Now that’s what I call good news!
Portland band, the Delines, have a new album out, The Sea Drift and will soon be touring Europe soon. Led by songwriter/novelist Willy Vlautin, they feature the sublime voice of Amy Boone and are a quite magnificent live band. These days, Willy (who used to be in Richmond Fontaine) is as successful as a writer as he is as a songsmith
Nothing boombastic here. Just like Willy’s novels their songs are small, wistful portraits of everyday American life on the other side of the tracks. They call themselves a “retro country” band but the stories they tell are anything but nostalgic. Like Nomadland, this is an America we perhaps don’t see hear so much about.
Go on! Treat yourself!
Do any of you have a favourite Delines song?
Here’s another new song….
A review for the new album.
https://www.folkradio.co.uk/2022/02/the-delines-the-sea-drift/?fbclid=IwAR2PErgLFXVtnL9Th8sk9eGS5d1GNW5a3bbfjd6u12y6AKuHX_L1-SxtbTg
Fantastic live band – I had tickets to see them at the Union Chapel (again) but they re-arranged due to Omicron and I cant make the new date – shit.
Willy Vlautin is my current favourite novelist – everything he has written is sheer genius.
I can understand your disappointment, Steve. They are wonderful live. What can I say?
You could always pop over to Sweden??
Here they are back in 2014 at KEXP.
The second song, Oil rigs at night, is classic Delines
In the interview, they name-check Sammi Smith who you all know from the Wistful Anthems thread where she was mentioned by @Morrisson.
Wow, that is just magnificent
Thanks for your enthusiasm.
But which song did you like @bang em in bingham?
the Jimmy’s In Georgia track. This afternoon I played a “best of” wonderful, soulful stuff…many thanks
We must both thank @Morrison.
Interesting woman.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sammi_Smith
Her big hit was this Kris Kristofersson song.
Iain Matthews was very enthusiastic about them when I saw him on Sunday.
Bought TX for the Liberty Theatre in Dublin and. their debut on the back of the above. Should be good as the venue is only a 411-seater so nice and intimate
I think the new album is going to sit alongside Colfax as far as I’m concerned. I’ve listened to it a couple of times just today. I think The Imperial is a bit weak in comparison.
I’m a bit disappointed that they’re playing the Union Chapel as it’s not a very comfortable place to see a band but I guess they’re not going to be playing The Lexington again anytime soon!
Favourite Delines track? ‘The Oil Rigs at Night’ , it’s one of those Willie Vlautin songs where you picture the whole scene.
Great band, great albums, unfortunately I’ve never seen them live.
I saw The Delines at Club Nalen, here in Stockholm in May 2019.
It was my first real exposure to their music nd I as converted on the spot. For once´, I didn’t dash off the moment the gig was over, and, quite without intending to, I ended up having a chat and a beer with the band. And what an enormously friendly, approachable, charming bunch they are too.
Not an evening I will forget in a hurry. I do hope they get some good audiences on the new tour.
Discussing with a friend about seeing them in Gosforth.
Don’t discuss, Hubert! Go forth to Gosforth!!
Well I’m hoping for some a tad nearer first, as Bill Kirchen is touring at the same time and if he doesn’t come nearer I may have to go to Newcastle to see him two weeks later.
Gosforth is probably a goer I can see BK in Manchester as my son has just moved there today so I’ve somewhere to stay.
No dates in the North West yet but hopefully there will be some. Was gutted to miss them in Liverpool in 2019
I had tickets to see them last Sunday at Bury Met. It got postponed a couple of weeks ago and rescheduled for Sunday 17th July
Incidentally, thanks for the tip – I hadn’t registered that the new album is out. Halfway through a first listen and it sounds pretty damn fine so far….
Love this band and just enjoying the new album. Amy Boones voice is sensational and the arrangements spot on. Going to the Union Chapel gig with @Twang.
I was curious about what Amy Boone was doing before the Delines. In the KEXP interview they mention her previous band, the Damnations TX who were based in Austin, Texas.
I as Amy, her sister and brother in-law.
https://www.nodepression.com/interview/amy-boone-on-the-delines-the-damnations-and-what-exactly-is-a-social-message/
“Living in Austin for the majority of my life, I’ve heard all the old stories about Austin declaring its own identity separate from Nashville. According to those stories, it was the outlaw country musicians that realized Nashville wasn’t the only place to make music. I actually liked some of the country soul music coming out of Nashville in the seventies like Bobby Gentry. But I think one of the musicians who brought me back to my country roots in a modern way was Doug Sahm, a local Austin hero. He had all these interesting influences. He combined country music with Tex/Mex and was able to make it relevant to the times. The bass player in The Delines, Freddy Trujillo, is a big Doug fan, so we have lots of conversations about Texas music in the van. “
Sahm is (was) great. I picked up a cheap “cut out” LP of his aeons ago, and was hooked right away. Even the name was great, Texas Rock For Country Rollers.
Thanks @retropath. That was excellent. A witty songwriter.
It got me googling to find out more about the the Austin scene and I discovered this Pitchfork article covering the story of Outlaw Country in 33 songs.
https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/the-story-of-outlaw-country-in-33-songs/
It kicks off with this quote from Steve Earle:
“The outlaw thing happened because of Doug Sahm. Doug, mainly because he couldn’t get Big Red—a bright-red soft drink that tastes like bubblegum—leaves Mill Valley [outside San Francisco] and goes back to Texas. It was Doug who told Willie Nelson he should play Armadillo World Headquarters, and he told [Atlantic president] Jerry Wexler, “If you want progressive country music, you need to sign Willie.” That’s how we got Shotgun Willie and Phases & Stages.”
They played the 150-capacity Portland Arms a few years ago and I didn’t go. I have since discussed it with many in the audience, and they all rate it as one of the best gigs they’ve seen. I doubt they’ll play the Portland Arms again.
They won’t! What a miss! You must be kicking yourself. We are all wise after the event.
Here is a surprise. Amy Boone with the Damnations singing Elvis Costello!
It’s from a 2003 tríbute album by a lot of wonderfully obscure artists.
Here’s Alison feat Vic Chestnutt!
If it was half as good as the one at the Lexington (capacity 200) then they’re right, it was marvellous. In fact their London venues seem to double each time. Lexington 200, Jazz Cafe 440, Union Chapel 900. I wonder what the limit is. However popular they become, they should never play the O2!
Interesting thought @johnw. I suspect they wouldn’t want to.
When I saw them they were very keen to meet and greet, Willy, for example, had quite a line of people who wanted to talk to him about his novels and get him to sign their books.
And the rest of the band were very only too pleased to chat with fans. There’s a rootsy, homespun vibe that you don’t get with those artists who are flying off in their private jet before the arena is even empty.
No names, no packdrill.
I can’t wait to see them – have tickets for the Union Chapel in May. Whether I’ll go with my daughetr or the other half is undecided.
Favourite songs? Well, I’ve asked for He Don’t Burn For Me at the crem [not in the forseeable hopefully], Oil Rigs at Night, Holly the Hustle, Friday Night {have we not all had a call like that]. Surfers in Twilight from the new album is bloody wonderful – and every song he writes is an American short story.
With Jason Isbell Vlautin is the finest contemporay American songwriter. I’ve not read any of his novles yet, but I will.
I do hope they have some brass with them in May. It would be a marvellous southern soul Dan Penn vibe.
To see the Delines live with a brass section would indeed be a magnificent treat, Razorweed.
The arrangements on the new album are splendid.
And I I think your mention of Jason Isbell is right on the money. Two superb songwriters of a new generation whose roots lie in Austin and the Outlaws.
We’ve talked about Amy and Willy’s contribution to the band. But after @Razorweed Onion mentioned the brass, I wanted to find out who had done the arrangements.
It’s Corey Gray the multi-intrumentalist who plays keyboards and trumpet in the Delines.
This article is worth a look.
https://www.americanbluesscene.com/the-delines-share-new-single-video-past-the-shadows/
One major source of inspiration for is another great American singer-songwriter.
Willy said “The idea for the ‘The Sea Drift’ began with Amy and my mutual love of Tony Joe White. We used to have conversations about his records and she’d always joke, ‘Just write me ‘Rainy Night in Georgia.’ Jesus, what a tall order, but I guess in my own way I started trying.”
Tony Joe White: The Swamp Fox!
He penned some fine songs.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Joe_White
Do you want a quick look at Cory Gray’s studio in North Portland?
Of course you do!
https://www.needledrop.co/meet-the-composer-cory-gray/
Paying it forward AW style
After reading the splendid write ups above, got the new album yesterday and was playing it in the car when I dropped it off for some minor servicing. When I went back to collect the cart the mechanic asked me who the CD was by and if he could take a pic of the cover to pass on to his brother. I was happy to oblige
Terrific record and am really looking forward to seeing them come May
Just to note that there are now a few more UK dates confirmed for the summer, including, happily for me, the Hare & Hounds in B’ham.