MAGNET Exclusive: Premiere Of The Delines’ “The Haunting Thoughts” Video

There’s no denying the Delines’ cult-hero pedigree. Featuring former Richmond Fontaine members Sean Oldham, Freddy Trujillo and Willy Vlautin and Damnations vocalist Amy Boone, the Portland-based quintet certainly qualifies as an Americana supergroup—one that’s found a passionate fanbase over the past decade, particularly in Europe and among the British press.

“The Haunting Thoughts” is the new single from the Delines’ fifth LP, Mr. Luck & Ms. Doom (Jealous Butcher/El Cortez), a dusky country/soul masterpiece due February 14. It was written by Vlautin, an author with seven books to his credit. The Motel Life and Lean On Pete have already been made into feature films, and a Netflix thriller based on his 2021 novel, The Night Always Comes, is currently in production. Mr. Luck & Ms. Doom was recorded in Vancouver with longtime collaborator John Morgan Askew (Neko Case). Its disarmingly beautiful horn and string arrangements come courtesy of Delines keyboardist/trumpeter Cory Gray.

Perhaps not surprisingly, “The Haunting Thoughts” has a film-noir feel. “It’s about a woman who can’t shake the fear that the world she’s in is going to collapse,” says Vlautin. “She sees all this desperation around her, 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, and it’s my favorite Amy vocal to date. She has this pure way of getting inside the world of the lyrics. She just kills me on this one.”

For a fitting visualization of the song’s simmering unease, filmmakers Greg Schmitt and Efrem Peters turned to the streets of their hometown.

“Portland has such an edge to it right now, with so many people living on the streets, in cars and broken-down RVs, and in tents,” says Vlautin. “I’m endlessly heartbroken by it—and also scared shitless that it could be me one day.”

We’re proud to premiere the Delines’ “The Haunting Thoughts” video.

—Hobart Rowland

See the Delines live.