-- THE DAMN TRUTH --
“Accept no substitute, The Damn Truth are probably the finest rock ‘n’
roll band on the planet right now."
– Metal Planet Music, UK
"...the band do what they do best: channel their hippie vibe through a
powerful hard-rock filter." - Classic Rock, UK
THE DAMN TRUTH
It is no secret that one of the most exciting new bands making noise in
the UK and Europe right now is Canadian. It's true, and it's The Damn
Truth, a Montreal rock foursome serving up a gutsy, revved up modern
reimagining of classic rock ideals.
And now, after touring the UK and Europe for the last four years, The
Damn Truth return with their self-titled fourth album, The Damn Truth,
and, once again, produced by the legendary Bob Rock (Motley Crue, The
Offspring, Bon Jovi, etc). This new album is the culmination of years of
hard work and constant touring; The Damn Truth are a perpetual and
virtually unstoppable rock and roll machine.
Fuelled by two Top 40 singles on the Active Rock Charts (“Love Outta
Luck,” “I Just Gotta Let You Know”), this new album marks the next level
in their relationship with Bob Rock. He has pushed the band in all areas
of playing, writing, and refining the Damn Truth signature sound, most
evident in the revelatory power of Lee-la Baum's vocals as evidenced on
the mystic, almost Zeppelin-vibed “The Willow;” the full on bittersweet
romance of “Better This Way;” the social conscience of “The Dying Dove;”
the cautionary “If Don't Make It Home;” and the hell yeah rabble rousing
“All Night Long.”
The Damn Truth have added some extra lanes on their rock'n'roll highway
as they explore new musical scenery, but the destination remains the
same: organic loud rock experienced best in a crowded concert hall
dripping in sweat.
Singer Lee-la Baum recalls the phone call that started it all – "It's
3am in the heart of London. The adrenaline from an epic show supporting
Glenn Hughes still courses through my veins as I collapse into my hotel
room. Just as I start to unwind, my phone jolts me awake. It’s Bob Rock!
The same Bob Rock I'd sent our demos to just hours earlier. Anticipation
fills the air as I answer the call.
"Hello?"
"Hi there, it's Bob!"
"How are you, Bob?" I reply, barely able to contain my excitement.
"I'm great! I listened to the new songs first thing this morning and I
just had to call you right away. It’s awesome! Probably the best songs
you guys have ever written. I'm excited to see you guys in a few weeks.”
“Let’s make a record!"
The album was recorded over a period of two months at Bryan Adams’
Warehouse Studios in Vancouver. This is Bob Rock's favourite studio;
it's a classic and gigantic old school recording haven (AC/DC had just
wrapped up prior to The Damn Truth's arrival), perfect for the massive
drum sound that Bob loves. Unlike their previous LP, Now or Nowhere
(2021), which was hampered by Covid restrictions; this one is 100%
produced and mixed (with Adam Greehholtz) by Bob Rock, who also gave the
band access to his incredible collection of rare and vintage guitars for
the sessions.
This is what Bob told the band at the start of this project, “When I
hear you guys, I feel the spirit of Zep 1, let’s make a record like
that, playing together, live, feeding off each other’s energy. That’s
rock n roll”
Led by singer/guitarist Lee-La Baum, the rest of the quartet consists of
lead guitarist Tom Shemer, bass-player PY Letellier, and drummer Dave
Traina. Critics have been nothing but effusive concerning Lee-la's
vocals. Rock at Night magazine stated, “Lee-La sounds like a combo of
Grace Slick (Jefferson Airplane, Jefferson Starship) and Ann Wilson
(Heart). Her vocals are beyond powerful... incredible rock and roll.”
Bassist PY Letellier noticed a difference in this album's creation,
"Working with Bob this time around really brought new layers to our
music that we hadn’t really had before."
"Bob Rock is synonymous with the biggest bass and drum sounds," adds
drummer Dave Traina, "But, with us, he seemed more interested in the
lyrics and melody. He had us play each song quietly with an acoustic
guitar and Lee-la’s voice and then building the music around those focal
points."
Their last album, Now or Nowhere, caught fire in the UK and Europe to
such a degree (airplay on over 70 stations plus A-list airplay on Planet
Rock, the UK’s most influential rock station, in addition to the BBC 2
Rock Show.
The 60s ethos of organic self-sufficiency is the lifeblood of The Damn
Truth and the secret to a work ethic that has garnered them over 2
million streams on Spotify, 60,000 followers on TikTok and more than 2
million YouTube views. Lee-la's voice on the Yves Saint Laurent Mon
Paris perfume video ad has been heard internationally, doubling their
fan base overnight as the word about The Damn Truth and their powerhouse
singer circled the globe.
The Damn Truth have constantly toured Europe performing to audiences in
the UK, Sweden, Denmark, Italy, France, Belgium, Germany, Romania,
Holland, and more). The band have also toured and performed with with
noteworthy rock bands and artists including Z.Z. Top, Alice Cooper,
Rival Sons, The Cult, Glenn Hughes, The Sheepdogs, Styx, and many more.
The Damn Truth's family vibe and down-to-earth accessibility have
endeared them to a loyal fan base who have been championing the band by
word of mouth, with Lee-la as their unofficial den mother.
"I honestly really love interacting with our fans," she says. "I think
they are the sweetest. I think our fans get what we are into, and our
peace and love and rock 'n' roll vibe still resonates with people out
there." says Lee-la.