Dutchman deliver a double dose of rock ’n’ roll romance with their high-flying simultaneous singles I Need You Now and In Your Heart — showcasing today on Tinnitist.
With a fresh yet evocative sound, the Delaware band continue to solidify their place in the music scene, building on their previous successes — including a feature in The Washington Post and thousands of international streams. Dutchman are fronted by singer-songwriter Connor Johnson, who has been present since the band’s inception in 2017, and has benefitted from the dedicated efforts of guitarist Garrett Gravatt, who joined in 2020 and has served a pivotal role in helping Johnson to engineer and produce their sound.
Their latest creations emerged from a transformative trek that Johnson and Gravatt took, heading to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, then Nashville and Knoxville. “Ever since our trip, we’ve been inspired to explore a more laid-back sound that feels like home,” says Gravatt. “These songs reflect the music we grew up listening to, stuff as old as our parents, and we hope to carry forward the spirit of history’s most cherished songs.”
Adds Johnson: “It’s hard to believe it’s been as long as it has, starting this band as 18-year-old kids to now being fully established adults almost in our 30s. Our growth is evident in the music. I Need You Now and In Your Heart are a testament to our newfound age and our journey here. It’s truly been a long, strange trip,” shares Johnson.
The A-side, I Need You Now, is an acoustic-driven ballad that Connor wrote for his wife. The song features choir and string arrangements, with Franco Solarzano recording a beautifully crafted piano solo for all to appreciate. “I Need You Now, for me, required the most creative effort of the two songs because I had to create a heartfelt piano solo with a memorable orchestral accompaniment,” says Solarzano. “It took a significant amount of time. In fact, I remember being half asleep when the final take of I Need You Now was captured, but in the end, I take much pride in how the song turned out. Moreover, It was genuinely a privilege to be a co-songwriter with Connor Johnson. His lyrics and musical structure, combined with my instrumental arrangements, are something I can’t wait to share with the world. I believe these songs will capture hearts and resonate with many.”
The B-side, In Your Heart, showcases Johnson on a 1962 Gretsch electric guitar, with Gravatt playing the foundational acoustic. The band brought in studio musician Connor O’Malley for slide guitar reminiscent of Joe Walsh and The Allman Brothers Band. O’Malley says: “Connor and I go way back to middle school; we even had a band together back in the day and I gotta say, working together again, it was like we never skipped a beat. It was truly inspirational coming in to lay down my recordings given that there were so many tools at our disposal. Also having the concepts of a song and developing it as we went along enabled for a creative flow I hadn’t really felt before.” Additionally, they hired lap steel guitarist Hayden Chance to overlay a part, with Johnson directing Chance to refer to the solo albums of Graham Nash.
Solarzano adds: As for In Your Heart, I would say this song underwent the most revisions of the two. I remember recording the piano part at Electric Fossil Studio and going through several different arrangements for the song over the course of about a year before landing on the final version. It was a long process, but I think the extra effort really paid off in capturing the emotion we wanted.”
The two singles serve as a prelude to Dutchman’s upcoming album, due in 2025. Watch the band play I Need You Now above, hear the studio version and In Your Heart below, and fall in love with Dutchman on their website, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
