post punk pudding whipped in lovingly, as lead by the force of nature that is Laura Lee Schultz is one steady emotional ascension as stunningly beautiful as it is powerful. Chris Carlson's monstrous big bass plucky drones against Andy Ashley's tribalistic drumming that has utter power and an unbelievably cutting snap intertwine within Schultz's insanely emotional guitar work and sung prose that runs the gamut from acerbic, to pained, to mythical warrior / sonic sage. Knowing Down The Lees, you know that the insane exorcism is going to happen but each and every time you are surprised and fucking gobsmacked anyway. It is one of the sheer moments of joy about this utterly mesmerizing artful outfit.
{On past reviews} I have likened Down The Lees's sheer heaviness expressed in pummeling drums, throttling bass and massive guitar chord strikes to an amalgam of artists like Tropical Fuck Storm, Black Sabbath, Metz, A Place to Bury Strangers and I stand by that general descriptor. I have also likened Laura Lee Schultz's artistic angles and vocal countenance / attitudinal passion to front women like PJ Harvey, Concrete Blonde's Johnette Napolitano and Diamanda Galás and this still feels right to me. Laura Lee's vocal countenance stands apart from most killer female vocalists in terms of the bottom of her registers, the full throated power and absolutely fury of her voice. Apart from her vocal prowess is the purely emotional sinew she brings every time. You feel the pain, loss and resolve. Utterly amazing.
LINER NOTES (excerpted / bracketed):
[This amazing song and magnetic video is from the upcoming live concert film "This Is What It Feels Like, by Down The Lees" (release date not yet announced). Filmed in an intimate theatre in Western Canada, in the dead of winter, the first single from the concert film Midi Doric, deals with the internal struggle of being isolated and depressed during the pandemic.]
[Following the success of their 2024 album Dirt, recorded by Jesse Gander (Brutus, ANCIIENTS, Japandriods) and OSIF Award-winning single “Douse,” the band filmed a high concept concert at the Mary Irwin Theatre for an upcoming live album and concert film, fully funded by Creative BC. Captured by Irisphere Entertainment and mixed by Jesse Gander, the performance blends emotionally charged live footage with cinematic visuals created by the band, resulting in an immersive experience that reflects their sonic intensity and artistic vision.]
I look so forward to seeing "This Is What It Feels Like, by Down The Lees" however and wherever it is released. Based on this Official Video for "Midi Doric" (Live) is looks and especially sounds phenomenal.
Fuck yes.
-Robb Donker Curtius
LYRICS
Stuck in the middle of a nervous plague
Biting nails, falling downstairs, alone isolated
Can’t play, complain
Complain, complain
All day and all night
Can’t play, complain
And you’re waking
As you’re breathing it in
And we’re breaking
As we’re breathing it in
I’m sick of living shitty in the city as we decay
And we’re braving away
Haven’t stepped outside in at least four days
In the same underwear just as long
I disappear
Can’t play, complain
Complain, complain
Complain, complain
And we’re breaking
As we’re breathing it in
And the sign says
Keep your hands to yourself
I’m sick of living shitty in the city as we decay
And we’re fading
We’re fading
We’re fading
We’re fading
https://downthelees.bandcamp.com/
https://www.instagram.com/downthelees/
https://www.facebook.com/downthelees
https://offwhitehouserecords.com/artists/downthelees/
Down The Lees is a formidable post-noise-rock trio rooted in Vancouver and Belgium and now based in British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley. Led by guitarist/vocalist Laura Lee Schultz, with Andy Ashley on drums and Chris Carlson on bass, the band is known for raw intensity, emotional depth, and unrelenting live shows that fuse distorted soundscapes with haunting melodies.
What began as Schultz’s solo project has evolved into a powerful lineup with a growing international reputation. Their discography includes the critically acclaimed Bury The Sun (recorded by Steve Albini) and the OSIF Award-winning single Douse. In 2024 they released Dirt, produced by Jesse Gander (Japandroids, ANCIIENTS), and have shared stages with Brutus, Pile, Sparta, Chastity, KEN mode, and Dead Bob (NoMeansNo).
In 2025, Down The Lees will release a high-concept live concert film and album, funded by Creative BC. Captured at the Mary Irwin Theatre by Irisphere Entertainment and mixed by Jesse Gander, the project combines cinematic visuals with an emotionally charged performance, cementing their reputation as a must-see act on the festival circuit.
Stuck in the middle of a nervous plague
Biting nails, falling downstairs, alone isolated
Can’t play, complain
Complain, complain
All day and all night
Can’t play, complain
And you’re waking
As you’re breathing it in
And we’re breaking
As we’re breathing it in
I’m sick of living shitty in the city as we decay
And we’re braving away
Haven’t stepped outside in at least four days
In the same underwear just as long
I disappear
Can’t play, complain
Complain, complain
Complain, complain
And we’re breaking
As we’re breathing it in
And the sign says
Keep your hands to yourself
I’m sick of living shitty in the city as we decay
And we’re fading
We’re fading
We’re fading
We’re fading
THE FACTS AS WE KNOW THEM
https://downthelees.bandcamp.com/
https://www.instagram.com/downthelees/
https://www.facebook.com/downthelees
https://offwhitehouserecords.com/artists/downthelees/
Down The Lees is a formidable post-noise-rock trio rooted in Vancouver and Belgium and now based in British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley. Led by guitarist/vocalist Laura Lee Schultz, with Andy Ashley on drums and Chris Carlson on bass, the band is known for raw intensity, emotional depth, and unrelenting live shows that fuse distorted soundscapes with haunting melodies.
What began as Schultz’s solo project has evolved into a powerful lineup with a growing international reputation. Their discography includes the critically acclaimed Bury The Sun (recorded by Steve Albini) and the OSIF Award-winning single Douse. In 2024 they released Dirt, produced by Jesse Gander (Japandroids, ANCIIENTS), and have shared stages with Brutus, Pile, Sparta, Chastity, KEN mode, and Dead Bob (NoMeansNo).
In 2025, Down The Lees will release a high-concept live concert film and album, funded by Creative BC. Captured at the Mary Irwin Theatre by Irisphere Entertainment and mixed by Jesse Gander, the project combines cinematic visuals with an emotionally charged performance, cementing their reputation as a must-see act on the festival circuit.
Down The Lees, British Columbia, alt rock, sludge metal, throttling guitars, pummeling drums, Laura Lee Schultz's commanding big voice, "Midi Doric" (Live), upcoming film "This Is What It Feels Like, by Down The Lees",
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