Delta Spirit were recently in the country for some shows, and performed a standout set at the iconic Splendour In The Grass festival, as well as touring with the Cold War Kids. Their debut album Ode To Sunshine has just come out in Australia, and although it doesn’t quite have enough strength to go the distance, the highlights are nothing short of sublime.
The album’s best tracks all come in the first half – Trashcan features some excellent drum and guitar work, but it’s the honky-tonk piano line that holds it together that will really get toes tapping. The raspy voice of vocalist Matthew Vasquez gets a nice workout in the uplifting People C’Mon which just begs for listeners to get up and join in, while the soft-yet-epic House Built For Two tilts and sways gently through its six-minute running time. Strange Vine and Streetwalker both have an authentically retro, ‘70s radio rock feel to them, and People, Turn Around is the album’s best song – with its bluesy harmonica and Neil-Young-esque vocals, it’s a brilliant track that demands repeat listening.
Unfortunately Parade and Bleeding Bells don’t quite live up to the rest of the album, although they’re never dull. Luckily the album goes out on a high with the barrelling yet muffled drumline of Children holding it up over its long running time. And album closer Ode To Sunshine has a marching beat that is hard to ignore, especially with the brass and organ work that gets laid over the top of it.
It’s easy to see how these guys would pair up nicely with Cold War Kids – both bands use keys and percussion to evoke a retro/soul feel, but Delta Spirit have more of a listener-friendly feel than the more haunting CWK. There’s an emotional intensity to Vasquez’s delivery, possibly honed over his time spent busking, which is where the other band members first discovered him. Overall, Ode To Sunshine is an excellent debut, with plenty of soul and heart to go around, and it will be interesting to see what the band come up with next.
tom_slater1
said on the 21st Aug, 2008