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.

What Is There
Delta Spirit Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Bound to an oath
Riding out a debt
Always coming sideways
Never that direct
Diving off the deep end
And over all our heads
New kind of living
You wanted this instead

If it's one more record
Let it play on forever
Keep flipping the B-Side to the A
May it remain in our memory
The joy we found in the journey
Never needed to get there anyway
But what is there?

Kill 'em with a look
Exercise the right
Lightly make adjustments
A little lemon in the rye
Yawning at authority
Wasting no one's time
Investing in the truth
Never gonna lie

If it's one more record
Let it play on forever
Keep flipping the B-Side to the A
May it remain in our memory
The joy we found in the journey
Never needed to get there anyway
But what is there?

Wisdom in a silence
Infinitely prime
Leveling the scales
And loving on a dime
I will find you in another life
As if that could exist
Maybe you should take my place
Maybe after I'm dead

If it's one more record
Let it play on forever
Keep flipping the B-Sides to the A
May it remain in our memory
The joy we found in the journey
Never needed to get there anyway
But what is there?
What is there?
What is there?
What is there?
What is there?
What is there?

Joined in the order
Offering a prayer
Nap time's getting shorter
Agnes doesn't care
Tell another story
How you were in a band
Austin to Australia
New York to Neverland

If it's one more record
Let it play on forever
Keep flipping the B-Side to the A
May it remain in our memory
The joy we found in the journey

Never needed to get there anyway
But what is there?

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "What Is There" by Delta Spirit appear to be discussing the journey of life and what it means to truly live. The first verse suggests that the person being described is someone who is always living life on their own terms, going against the status quo and doing things their own way. They seem to be someone who is fearless, diving off the deep end and taking risks. The chorus seems to suggest that the joy in life is found in the journey itself, not necessarily in reaching a certain destination, as the singer urges the listener to keep flipping through the B-Sides in life and cherish the memories along the way.

The second verse seems to be discussing the idea of standing up for oneself and living with honesty and integrity. The singer suggests that true wisdom lies in being silent and humble, and that they will always strive to be truthful. The chorus is then repeated again, emphasizing the idea that we should cherish the moments in life and not get too caught up in achieving certain goals.

The final verse seems to be a nostalgic one, with the singer remembering moments from their past and telling stories about their past adventures. The chorus is repeated again, asking what life is really about and urging us to treasure the journey along the way.

Overall, "What Is There" is a reflective and philosophical song that encourages the listener to live life on their own terms and cherish the moments that make up the journey of life.

Line by Line Meaning

Bound to an oath
Committed to a promise or order

Riding out a debt
Trying to overcome a financial burden

Always coming sideways
Approaching things indirectly and unconventionally

Never that direct
Avoiding straightforwardness and clarity

Diving off the deep end
Taking a risk or making a bold move

And over all our heads
Beyond the understanding of everyone involved

New kind of living
An unconventional way of life

You wanted this instead
This is what you chose and preferred

If it's one more record
If there is another album or experience

Let it play on forever
Allow it to continue indefinitely

Keep flipping the B-Side to the A
Keep exploring hidden depths and possibilities

May it remain in our memory
May it be unforgettable and cherished

The joy we found in the journey
The happiness we experienced along the way

Never needed to get there anyway
We didn't even need to reach the destination to be happy

But what is there?
What is it that we are searching for?

Kill 'em with a look
Intimidate or impress with just a glance

Exercise the right
Make use of one's legitimate powers or abilities

Lightly make adjustments
Make small improvements or modifications

A little lemon in the rye
A touch of sourness or bitterness in the sweetness

Yawning at authority
Showing disrespect or boredom towards those in power or control

Wasting no one's time
Not wasting anyone's time, including their own

Investing in the truth
Committing to honesty and integrity

Never gonna lie
Never going to be dishonest or insincere

Wisdom in a silence
Finding wisdom in quiet contemplation

Infinitely prime
Perfect and highly valuable

Leveling the scales
Creating fairness and balance

And loving on a dime
Being able to love with little or nothing

I will find you in another life
I will look for you beyond this one

As if that could exist
As if another life is a possibility

Maybe you should take my place
Perhaps you could do what I'm doing now

Maybe after I'm dead
Maybe in the future when I'm no longer alive

Joined in the order
United by a shared purpose or belief

Offering a prayer
Giving reverence or asking for help

Nap time's getting shorter
The time for rest is limited and running out

Agnes doesn't care
It doesn't matter to Agnes

Tell another story
Share another experience or tale

How you were in a band
How you used to be a part of a musical group

Austin to Australia
From one place to another, regardless of distance

New York to Neverland
From reality to an imaginary world