"The raw spirit of indie rock. An amplified, rocking version of ’60s protest folk. The soulful passion of the Violent Femmes and The Waterboys." All of these comparisons have been made in attempts to describe Delta Spirit, the southern California five-piece who might just be one of the most important new bands of the decade. Each description contains elements of the truth, but the real answer to the question “who is Delta Spirit?” lies within Ode to Sunshine, the band’s captivating debut. The group’s DIY ethic shines throughout the album, with songs honed razor-sharp over a year of non-stop touring across America. Opening sold-out tours for Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Cold War Kids, and Dr. Dog, the band developed a riveting live show and gained a loyal following amongst tastemaker music fans, earning them invites to national festivals like Austin City Limits, Noise Pop and Sasquatch. So it would not be an understatement to call Ode to Sunshine one of the year’s most highly-anticipated debuts. But don’t take our word for it; in the words of Delta Spirit: “If you’re feeling what I’m feeling come on, all you soul searching people come on.”
Jonathan Jameson of Delta Spirit took a few minutes out of the band’s busy touring schedule to answer a few questions about the band, their music, and Ode to Sunshine.
Where in California did the band come together? How did you meet?
We are all from Southern California. Brandon met Matt while he was singing and playing guitar by the train tracks in San Diego. The rest is boring.
Who plays what and sings? Do you trade off instruments on different songs?
Brandon plays drums and percussion. Sean plays guitar, does some percussion and hits a big drum. Jon exclusively plays bass with the occasional vocal. Kelly plays piano, hits a drum, sings, hits a trashcan, plays guitar and a high strung guitar. Matt plays guitar, sings and plays piano.
Your songs are credited to the band as a whole. Could you describe how they come together? Are the lyrics collaborative as well?
It’s always a new experience. Matt and Kelly write the lyrics with minor editing done by the band. Songs come as jams, ideas, almost complete chords, hummed notes, drum beats, etc.
Some of the songs have very infectious sing along melodies (like the ba ba ba’s in “People C’mon”). Do you envision your music as communal, for audiences to participate in as well as listen to?
Our music feels most at home when we play it with people as opposed to at people. There is a mystery to music played live. It brings us out of ourselves into something bigger, something beyond our individuality. Sometimes it happens, other times the songs are just songs.
You recorded Ode to Sunshine at a cabin in Julian, California, out in the desert east of San Diego. Did the isolation of the setting influence the vibe of the album (like say, Dylan and The Band’s Basement Tapes)?
It feels like sun, saunas, dogs, friends, Old Crow and Coke, Eli Thompson, beards, hot days, long star filled nights, good books, hikes, shorts, bbq and just the way we wanted to make our first record.
Your music has been compared to current indie rockers, ’80s punk roots bands, and sixties folk rockers. Was there any music you listened to growing up, or that you listen to now, that you hear seeping into your current sound?
We were born in the ’80s, grew up in the ’90s and have parents from the ’60s. We are proud of the bands that are making great music now. Maybe it’s like the Waterboys covering Harry Nilsson or maybe a song by the Weavers at a rally, but on tour next month with Richard Swift. We want to be found in the lineage of honest and true music that has found its way through every current of music history.
There seems to be a conscience in the music, a sense of taking responsibility for ourselves, each other, and the world. What do you feel is special about this moment in history, and this generation, and the place of music and art in society? Are you encouraged by the energy you feel coming back to you from your audiences?
There is a feeling of possibility in our age. We feel that same possibility with our band. There is a deep connection there. We don’t want to forget about the most important thing for us, which is simply making good music, but that does include being aware of what’s going on in the world as well as what’s going on in our own heads and souls. We aren’t self-aggrandizing cock rockers or activist idealist hippies. We just want to be honest about ourselves and how we see the world, not minimizing the darkness or the hope, because both are very real.
Your original DIY version of Ode to Sunshine featured austere black & white artwork, while the new cover is much warmer, with the smiling face of Dr. Thomas Payne (an uncle of one of the band members) raising a toast while at a scientific convention on bark beetles. The Rounder release also features an additional song, “Streetwalker,” which despite its somber subject features a Phil Spector / Brian Wilson groove. Do the new artwork and song show a new side to the band?
