Delta Spirit is a band from San Diego, California, United States, beginning… Read Full Bio ↴Delta Spirit is a band from San Diego, California, United States, beginning in 2005. This band is most known for their intense live performances, their congregational song-writing, and their driving rhythm. The group consists of Jon Jameson (bass), Brandon Young (percussion), Matthew Vasquez (vocals/guitars), Kelly Winrich (multi-instrumentals) and Will McLaren (guitar).

"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.

Money Saves
Delta Spirit Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Spanning this trap I’m in
Live in indecision but haven’t an opinion
I alone, yes, I alone with you
Servant says nothing
Hearing the needed pleas of oblivion
I alone, yes, I alone with you

They all said what you had, you let it go

Like managing a hurricane, let it blow
With your money saved, your money saved
I alone, yes, I alone with you

Son says, dad, I’m a winner
Get myself a wage, they’re gettin’ thinner
I alone, yes, I alone with you
All the plans I made got shattered

All of my old friends are getting fatter
I alone, yes, I alone with you

Overall Meaning

The opening lines of Delta Spirit's "Money Saves" could be seen as the beginning of an existential crisis. The singer is feeling trapped and indecisive, unable to form an opinion. They are alone, but somehow still with someone - perhaps indicating a lack of true connection in their relationships. The servant referred to says nothing, leaving the singer to wallow in the needed pleas of oblivion. This could be interpreted as a desire to escape their current state of uncertainty.

The chorus of the song refers to money saved. "They all said what you had, you let it go like managing a hurricane, let it blow." This could be interpreted as a comment on the fleeting nature of wealth - it's something that can be lost just as easily as it's gained. The singer is alone with someone else again, perhaps indicating that the desire for money has driven a wedge between them and those they care about.

The second verse sees a conversation between a father and son. The son declares himself a winner for getting a job, but the father is more hesitant. All the plans the father once had have been shattered, and he's feeling increasingly isolated from those around him. The chorus repeats, hammering home the idea that money saved is not necessarily a guarantee of anything, and that it can't fill the void of true connection.

Line by Line Meaning

Spanning this trap I'm in
Feeling stuck in a difficult situation with no clear escape

Live in indecision but haven't an opinion
Unable to make decisions, yet also unable to remain neutral

I alone, yes, I alone with you
Feeling isolated and alone despite being in the company of someone else

Servant says nothing
Being in a position of service but refraining from speaking up

Hearing the needed pleas of oblivion
Choosing to ignore the warnings of impending disaster

They all said what you had, you let it go
Others reminded you of what you once had but you decided to let it slip away

Like managing a hurricane, let it blow
Attempting to manage a chaotic situation and ultimately letting it get out of control

With your money saved, your money saved
Highlighting the importance of saving money for unforeseen circumstances

Son says, dad, I'm a winner
Desiring to be recognized as successful in the eyes of a parent

Get myself a wage, they're gettin' thinner
Working hard to earn a living while job opportunities become scarce

All the plans I made got shattered
Seeing one's future plans crumble before their eyes

All of my old friends are getting fatter
Observing others around you becoming complacent with life and neglecting personal health

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: JONATHAN JAMESON, MATTHEW VASQUEZ, KELLY WINRICH, WILL MCLAREN, BRANDON YOUNG

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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