Harrington, Delaware Rock four-piece Dutchman are back with a nostalgically welcoming yet exploratively modern new release in their new single, “Hey Now”.
The track lands as a precursor to Dutchman’s forthcoming album, Vol. 3 out December 22, 2021, and a chronological follow-up to 2020’s Vol. 1 and Vol. 2.
The band pulls all the stops on “Hey Now” to develop a fully-rounded rock and roll record; the pace is contemporary and danceable, and the lyrics are catchy and memorable. From the top, the band unleashes an electric guitar riff strung together with a pounding piano melody. It’s nostalgic and modern; a testament to back then, with a nod to the here and now.
The track delights as it foreshadows an exciting new chapter in the life and tenure of Dutchman; the earworm it forms inside your brain promises to nestle deep inside and not wander off. A self-proclaimed American rock band, the group intermingles their love of classic outfits like Skynyrd, with their modern heroes such as Greta Van Fleet and The Black Keys, and the new song is reminiscent of early Who, effervescent Doors, and tangled in a web of Ben Folds Five.
It was a simple stroke of fate that brought Connor Johnson to Jake Dutcher’s call for similar musicians back in 2017. Soon, the sound was fleshed out and the band was completed by the addition of Fez (Drums) and Garrett Gravatt (Guitar). By 2020, the newly minted four-piece was signed to Bless Up Records, and well on their way to releasing Dutchman Vol. 1 and 2 and later the addition of pianist Franco Solorzano in late 2020 brings you the sound you hear on Vol. 3 today.
As such, “Hey Now” is an exciting lead start to the follow-up, Vol. 3, and comes with a highly deliberate approach.
“After Vol. 2, we really wanted to make a more hands-on project — which included stripping back and starting over on ‘These Days,’ and completing a more presentable version of ‘Find A Way Out,’” Johnson shares. “We wanted ‘Hey Now’ to be our first engagement back for our listeners so they’d get the full scope of our laid back live attitude for this EP.
“Between my slide lead, and Franco’s thundering piano on the intro of the song, it brings us back to a simpler vibe like in the early days of the band,” he continues. “Most of these tracks started with us recording our parts together while also leaving room for small overdubs; ‘Landslide’ is a great example of the crisp belting vocals and the prolific guitar work that Jake Dutcher and Garrett Gravatt do so well. With a melodic rhythm track recorded, Gravatt also adds a blistering solo at the song’s sonic peak. When it came time to strip back ‘These Days,’ you can really hear the simple but filling drums Fez is known for. Always being adamant about serving the song before his ego, Fez really is a delight to have back in the fold full time after our unplugged gigs during quarantine.”
“Recording with the band has always been fun and there’s always something new with every record and their songs,” Gravatt remarks.
“For Vol. 3, it was a lot easier and I personally had more fun working,” Fez adds. “We’ve become better musicians than ever, and that made recording my drums and getting everybody in sync simple and easy, helping to make the recording process as smooth as possible. These new songs are another step of music making. We’re happy with how they came out and can’t wait for the world to hear them.”
