Biography
Following the breakup of Denali, Richmond, Virginia native Maura Davis—the group’s former frontwoman—initially weighed stepping away from music altogether and possibly returning to school. New material soon began to emerge, however, before she could complete any enrollment. Armed with home-recorded demos, she contacted Chicago bassist Stephen Howard of Pinebender and drummer Ryan Rapsys of Euphone and Heroic Doses in the summer of 2004; both musicians had already backed Denali on its final tour. The songs took shape through repeated exchanges mailed between Illinois and Virginia. Davis later traveled to Chicago for rehearsals, and guitarist Matt Clark, previously of Pinebender and Joan of Arc, completed the lineup of Ambulette, originally called Bella Lea. The quartet threaded pensive, heartfelt sentiments into an atmosphere brighter than Denali’s. Recorded in spring 2005, the band’s moody and intimate debut EP The Lottery appeared on Astralwerks the following March.
Singles
