After the San Diego-based emo outfit Noise Ratchet called it quits in 2004, co-founders Jon Jameson (bass) and Brandon Young (drums) decided to ditch their punk-influenced songwriting for something more soulful and rootsy. The two left Rick Rubin's American label (which had signed Noise Ratchet several years prior) and joined forces with vocalist Matthew Vasquez, guitarist Sean Walker, and multi-instrumentalist Kelly Winrich to form Delta Spirit. Pitching their style between the indie rock and alt-country camps, the group issued an EP entitled I Think I've Found It in 2006 and hit the road alongside Cold War Kids and Dr. Dog. Delta Spirit's debut album, Ode to Sunshine, was released by the bandmates themselves in 2007, followed by a remastered edition in 2008 courtesy of the band's new label, Rounder Records.

San Diego's Delta Spirit bury their roots deep into the kind of classic topsoil that once sprouted the redwoods of rock. The Beatles, Dylan, and Springsteen: these are some of the forces that fertilize the batch of songs that inhabit Ode to Sunshine; the young band's debut album. Just don't go calling them a throw back. Like contemporaries Cold War Kids, The Veils, and The Walkmen, Delta Spirit pen blasts of guitar, keys, bass, and drums that are most certainly of the moment. After witnessing this performance down in Austin, we're convinced Delta Spirit will enjoy more than a single moment though. Expect great things from these young, up and comers. - david pitz