Credit: Paolo Brillo
January 21, 2025 – Today, The Delines shared their new single “The Haunting Thoughts,” the next offering from their upcoming album Mr. Luck & Ms. Doom, out February 14 via El Cortez Records. Led by tender piano and sauntering instrumentation, the poignant song tells the story of a woman who’s reeling from an existential crisis, with Magnet Magazine praising its “film-noir feel.”
Watch the Video for “The Haunting Thoughts”
“‘The Haunting Thoughts’ is about a woman who can’t shake the fear that the world she’s in is going to collapse,” says Willy Vlautin, songwriter and guitarist for the band. “She sees all this desperation around her on the streets of Portland, Oregon, and she’s worried it’ll catch her, too – that she’ll end up on the streets. We wanted that uncertainty and vulnerability inside the fabric of the song. It’s one of those rare tunes that worked from the get-go. It just played itself. Cory’s piano is so great on this one and it’s my favorite Amy vocal to date. Amy has this pure way of getting inside the world of the lyrics. She just kills me on this one.”
Vlautin on the video: “We’ve been really lucky to get Greg Schmitt and Efrem Peters to film these videos. And Zach Jones who edits them. They’re all so cool and so good. They filmed the band stuff at The Showdown in Portland and the rest was shot driving around the city. Portland has such an edge to it right now, with so many people living on the streets, in broken-down RVs, in cars, and in tents. I’m endlessly heartbroken by it and also I’m scared shitless that it could be me one day. The song has that edge to it and I think the video carries the same edge.”
“The Haunting Thoughts” follows the bittersweet “Left Hook Like Frazier,” which was named Song of the Day at KUTX who praised its “twangy southern charm.” Already garnering early praise from MOJO Magazine, Guitar World and UNCUT who called it “their finest album yet,” Mr. Luck & Ms. Doom is a cinematic exploration of romantic misfits and grifters chasing hope in a world that often lets them down. Written by Vlautin, who is also an acclaimed novelist, the album showcases singer Amy Boone’s lush, world-worn vocals which, paired with rich instrumentation, embodies the unique soul-folk-blues blend that has defined The Delines’ sound for the last decade.
The Delines brings together the talents of Boone, formerly of the Austin-based band The Damnations, keyboardist and trumpet player Cory Gray, and members of Portland-based Americana cult favorites Richmond Fontaine: drummer Sean Oldham, bassist Freddy Trujillo, and Vlautin. An author praised by outlets including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Los Angeles Times among many others, Vlautin’s works are known for exploring the struggles of working-class America.
Boone’s path to fronting The Delines began unexpectedly when she was sitting alone at the piano during a Richmond Fontaine session, singing a ballad to herself, unaware that her microphone was on. From that moment on, Vlautin knew he wanted Boone to sing his songs. Her journey has not been without challenges, but her voice, described as evoking a “beat-up Dusty Springfield,” has become essential to the band’s sound.
Since their 2014 debut, The Delines have released four full-length albums, met with critical acclaim from Paste, AllMusic, No Depression, and more. They have topped Americana charts in the UK and Europe, earning the number one spot on the Americana UK Album of the Year list for their latest record, The Sea Drift (2022).
The Delines will be performing an album release show on February 15 at Polaris Hall in Portland, OR.
This spring, they will be heading out on their European tour in March – all dates are listed below and more information can be found on their website.
Mr. Luck & Ms. Doom Tracklist:
1. Mr. Luck & Ms. Doom
2. Her Ponyboy
3. Left Hook Like Frazier
4. Sitting On The Curb
5. There’s Nothing Down The Highway
6. Don’t Miss Your Bus Lorraine
7. The Haunting Thoughts
8. Nancy & The Pensacola Pimp
9. Maureen’s Gone Missing
10. JP And Me
11. Don’t Go Into That House
Tour Dates:
2/15 – Portland, OR – Polaris Hall
3/25 – Brighton, UK – Old Market
3/26 – Manchester, UK – Band On The Wall
3/27 – Leeds, UK – City Varieties
3/28 – Glasgow, UK – Saint Luke’s
3/29 – Newcastle, UK – Gosforth Civic
3/30 – Nottingham, UK – Metronome
3/31 – Birmingham, UK – Glee Club
4/1 – Bristol, UK – Lantern
4/2 – Southampton, UK – 1865
4/3 – London, UK – Union Chapel
4/4 – Eelko, BE – N9
4/5 – Rotterdam, NL – LantarenVenster
4/6 – Utrecht, NL – Tivoli
4/7 – Groningen, NL – Oosterpoort
5/4 – Kilkenny, IRL – Roots Festival
5/5 – Amsterdam, NL – Tolhuistuin
5/6 – Hamburg, DE – Nochtspeicher
5/7 – Aarhus, DK – HeadQuarters
5/8 – Gothenborg, SE – Pustervik Upstairs
5/9 – Stockholm, SE – Nalen Klub
5/10 – Malmo, SE – Plan B
5/11 – Copenhagen, DK – Hotel Cecil
5/12 – Berlin, DE – Privatclub
5/13 – Bremen, DE – Kulturzentrum Schlachtof (Radio Show)
5/14 – Eppstein, DE – Wunderbar Weite Welt
5/15 – Weert, NL – De Bosuil
The Delines:
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