An Acoustic Session With Delta Spirit

It took us 6 years, but we're finally circling back around with Delta Spirit. We first met the then, San Diego-based band on a hot and humid, steamy Texas evening, opening up for Dr. Dog in support of their lovely wrangler of a debut, Ode to Sunshine. Things got pretty good for the band shortly thereafter and they haven't looked back, releasing three more records, including their supremely well-received new record, Into the Wide, which will hit the general public September 9th.

In our newest acoustic session we've got a jump on a trio of songs from the album, however. Singer Matt Vazquez and guitarists Kelly Winrich and Will McLaren joined us in a beautifully dilapidated warehouse in Greenpoint Brooklyn, a few blocks from the studio where they created the triumphant new collection of songs. Having relocated to Brooklyn a couple years back, Into the Wide was conceived in solitude, in a Sandy damaged, rat infested practice space the band could sink into, smoke cigarettes, and emerge hours or maybe even days later. Between the grooves, the album explores a lofty new sound, though the stories that trace through it seem more somber or lonesome. In our session Matt tells of the stories that informed the quiet power of "Live On" (being bullied in high school) or the fight for existence that slices through "Take Shelter" (inspired by the film, Melancholia). Still, there's a little hope too, best represented in "From Now On", a song about new life and new friends...an obvious ode to the band's new surroundings in Brooklyn. It's an intense trio of songs, one that transforms "one of freshest and most exciting folk rock records of the 2010s" into an entrancing experience.

