"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.
Lover's Heart
Delta Spirit Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And when the gates part
Only then can I enter
And the power consumes me like a raging fire
And it burns completely with a selfish desire
And I lay in the ashes like a feather bed
My spirit is broken, but I am not dead
And when the waters part, only then can I see in
And the darkness surrounds me like a cold mystery
And I float like a ghost, aimless in the deep
Then I sink to the bottom, down to the seabed
My spirit is broken, but I am not dead
From my lover's heart, I cannot break free
From the very start, it took a hold of me
And now I'm shackled and bound with unbreakable chains
And I see freedom around me, but here I still remain
So I lie like a dog at the foot of your bed
My spirit is broken, but I am not dead
No, my spirit is broken, but I am not dead
In Delta Spirit's song Lover's Heart, the lyrics express the intense hold that the singer's lover has over them. The use of metaphors such as "my lover's heart is like a fortress" and "my lover's heart is like the ocean" showcases the impenetrable force that the singer's love interest possesses. The lyrics delve into the idea of being consumed by love and how it can leave you feeling trapped and unable to break free.
The first verse, "Oh my lover's heart is like a fortress, and when the gates part, only then can I enter. And the power consumes me like a raging fire, and it burns completely with a selfish desire. And I lay in the ashes like a feather bed, my spirit is broken, but I am not dead," portrays the sense of being taken over by love. The imagery of fire and ashes allude to the intensity of the emotions that come with it. The line "my spirit is broken, but I am not dead" encapsulates the idea that even though love can be painful, it is not enough to completely destroy you.
In the second verse, "Oh my lover's heart is like the ocean, and when the waters part, only then can I see in. And the darkness surrounds me like a cold mystery, and I float like a ghost, aimless in the deep. Then I sink to the bottom, down to the seabed. My spirit is broken, but I am not dead," the lyrics continue to use metaphors to convey the overwhelming presence of love. The ocean represents the depth and vastness of the love that the singer feels. The feeling of aimlessness and sinking to the bottom of the ocean represents the consuming feeling of being trapped in a toxic relationship.
The lyrics of Lover's Heart portray a strong message of being consumed by love and trapped by its intensity. It showcases the pain and suffering that can come with love, but also how it has the power to keep you alive even if your spirit is broken.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh my lover's heart is like a fortress
My lover's heart is impervious and guarded from any unwanted outsider intrusion or impact.
And when the gates part
Only when granted permission, I can have access to the inner sanctum.
Only then can I enter
The only way in is if the gates are opened for me.
And the power consumes me like a raging fire
I am overwhelmed and overtaken by intense emotions that takeover my entire being.
And it burns completely with a selfish desire
My passion for you completely consumes me and blinds me to the wants and needs of others.
And I lay in the ashes like a feather bed
After being consumed, I find myself in a barren state, akin to being in the remnants of a fire.
My spirit is broken, but I am not dead
Despite being emotionally spent, I am still alive and persist forward.
Oh my lover's heart is like the ocean
My lover's heart is vast and enigmatic, with depths that are not easily understood or accessible.
And when the waters part, only then can I see in
Only when the mysteries of the ocean open up can I peer into the depths.
And the darkness surrounds me like a cold mystery
The unknown is shrouded in a veil of darkness and ignorance, making it both alluring and frightening.
And I float like a ghost, aimless in the deep
The vastness and mystery leaves me feeling weightless and purposeless, lost in the expanse.
Then I sink to the bottom, down to the seabed
Eventually, I will hit rock bottom, reaching the depths of the ocean floor.
From my lover's heart, I cannot break free
I am unable to escape the unrelenting hold my lover has on me.
From the very start, it took a hold of me
My love for my lover was intense and immediate, pulling me in from the beginning.
And now I'm shackled and bound with unbreakable chains
The hold my lover has on me is absolute and inescapable, binding me to them indefinitely.
And I see freedom around me, but here I still remain
Although there are opportunities for me to be free, I am still trapped, unable to break free from my lover's hold.
So I lie like a dog at the foot of your bed
My lover has complete control over me, and I am submissive and obedient to their every whim.
No, my spirit is broken, but I am not dead
Although emotionally drained, I am still able to keep going and persist through my problems.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Matthew Logan Vasquez, William Robert McLaren, Brandon Young, Jonathan Jameson, Kelly Winrich
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mikemac626
Best song in new album.
Adam Callaghan
Tracks still so beautiful. Thank u
Segi gise
❤
Jhanai Renee
Cried in my car otw home to this song
Ann Pommer
Came here because of Rodney Crowell. Now I guess I'll stay awhile.