Maritime-rooted and Ottawa-based Paragon Cause continue the work they began with Danish indie-rock legend, producer, songwriter Sune Rose Wagner on their Lies Between Us EP, with the release of “Lost Cause,” a synth-wave track that deals with a sensitive topic but hits home for many.
“Lost Cause evolved from me being able to voice my frustration with the problems that women face in the criminal justice system,” says Opthof. “It is meant to serve as an anthem for women everywhere. To keep going, and to keep fighting for what is right.”
In particular, Opthof references the Netflix true-crime mini-series Unbelievable. Based on true stories, the show follows the case of a raped teenager who was dismissed by male detectives at the time and recanted her story, and the two female detectives who put the investigation together years later.
“The Netflix show Unbelievable deals with two separate women’s treatment by law enforcement following a rape. Spoiler alert: the second scenario would only exist in a dream world,” says Opthof. “I fear we may never catch up, hence my lyrics ‘You’re a lost cause, you mean nothing’.”
The video style matches the synth-wave sound of the track; all fluorescent neon, chromatic aberrations, and whatever the modern equivalent of shoulder pads might be. It’s like The Bangles’ “Video Killed the Radio Star,” but darker, and it’s not the radio star who needs to worry. Strobing lights and lasers dance across the screen as the video jumps from the duo and their instruments to an old tube TV with imagery to match the lyrics.
The band calls “Lost Cause” an anthem for anyone who wants justice, about “the cycle of violence and what it will take to get those who commit these acts the same or equal punishment as those who live with the scars of domestic violence and sexual assault.”
“… [But] our version implores you to look under the surface of the flashing lights,” says Bonaparte. “There are a lot of visual metaphors and symbolism hidden within. Some obvious, but the majority remain more obtuse. The scars of trauma can come from many sources, and we present many of them within the imagery of the video.”
“Our goal wasn’t controversy, but rather reality. We didn’t want to hide from the images we all see on TV, the news and the internet. We did, however, want to be sensitive with the video. We wanted to ensure we were not being exploitative,” says Bonaparte.
It’s not the uplifting song you dance to on a night out, but it’s a song to let those suffering know that they are not alone and that others are fighting for their cause.
The song is part of Paragon Cause’s “intensive and intensely collaborative session” with Sune Rose Wagner from the Fall of 2019. Together they’ve produced a 10 song album, What We Started, which will be released April 17, 2020.