Summer Rain want to ‘Leave This Town’. The pandemic, and the largely senior citizen population of their hometown, Qualicum Beach on Vancouver Island, has made them feel a little stir crazy.
Summer Rain are still a considerably young group, and the nucleus was formed in March 2019 when guitarist and vocalist Will McLelland asked bass player Josh Beausoleil and drummer Logan Hale to be his backing band for one of his pre booked shows. They began rehearsing together, and thus was born Summer Rain.
While the pandemic meant they weren’t able to perform live as often as they wanted, they were instead able to focus on writing and recording songs, that they hoped would appeal to people outside the demographic of the Islanders. Their isolation helped them to consistently craft their music, creating a sound that is not just united but also top notch quality listening.
The new single, ‘Leave This Town’ explains the frustration at the lack of opportunity in their town for a band of their talents. Most young people have gone off-island, and what venues are available to them are mostly low profile, and unlikely to attract audiences from outside the island. The band members feel trapped at home, and the song covers their desire to leave, take advantage of their youth, and be free to pursue greater things.
Instrumentally, the track sees McLelland’s guitar at his strongest, with his solo perhaps his finest so far. With a natural flow and steady beat, they make a seamless progression into the keychange, and beyond to the end. There’s a timeless charm, which is bound to make ‘Leave This Town’ a timeless classic.
The accompanying video is also quality, with viewers invited to join McLelland as he wanders through his home town. It’s humorous, but with a darker edge; Will has food thrown at him from elderly locals, and a mysterious clown is watching his every move. His car also – oddly – gets stolen by an invisible thief. He’s attacked by the clown, blacks out, and we’re transported 60 years into the future, with the band members now senior citizens themselves, playing chess – still in the same town. The message is clear – get out…while you still can.
You can watch the music video for ‘Leave This Town’ below, and find out more about Summer Rain and their music online on their official website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and SoundCloud.
