San Diego-based outfit Delta Spirit has maintained a commitment to honing and perfecting a sound that has evolved from the trashcan-banging, countrybilly madness of 2006's "Crippler King" (off Ode To Sunshine) to wispy atmospherics and introspective lyrics on "Ransom Man" from 2010's History From Below. Frontman Matthew Vasquez's handsome croon, which has always adapted to the band's sonic mining, has grown stronger with each of Delta Spirit's releases and everything seems to have come together on their new self-titled long player.
Opener "Empty House" finds Vasquez & Co. crafting the perfect mix of raucous arrangements and the modern-rock sensibilities they previously explored. Every bit of their reflective songwriting is intact and they still manage to completely lose their shit every now and then (listen to album highlight "Tellin’ the Mind" and try to contain yourself), though songs like "Idaho," "Into The Darkness" and "California" are all intricately textured and nuanced. It’s the sound of a unit growing better and cementing their status as one of our generation's finest rock outfits. (Out March 13 via Rounder Records)
4 Stars