When Miguel hit the ground,
I threw the padlock in the trash.
Finally found out,
just how much it takes.
For one whole year he spent,
making me turn red.
Forget the light ahead,
forget the light ahead.
Did I come to meet
the felon in my head?
He's been stretching me,
right up on the racks.
For years it's been the same,
ignoring all the facts.
Forget the light ahead,
forget the light ahead.
It'll all live on.
It'll all live on.
It'll all live on.
It'll all live on.
It'll all live on.
It'll all live on.
It'll all live on.
It'll all live on.
Hiding from the moon,
under a live oak tree.
How could I forgive
what you said to me?
Sure as the sun will rise,
you pay the penance in your bed.
Forget the light ahead,
forget the light ahead.
It'll all live on.
It'll all live on.
It'll all live on.
It'll all live on.
It'll all live on.
It'll all live on.
It'll all live on.
It'll all live on.
We gotta leave at three,
take the highway round the bend.
Holding on to memories,
never let a good night end.
But as the morning came,
I can't remember what I said.
Forget the light ahead,
forget the light ahead.
It'll all live on.
It'll all live on.
It'll all live on.
It'll all live on.
It'll all live on.
It'll all live on.
It'll all live on.
It'll all live on.
It'll all live on.
It'll all live on.
It'll all live on.
It'll all live on.
It'll all live on.
It'll all live on.
It'll all live on.
It'll all live on.
played was Live On and that song, it's quasi-autobiographical.
It kind of starts with a story of when I was in eighth grade and got bullied by a kid, and then I hit him in the face with a padlock.
Then acid, I did a lot of LSD when I was like 13, 14, 15 years old, and just dealing with the guilt in my family and that kind of scenario, just trying to reconcile how I felt mentally.
From Now On is a song about just those relationships and have made those relationships this past couple years with friends here, and giving new people chances, and letting, being an open person and letting those people touch your life, and it's pretty open.
Down in Reseda where I left my keys.
You picked them up and stepped right in.
I had a vision about this very thing.
But it's probably in my head.
From now on, from now on,
from now on I'm gonna be your friend.
Your inner compass says you know I'm right.
No more letters, just a will.
All the prophets on the mountaintop.
But no one's hanging on the hill.
From now on, from now on,
from now on I'm gonna be your friend.
From now on, from now on,
from now on I'm gonna be your friend.
Something put you in my way,
may the moment awake in your head.
Fall in to the what is.
Let your body do all the rest.
May a love never break you.
May a love never break you.
Keep your heart on your sleeve
now don't let anyone else tell you different.
From now on, from now on,
from now on I'm gonna be your friend.
From now on, from now on,
from now on I'm gonna be your friend.
- September 9th, our record, Into the Wide, is coming out.
Yeah, the songs kind of came from a place of solitude.
Surprisingly, well, not surprisingly, they always say big cities are the loneliest place, but just having all of this time to my self, and Kelly, too, just for the concept of this song, just being alone in that space.
You're alone in that box, with you know, just a bunch of rats, smoking cigarettes, trying to like create some idea.
The songs inform, you know, on a mathy, science look at it.
The form of the song is trying to take the murder ballad, or like an older form of storytelling and try to be in the 21st century or take a pop song and be more meta, and just be like, it's not just boy, girl, boy, girl, in these songs.
It still can mean a lot, in whatever form, but the most important thing is the song content if people feel attached that.
And Take Shelter is a song that Kelly wrote after watching, I forget what it's called, Melancholia, so...which is like the most depressing movie you can watch, and he saw that, and the song's so romantic.
After I saw the movie, I just held my wife.
I was like, when I die, I just hope I am next to you, and that song really hit me after I saw the movie.
I just thought the song was nice and the wait, Jesus.
Take shelter, take cover.
The lightning and thunder.
When the skies light up and the ground shudders.
We'll be there, with each other.
Take shelter, take refuge,
with the people who love you.
All of my friends and lovers,
will be there with each other.
Hold your head up to the light,
wait till it's over now.
Take my hand and hold it tight,
wait till it's over now.
Everything will be alright,
wait till it's over now.
Wait till it's over now.
Now I'm so much older.
And I've been knocked down
over and over again.
I've waited But nothin' only ever comes
Nothin' only ever comes.
Over and over and over
Hold your head up to the light Wait till it's over now
Take my hand and hold it tight,
wait till it's over now.
Everything will be alright,
wait till it's over now.
wait till it's over now.
Yeah we wait till it's over,
all the weight brings you to your knees.
Yeah we hide under covers,
live our lives through the TV screen.
Yeah we're lost and we can't be found,
we're lost and we can't be found.
Hold your head up to the light,
wait till it's over now.
Take my hand and hold it tight,
wait till it's over now.
Everything will be alright,
wait till it's over now.
wait till it's over now.
wait till it's over now...
Wait till it's over now...
wait till it's over now...
Wait till it's over now...

Into the Wide was born in a flood-ruined, cave-like, rat-colonized room in Brooklyn. The band spent more than a year writing together in the windowless studio they rebuilt after Hurricane Sandy, a process Esquire says has "yielded some of the most stunning songs of their career to date."

When it came time to record, the band relocated to Maze Studios in Atlanta and teamed up with producer Ben Allen (Animal Collective, Deerhunter), who helped breathe new life and brighter energy into the songs while still capturing the claustrophobia of their creative writing space in New York.

Into the Wide is receiving early critical acclaim including praise for lead single "From Now On"Consequence of Sound hails, "The track has a booming chorus, as frontman Matt Vasquez warmly sings, 'From now on, Im gonna be a friend over soaring, arena-ready guitars" while
WXPN The Key furthers, "'From Now On is catchy, likable, and gets you excited to hear the rest of the album." Additionally, the albums third teaser trailer, featuring the track "Hold My End Up" is now streaming at Paste: http://bit.ly/1mev6eU.

Formed in 2005, Delta Spirit is Will Mclaren (guitar), Jon Jameson (bass), Winrich, Young and Vasquez. The critically acclaimed band has had numerous television performances including "Jimmy Kimmel Live!," "Conan," "Last Call with Carson Daly" and "Later with Jools Holland," as well as relentless touring and festival appearances worldwide including Coachella, Lollapalooza and Bonnaroo among many others. Into the Wide is the bands fourth LP and first for Dualtone.