"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.
Idaho
Delta Spirit Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My friends are on the front porch getting wasted
Freedom sits aside of the hill
Calling me back but I never will
Yeah we'll hang low
Like they do it out in Idaho
Don't run, we roll
Some say that shit's for dreamers
We pack up our things and make our way to the theater
The suits will drop the ball again
We'll pass a hat and make another plan
Yeah we'll hang low
Like they do it out in Idaho
Don't run, we roll
As we're calling up the radio
So there've been crimes of using words
We hear out in the distance a get over
The brother's got his eye on you
Walk a block and it'll tell the truth
Yeah we'll hang low
Like they do it out in Idaho
Don't run, we roll
As we're heading out to row this boat
Don't run, we roll
As we're calling up the radio
Don't run, we roll
As their knocking out another soul
The song Idaho by Delta Spirit is a reflection on the beauty of the simple and uncomplicated life, represented by the state of Idaho. The song is a contrast of sorts, between the singer's friends getting drunk on the front porch and the appeal of the "freedom" on the other side of the hill that the singer is unwilling to leave behind. The lyrics also speak to defiance against societal norms, reflected in the lyrics "The suits will drop the ball again, we'll pass a hat and make another plan".
The chorus of the song has a recurring theme of hanging low and rolling, similar to how things are done in Idaho. The song seems to suggest that the simplistic and natural way of life that Idaho represents is one that the singer longs for, it is a metaphor for the singer's desire to escape the usual trappings of society.
Overall, Idaho is a song that encourages its listeners to embrace a more simplistic way of life, to reject societal norms and pursue the things that make us happy. It reflects the band's desire to live a "low key" life, where they can make their own way in the world without conforming to the pressures of the music industry.
Line by Line Meaning
Thunderclouds have been making face
The weather has been unstable with continuous thunderstorms.
My friends are on the front porch getting wasted
My friends are enjoying some drinks while sitting on the front porch.
Freedom sits aside of the hill
The idea of freedom is present but not easily accessible.
Calling me back but I never will
The idea of freedom is tempting but not something that can be pursued.
Yeah we'll hang low
We will keep a low profile.
Like they do it out in Idaho
We will keep a low profile like people in Idaho do.
Don't run, we roll
We will not rush and take things at a steady pace.
As they're heading out to row this boat
Others are busy making progress in their lives while we take it slow.
Some say that shit's for dreamers
Some people believe that our dreams are unrealistic.
We pack up our things and make our way to the theater
We leave our old lives behind and pursue something new and exciting.
The suits will drop the ball again
The people in charge will fail to meet expectations once more.
We'll pass a hat and make another plan
We will come up with a new plan and pool our resources together to make it happen.
So there've been crimes of using words
People have been using words to hurt and deceive others.
We hear out in the distance a get over
We hear someone telling us to get over our problems and move on.
The brother's got his eye on you
Someone is keeping a watchful eye on us.
Walk a block and it'll tell the truth
If we walk a little further, we will find the truth.
As we're calling up the radio
As we try to find a way to communicate with others for help or guidance.
As their knocking out another soul
As other people are succeeding in their pursuits, we are still struggling.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: BRANDON YOUNG, JONATHAN JAMESON, KELLY WINRICH, MATTHEW VASQUEZ, WILL MCLAREN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Zentertainer
I'm from Idaho! hope these fellas roll through!
Crislaine Ferreira
Pretty nice! :D