Out now: the new album Enter Sanctuary by The Dutch. The Dutch is Hans Croon (vocals, guitar, lyrics), Bert Croon (keyboards, vocals), Jan de Kruijf (bass guitar, vocals) and Klaas Jonkmans (drums, vocals). The title track is released simultaneously as a single.
Enter Sanctuary is vintage The Dutch: a musically idiosyncratic, critical commentary on the zeitgeist. But also: a loving ode to art and beauty.
The EP has five songs:
In Enter Sanctuary, The Dutch collaborates with singer Fay Lovsky. The text is about identity. Why is it so important to feel part of a group with the same skin color, sexual orientation, or nationality? Why should I appreciate you for who you are instead of what you have done and do? And why are you building a wall around your sanctuary?
The artwork, with photos by Jantje Geldof, illustrates the permanent quarrel atmosphere in which we seem to find ourselves in this blessed part of the world. They are the herons from the Albert Cuyp market, who dispute each other for the waste at the end of the day. Also read Hans’s blog and check the video clip!
6OOO Sardines is a compelling 6/8 beat. It is a song of praise for the anti-populist grassroots movement in Italy that has temporarily halted the advance of Matteo Salvini et al in the cities. Bella ciao!
In the Dark was written in the middle of the first wave of the corona crisis, when no one understood anything about the virus and the confusion was complete. Hans felt a great need not to enter the cacophony of data, opinions and emotions. If we were “in the dark” after all, then we had better retire there – with a loved one, a good book, a guitar.
Where Did Your Blood Flow is number so many in what will become a real theme of The Dutch: the cross-pollination of art and pop music. As before on “Werkman”, the band is inspired by a painting. In this case Charley Toorop’s “Working class woman” from 1943. The person portrayed only became known a year ago: it was Johanna “Jansje” Punt. She was Toorop’s housekeeper. Family members recognized her from a photo of the painting in the newspaper.
1968, the closing song, is a classic pop song with jingling 12-string guitars and a cheerful melody (as far as you can speak of that with The Dutch). With a nod to Scott McKenzie’s hippie anthem “San Francisco”, the song is about today’s San Francisco. A very expensive city, populated by the hip millionaires of Silicon Valley, the data guzzlers who invade our lives like an octopus. In the song, the hippies of 1968 re-enter the city to chase off the libertarian princes of Silicon Valley.
Enter Sanctuary was mixed and produced by Jan de Kruijf and mastered by Wout de Kruif. In the coming months the band will be working on a full-fledged album that will be released in the second quarter of 2021.
Enter Sanctuary – Lyrics and thoughts (booklet)
You can buy the cd here.
Listen to Enter Sanctuary on Soundcloud or Spotify.
© Run the Story 2020
Contact:
Freakish / Kirsten Kleinfeld, (+31) 6 51785530