Yes, indeed, that moment has arrived, the new Doug Hoekstra album, “The Day Deserved,” is officially released in the U.S. and Europe. Many outlets for digital and physical but here are a couple, kick in and make your day….
https://doughoekstra.bandcamp.com/album/the-day-deserved (U.S.)
https://continentalrecordservices.bandcamp.com/album/the-day-deserved (Europe)
Advance Praise for The Day Deserved
“peerless musical tales of quirks & misdemeanors”
(Mike Cobey, Brighton Magazine)
“Always an interesting cat, Hoekstra’s magic has always sprung from sounding so underground yet being visible enough to nail real awards…his first record in a decade is cause for celebration“
(Chris Spector, Midwest Record)
“The Day Deserved is a welcome return to song from one of Nashville’s most lauded songwriters…a mature, emotional recording…you’ll see Doug Hoekstra’s name on various end of the year best of lists… and it’s well worth the wait.”
(James Mann, Ink 19)
“Intricate and articulate lo-fi Americana…. scintillating and tragically beautiful, sounding like Pete Shelley fronting a Velvet Underground offshoot. Doug Hoekstra is not just a mighty fine singer, songwriter and storyteller; but the way this is sequenced and indeed; produced put it right up there with the Big League…”
(Rocking Magpie UK)
“…bound to land on many ‘best of 2021’ lists..the arrangements on this album are impeccable….ten beautiful underground pop songs executed to perfection…this man has a totally killer understated manner of singing that is instantly appealing….The Day Deserved is an album that will surely stand the test of time. Resilient, smart and different. This one’s a modern-day classic. Highly recommended.”
(Baby Sue Top Pick)
“…Thoroughly intriguing and compelling, an album that reaches well beyond the usual melodic and thematic constraints…an album that reflects deep thought fleshed out with full finesse, The Day Deserved ought to be considered a truly singular accomplishment.”(Lee Zimmerman, Goldmine)
“Poetic observations of people, places and times unencumbered by musical boundaries…folk, rock and even reggae….there is a great deal going on both lyrically and musically throughout this record that it can be hard keeping up. But even if the eloquent lyrics do detach themselves from the flowing layers of sound do not despair. ‘The Day Deserved’ merits repeated listening, an experience akin to returning to an art gallery several times and finding something new on each visit.”
(Lyndon Bolton Americana-UK)
“Perhaps the message in Late Night Ramble sums it all up in the lines, ‘Some people skate the surface, Others go just deep enough, To feel any kind of feeling, That isn’t mindless and numb.’ The message of live-and-let-live runs through these songs, however fractured and in need of support we all may be. The gaps between are not as great as the potential for love and understanding in these troubled times. Welcome back Doug, we missed you!”
(Paul McGee, Lonesome Highway)
“…there’s a place for well-measured and carefully crafted intelligent song craft. Our touchstones are probably the like of Van Dyke Parks, Randy Newman, Tom Waits, and Jackson Browne (add you own favourites to this list). So, here, filling his application to join this estimable bunch, is Doug Hoekstra…The Day Deserved is one of those albums which slowly creeps into your life. It’s polished, all the songs are gems which have been cut to perfection but they reflect darkly the world around them. Hoekstra leads his note perfect ensemble on a variety of styles ranging from the lounge-lizard sleaze and sophisticated syncopations to dreamlike reveries and tender introspective murmurings.” (Paul Kerr, Blabber ‘n Smoke)
Hoekstra’s “songwriting and storytelling acumen is as sharp as ever…on a reinvigorated creative streak, a welcome return for those who followed his career prior to the sabbatical and a terrific introduction to those coming to him new. It’s a new day and most certainly well deserved.”
(Mike Davies, Fatea UK).
“…**** There aren’t so many musicians who approach their work at this level, none of today’s pre-fab pop artist to be sure. Hoekstra realizes that if a story is worth telling, he is going to use whatever is necessary at his creative disposal to get that message across. The Day Deserved is not the kind of album I’m going to listen to every day, but there will be times I will need what it has to offer; solace, comfort, and help in changing the way I think about things… and today, as I write entering the second week of 14-day Covid self-isolation and ponder my recent 63th birthday, is one of those days.” (John Kerieff, Rock Doctor).
We’ve been doing lots of pre-release work, via press, radio, and video, and of course, there will be lot more to come (lots more radio, for next time). The new book of Hoekstra short stories, “Ten Seconds In-Between” comes out in June, as well. Thanks to the many writers and deejays who have been supportive so far – some of the best blurbs are listed above and we appreciate the time taken to listen, and testify. We’re all in this together.
Doug Hoekstra 