Haunted Summer Release Daniel Johnston Cover for Valetine's Day

Perfectly timed for a February 14 release, Haunted Summer return with a dreamy, yet moody cover of "You Put My Love Out the Door," a heartbreaking Daniel Johnston pop ballad that poetically captures the gut-punch feeling that follows a bewildering case of rejection and unrequited love on a cold Valentine's Day. The song debuted today at Flood Magazine and the video is available to watch on YouTube.

The stirring, heart-on-your-sleeve track serves double duty as the lead single from the band's forthcoming full-length Whole, which offers another ethereal wave of folk, psychedelic rock, and dream pop. The upcoming LP will be released on June 21 via the band's new label, LaunchLeft (pre-order).

The band's Johnston cover, now available on all streaming platforms, is accompanied by a beautifully gloomy Geoff Ryan-directed video for the song, filmed oceanside in Point Arena, California - the furthest point west in the lower 48 states. Haunted Summer, which comprises the husband-and-wife songwriting duo of Bridgette Eliza Moody and John Seasons, said a combination of Mother Nature's bleak overcast sky and the Pacific Ocean's breaking waves made for the perfect dose of melancholia and cinematic majesty.

"We wanted it to feel like you were in another world," John Seasons explained. "We were truly blessed with the weather playing a starring role in the video - giving us all aspects of its beauty."

As for why the Los Angeles-based outfit chose to cover the late Daniel Johnston for a lead single, the pair said LaunchLeft label head Rain Phoenix had something to do with that.

"It was more than happily chosen, as per Rain's request," Moody said. "It's a cover of one of our absolute favorite artists. His music drove the way we created ours. It doesn't need to be perfect to be perfect.

"I think the song speaks to the lyrical theme of the rest of the album where you confront the ones that have hurt you, either intentionally or not," she added. "You don't necessarily need an apology or even a reply, but just speaking your own piece gives you peace. And the fact that we were able to pull it together to release in time for Valentine's Day made it even more special."

Formed in 2012, Haunted Summer first gained critical buzz after its 2013 Something in the Water EP. A rigorous touring schedule followed, and the band has since issued a small stack of other records, including 2014's Birth and 2017's Spirit Guides LP, the duo's latest long-play album.

Haunted Summer also announced two West Coast shows supporting Ghostly Kisses. The band will be performing on February 18 in Los Angeles at Moroccan Lounge and on February 19 in San Francisco at Amados. Tickets are available here. Stay tuned for additional news and show announcements from Haunted Summer.

Listen to the new cover here: