Belgian indie band Douglas Firs, led by Gertjan van Hellemont are back with a fresh, new sound. In 2012 Douglas Firs released their debut album ‘Shimmer and Glow’ and the response was like a dream for any new band. Singles played on the radio and a tour of Europe. The second album was a blues, Americana, folk sound dressed up in a pop jacket. Their 3rd album Hinges of Luck will be released in October, with the first single “Shine ’em up Sadie” out now. This song, inspired by the story of the Baldizzi family and the struggles of the Italian immigrants back in 1929 is a sample of the new sound. The music is more upbeat and driven than ever before; fresh, hungry and just a bit different.
Van Hellemont was listening to the music of My Morning Jacket, John Grant and Ray Lamontagne and really inspired by the synth sound. During his time in Montreal, he contacted Senne Guns to ask if he would play the synths on the album, fully aware that his original request was really kind of awkward: “I want synths, but it’s not allowed to sound like synths”. Ultimately he gave Guns carte blanche and that’s when the magic happened.
“This music is about a whole generation – mine – that’s struggling with what they should be doing right now. I have among my friends a psychologist who really wants to be a marine biologist, a company spokesperson who believes he should be a writer, and a lawyer who’d prefer to be a graphic designer. And the worst thing of it all: it’s all possible. But how can you know?”
