Fine Shields We Are is the first single to be taken from the album "Four" by The Dutch. It is a political song, an exclamation of outrage about the way people who have fled their homes from war and violence are being treated: instead of welcoming refugees and helping them to find shelter, we build high walls and fences to keep them out, fuelled by cowardly politicians. Hence the guitars sound heavy and sharp, and the banjo and marimba are there to create a desolate atmosphere. Nevertheless there is still hope we come to our senses: "It's cold outside / so come in and hide". The Dutch is an Amsterdam based pop group. Founded in the eighties, the band released three albums (Working In Los Alamos, This Is Welfare and Under The Surface) and a couple of hit singles in the Netherlands, including This Is Welfare. In 2015, the band reunited as the back catalogue albums were remastered and distributed online. We started writing and recording new songs. We, that is: Hans Croon (vocals and guitars), Bert Croon (keyboards and vocals), Jan de Kruijf (bass guitar and vocals) and Klaas Jonkmans (drums and vocals). The music of The Dutch does not follow any formula. Writing the 14 songs on "Four", we did not feel any constraints in the way they should sound. Rather, we let each song organically define itself: some songs, like this single, called out for a marimba and a banjo, others needed a string quartet or a brass section, a vibraphone arrangement or a mandoline. The same counts for the themes we write about: some lyrics are narrative, some personal and some, like Fine Shields We Are, political. Here are the lyrics to the song: Sea winds shake the downs Raging through guilty grounds Those who have seen hell Survivors, here to tell They knock on our doors They're gazing at our fences And trenches They’re stumbling ‘cross our minefields Fine shields we are Borderline patrols Heading the exit polls High walls stretched out What’s that all about People come on They're gazing at our fences And trenches They’re stumbling ‘cross our minefields Fine shields we are It’s cold outside So come in and hide Behind our gloomy fences And trenches Our barriers and minefields Fine shields we are Be sure to check out the album Four (release date 11/15/2016), share it with your friends and join us on Facebook, Twitter and what have you!