Delta Spirit - What is There

3.7

Rating

3.7/5

Flyctory.com Pros

Very versatile songs
Multiple good vocalists can create different atmospheres
Strong beginning: very good first songs

Flyctory.com Cons

Album becomes weaker towards the end
Some songs maybe slightly too long.

Delta Spirit do Indie Rock with an Americana touch. Six years after their last album, they are releasing their fifth studio album, What is There. It will be released on 11th September 2020.

Delta Spirit – About The Artists

Delta Spriit have been found in 2005. The founding members are Jon Jameson (bass), Brandon Young (bass) and Matthew “Matt” Vasquez (vocals / guitars) and Sean Walker. They recorded their 2006 debut EP I Think I’ve Found It in Kelly Winrich’s studio. The multi-instrumentalist joined the band thereafter. The latest addition to the band is guitar player William “Willi” McLaren.

The first sucess of Delta Spirit was the 2008 single Trashcan, which peaked 23rd in the US AAA (Adult Alternative) charts. The corresponding debut album Ode To Sunshine did not have measurable commercial success. The band, however, increased their fan base steadily. The 2012 album Delta Spirit already made it to #15 in the US Alternative and #28 in the US Rock Charts. Their latest album, Into The Wild was even in the Top 100 of the all-genre US album charts. They even performed at the Late Show with David Letterman at that time. However, the band was inactive thereafter. In early 2019, they played a tour in Austin and also announced a 2020 tour.

Delta Spirit – What is There – Track by Track

The ten track album lasts 45 minutes.

1. The Pressure

The Pressure is a good-mood summer-alike track. The album starts with a nice opener, indeed.

2. It Ain’t Easy

Could you feel me, melting in your hand?
The last time you saw me, I was blacked out in the van
Disregarding every single red light that I saw
I blew past a speed trap, now I’m in trouble with the law

I selected this first verse of the song out the lyrics, just as I enjoyed which pictures and experiences you can put into music lyrics. The song is very rhythmic, the instrumental parts are, however, the really catchy elements of the song. Cool songwriting and production, one of my favorites of the album.

3. How Bout It

While I said about It Ain’t Easy that the instrumental parts turn the song into a catching and individual one, How Bout It definitely is driven by its lyrics. The chorus is just driven by three words (you can guess them…), but the verses are very intense. Like it!

4. Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Can You Ever Forgive Me is the first Delta Spirit sung by Kelly Winnrich. I enjoy, as the deep ballad just adds a new flavor, a new character to the Delta Spirit album. It is a very good listen. More experiments like that, please.

5. Better Now

The Bee Gee’s forgotten grandsons? The way this track is playing with high voices and reverbs reminded my a lot of the music legends. Sorry, Gibb Brothers! The song also has a touch of Oasis. Cool production.

6. Home Again

Six songs so far, six very different tracks – I love versatility in album – and What Is There definitely is not a boring one. Home Again was one of the songs, which have been released by the band before the album. It is having very different characters within the three minutes playtime – thus, it is not my favorite at all.

7. Making Sense

Very clear sound, very melodic, quite some vocal power with strong backing voices – this song reminds me of the 1990’s. Overall, the song is not as impressive to me as the first songs of the album.

8. Lover’s Heart

Three songs left, but still over 18 minutes to go: apart from How Bout It, which is six minutes, the album keeps some long surprises until the very end. Lover’s Heart is comparably “short” (“just” 5:14 minutes). The song is quite close to Can You Forgive Me – maybe due to the spirit of Winnrich, who wrote this track. A nice indie rock ballad with some strong and powerful elements.

9. Just the Same

The second song of the album sung by Winnrich. An over six minutes acoustic guitar ballad with some surprising powerful elements. I don’t like them too much, but overall the song is just lovely.

10. What Is There

With the final track, What Is There, the band is singing about themselves. Maybe a bit too thin for a 6:35 minute track (which ends up in some 30 seconds of sound of the sea or similar)

Delta Spirit – What is There – Spotify

Here is the Spotify widget to What Is There:

Delta Spirit – What is There – My View

After the first few songs, I felt that What is There could be a really, really strong album. The band has a lot of potential, their songs have very different characters. It is indie rock, so you might miss some mainstream elements, but if you give this album a chance, you will find a bunch of songs you absolutely enjoy. Unfortunately, I feel that the second half of the album is significantly weaker (which still means that the songs are above average, but they just share a record with much better songs). Thus, my rating is below what the album could be in total. Still quite fun to listen.