I think that before when we were looking at the album it felt kinda heavy to us and serious. About the big things in life. Like a dusty record of Kennedy speeches. But I think we realized that the true feeling of the album also included what we were feeling while making it and recording it and that those bits of summer and excitement and wonder break through every once in a while. It’s as if after listening to those sobering speeches we found the pics of the Kennedys on vacation and now it all really made sense. The light and the dark. Sometimes you have to laugh at the serious stuff to be able to do something about it.
From the opening Rubber Soul-esque acoustic guitars of “Tomorrow Goes Away” to the saloon piano-over-grunge chords of “Trashcan,” from the harmonica-driven protest waltz “People, Turn Around” to the insistent surf rock drums of “Children,” Ode to Sunshine perfectly captures the energy and hope of a new generation that’s rising like a phoenix to change the world. And with Delta Spirit providing the soundtrack, this is one revolution you can dance to.
Empty House
Delta Spirit Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
One every couple of feet
They got mixed up in the lyme and the sand
Nobody noticed but me
How could one little speck
Make a difference to the rest
Well it doesn't, no one cared
I payed my debt to the hotel unknown
I drove so far, out of funds
They kept me up, a family untied
I shared their wall and their secret
I can tell you this much
There is no love when bankrupt
Just an empty gutted house
and a grave
I got this limp from a favor I did
Some folks don't like charity
Copper pipe is worth more than you'd think
There ain't no point blaming me
How could one little speck
Make a difference to the rest
Well it doesn't, no one cared
Except me
How could one little speck
Make a difference to the rest
Well it doesn't, no one cared
How could one little speck
Make a difference to the rest
Well it doesn't, never will
Just like me
The song "Empty House" by Delta Spirit is an introspective and melancholic reflection on life's struggles and the feeling of being unappreciated. The lyrics explore the idea that small individual efforts may go unnoticed in the grand scheme of things, but they are still important and have value to the person making them. The glinting gems in the concrete that the singer paved are a metaphor for these small efforts, which seem insignificant to others but hold significance to the singer. The concrete also represents the weight of the world's struggles and difficulties that the singer is carrying.
In the second verse, the singer refers to paying a debt to an unknown hotel and being out of funds, highlighting the financial struggles they are facing. They then mention staying with a family and sharing their secret, which could be interpreted as the singer finding comfort and connection in others' struggles instead of feeling alone in their own. The line "There is no love when bankrupt" implies that financial difficulties can strain relationships and cause people to forget about love and compassion.
The final verse explores the singer's physical injury and the judgment of others regarding their character. The limp the singer has was caused by a favor they did, but some people don't appreciate charity, leading to the singer feeling unappreciated once again. The ending lines, "Just like me," suggest a feeling of resignation to the idea that the individual's efforts may never be recognized or appreciated.
Overall, the song "Empty House" speaks to the universal feeling of being undervalued and invisible in society. The lyrics paint a picture of someone struggling with financial difficulty and physical injury, while simultaneously grappling with a lack of recognition and appreciation for their efforts.
Line by Line Meaning
Glinting gems in the concrete I paved
Small but valuable things laying amongst the ordinary things that I created.
One every couple of feet
They are scattered around evenly amidst the mundane.
They got mixed up in the lyme and the sand
The special things were lost in the process of creating something grander.
Nobody noticed but me
Only I am aware of what was lost.
How could one little speck
How could one small thing make a difference?
Make a difference to the rest
Impact the entirety of what was created.
Well it doesn't, no one cared
It didn't and no one else recognizes its importance.
Except me
Only I see the value in them.
I payed my debt to the hotel unknown
I settled what was owed to a place that has no real significance to me.
I drove so far, out of funds
I traveled a great distance with limited resources.
They kept me up, a family untied
I was forced to spend time with a family who had nothing in common.
I shared their wall and their secret
I temporarily lived in their home and learned something about them that they didn't intend for me to know.
There is no love when bankrupt
When all is lost, love is hard to find.
Just an empty gutted house
All that's left is an abandoned, empty building.
and a grave
Where the past is buried.
I got this limp from a favor I did
A reminder of the cost of helping others.
Some folks don't like charity
Not everyone appreciates when you try to help them.
Copper pipe is worth more than you'd think
The value of things isn't always apparent.
There ain't no point blaming me
No need to assign blame.
Never will
Some things will never change...
Just like me
...just like how I will always see the value in what was lost.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: BRANDON YOUNG, JONATHAN JAMESON, KELLY WINRICH, MATTHEW VASQUEZ, WILL MCLAREN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Josh Pendergrass
one of their best songs imo
vinceslave
Such a good song... Thanks