The Delines
The Sea Drift
(Decor)
The new Delines LP is kind of a media event for us. All of the singles we’ve heard over the past few months have thrilled us with their mastery of that musical mystery that draws you relentlessly closer. It’s as if, Amy Boone is whispering so soothingly and insidiously, come to me, give your life over to entropy…
Oh alright then, if you ask like that, I’ve done it before. Never ends well, but…
The Delines are anchored by musician, novelist (Lean On Pete and The Motel Life), Willy Vlautin and singer Amy Boone. Willy’s narrative songs that he gained notoriety for as the frontman of the alt-country group Richmond Fontaine now feature a new voice and perspective offered by Amy. the Sea Drift offers a dramatically evocative cinematic mood.
The first single from The Sea Drift, Little Earl, came out last October. “The country-soul inflected, Little Earl gives you of course, almost an entire Willy Vlautin novel, or at least a short story in one song. The protagonists are driving down the gulf coast and Little Earl's brother is bleeding heavily in the backseat of a car they shouldn't be in. Of course the AC doesn't work…” from Ancient Champion’s review here.
Following Little Earl, The Sea Drift’s Kid Codeine is poignant, tender, husky, world weary voice, hints of "been there, seen it, done it, and just about alive to tell the tale". A tale of living, or been living, or seen living on the edge and the sheer pain drenched horns, make the record, memories, memories, memories, sad and loving recalled, days of suffering past.
Love and loyalty, hopes and fears, failures and losses, that's all there is, a sad song, a sad life, tragic, Tom Waits' losers without the bravado, without the admiration, without the celebration. But in the life, there's love, and that's what love is, staying hand in hand, head on shoulder, through the bad times, down on the dark side of town, this is song of love, and admiration, a reminder that people do love through what, sewerage life pours over them. Kid Codeine is a survivor's song and is adrfit and a sea of survivor songs.
This is a great collection of songs for valentine's day a song for lovers, fighters, losers and loves, winners in bad times, forget the flowers and chocolates, bathe in the warmth of love and lover's horns played on this one. As an aside I’ve got to say this knocks Adele and all the "Vas Glitz", into a gutter with the drunks and toothless dying souls that live in the song's depicted in Sea Drift’s World world.
“Please hurry up, hurry up, hurry up, hurry… I feel like I am drowning in plain sight.” Amy Boone reaches out in Drowing in Plain Sight. And Lynett’s Lament is the most tender animation of Edward Hopper’s Nighthawks canvas.
Hearts are for the laying on the line, honestly have to say - listened to the Sea Drift this morning, good job it’s breakfast time, if it were late night, I'd be reaching for the Whiskey, and Whisky and Bourbon, and drowning in sea of self pity and spirits of hopelessness. The very best record I have heard in an age.
Essential Info
The Delines The Sea Drift is out Now
The Delines on 2022 tour here
