"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.
House Built For Two
Delta Spirit Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You left me at home
To carve my own stone
I cried picking up pride
Oh, granite won't lie
We all got along
Well, it's true
A house fit for two
Is too small for you
Our son is losing his mind
His drugs that he hides
You can see in his veins
The steps he's needing to take
His back it might break
We both need you here
It's true
I build this for you
A house fit for two
Is too small for you
It's a shame
Leave you to blame
Changing your name
And left him insane
Return like a prodigal sheep
It's cold in the keep
But I have you here
I work hard then watch some TV
You staring at me
What are you doing there?
Get up, lay down your crown
What are you doing now?
Say I'm tired as hell
Yeah, I'm broke
Ain't got as much as you
To tell you the truth
Still am your man
It's true
I build this for you
A house fit for two
Is too small for you
It's a shame
Leave you to blame
Changing your name
And left me insane
The words on the tip of your tongue
Like a song I once sung
And you threw it away
That tune, old melody
Had hope in its ring
Those years never came
The lyrics of Delta Spirit's song House Built For Two depict the turmoil and pain of a crumbling relationship. The singer is recounting the years gone by, during which they were left alone to carve their own path, while their partner pursued their own desires. The singer now finds themselves in a broken home, living in a house meant for two, that has become too small for their estranged partner. Their son is also struggling with addiction, hidden drugs in his veins, and they both need their partner to return to restore order to their lives.
The lyrics paint a picture of a broken family, with a partner who has left to pursue their own happiness, leaving behind a trail of destruction. The singer implores their partner to return, asking them to lay down their crown and join them in the struggle. The lyrics "return like a prodigal sheep" is a reference to the Biblical story of the Prodigal Son, who left his father's house to pursue a life of excess but returned home, repentant and forgiven. The song ends with the singer reminiscing about a song that they once sang with their partner, a melody filled with hope that was never fulfilled.
Interestingly, Delta Spirit's lead vocalist, Matthew Logan Vasquez, has described this song as inspired by the story of the prodigal son. He has also stated that this song was written during a dark period in his life, during which he was struggling with depression and feeling disconnected from his family. The song was written about a couple he knew and the pain and turmoil of their relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
The years have been turning on
Time has passed and changed things
You left me at home
You went away and left me alone
To carve my own stone
To make my own path
I cried picking up pride
I was sad but still tried to be strong
Oh, granite won't lie
Stability and truth cannot be hidden
We all got along
Things were good between us
Well, it's true
This is the reality
Build this for you
I made this for you
A house fit for two
A home made for us
Is too small for you
It's not enough for you now
Our son is losing his mind
Our child's mental state is deteriorating
His drugs that he hides
He's using drugs secretly
You can see in his veins
It's clear from his appearance
The steps he's needing to take
The actions he must take to recover
His back it might break
It's a difficult process
We both need you here
We need your support
It's a shame
It's unfortunate
Leave you to blame
I'm blaming you for leaving
Changing your name
You've made drastic changes
And left him insane
And he's struggling because you're gone
Return like a prodigal sheep
Come back to us and be welcomed
It's cold in the keep
Things have been tough without you
But I have you here
You're back now
I work hard then watch some TV
I try to balance responsibilities and leisure
You staring at me
You're watching me
What are you doing there?
What's on your mind?
Get up, lay down your crown
Let go of your burdens and relax
What are you doing now?
What's your next move?
Say I'm tired as hell
Admitting exhaustion and burnout
Yeah, I'm broke
I'm struggling financially
Ain't got as much as you
I don't have the resources you do
To tell you the truth
Honestly
Still am your man
I'm still here for you
The words on the tip of your tongue
Thoughts you're struggling to express
Like a song I once sung
A familiar memory
And you threw it away
You let it go
That tune, old melody
That familiar reminder
Had hope in its ring
It had a positive message
Those years never came
It didn't turn out as we hoped
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: BRANDON YOUNG, JONATHAN JAMESON, KELLY WINRICH, MATTHEW VASQUEZ, SEAN WALKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jo ¿
The years have been turning on
You left me at home
To carve my own stone
I cried picking up pride
Oh granite won't lie
We all got along
Well it's true
Build this for you
A house fit for two
Is too small for you
Our son is losing his mind
His drugs that he hides
You can see in his veins
The steps he's needing to take
His back it might brake
We both need you here
It's true
I build this for you
A house fit for two
Is too small for you
It's a shame
Leave you to blame
Changing your name
And left him insane
Return like a prodigal sheep
It's cold in the keep
But I have you here
I work hard then watch some TV
You staring at me
What are you doing there?
Get up
Lay down your crown
What are you doing now?
Say I'm tired as hell
Yeah I'm broke
Ain't got as much as you
To tell you the truth
Still am your man
It's true
I build this for you
A house fit for two
Is too small for you
It's a shame
Leave you to blame
Changing your name
And left me insane
The words on the tip of your tongue
Like a song I once sung
And you threw it away
That tune
Old melody
Had hope in its ring
Those years never came
Jo ¿
The years have been turning on
You left me at home
To carve my own stone
I cried picking up pride
Oh granite won't lie
We all got along
Well it's true
Build this for you
A house fit for two
Is too small for you
Our son is losing his mind
His drugs that he hides
You can see in his veins
The steps he's needing to take
His back it might brake
We both need you here
It's true
I build this for you
A house fit for two
Is too small for you
It's a shame
Leave you to blame
Changing your name
And left him insane
Return like a prodigal sheep
It's cold in the keep
But I have you here
I work hard then watch some TV
You staring at me
What are you doing there?
Get up
Lay down your crown
What are you doing now?
Say I'm tired as hell
Yeah I'm broke
Ain't got as much as you
To tell you the truth
Still am your man
It's true
I build this for you
A house fit for two
Is too small for you
It's a shame
Leave you to blame
Changing your name
And left me insane
The words on the tip of your tongue
Like a song I once sung
And you threw it away
That tune
Old melody
Had hope in its ring
Those years never came
Jeremy Miller
Wow such a shame these guys aren't really big, they are really great
Michael J
+Jeremy Miller they don't need to be big to be great, keep the american idol crowd away from here. ;)
Puffnbreak
These guys are fantastic!! I saw them open up for Matt Costa maybe 12 years ago I n Calgary and it was one of the best shows I’ve ever been to! They had such high energy and just sound great, pretty on point considering they were getting sloshed the whole time too haha. What an introduction to a band?? They became one of my favourites immediately following their show. Best buds, new tunes, the best of times. XOXO JH R.I.P.
Saucy Mcfoodlefist
Theyre amazing
Benjamin K.E.
Yes. Their song “People C’mon”—specifically—seriously should’ve been the “We Will Rock You” of our generation.
Melissa Joe
love these old-tymey pianos, they have a multitextural quality nothing electric can quite fake. layers. great to hear them being used in more tunes lately..
Daniel Ramirez
Man. This song hits me very hard. After thinking what had been a good near 9 years to find out they thought it was terrible. I discovered this song the same day Right before I was left. Still stings.
habanero70
Melodic indie Americana, with a dark edge. Brilliant stuff.
Toke
This song will play at my wedding and funeral