Released - 6/8/10
Label - Rounder Records
BLURB - It's fun to root for the underdog. It's rewarding when you can see true talent flourish. Delta Spirit arguably have been one of the hardest working bands in America over the last few years. They've released two albums in two years, have toured relentlessly and even found time to get iced. On "History From Below" it appears all of that work has paid off, as Delta Spirit offers up a more refined, mature and evolved sound. Gone are the gimmicky riffs of the 'Trashcan' days, as they have been replaced with more traditional compositions that provide a musical forum for the band to show off their San Diego rock roots. "History From Below" is beautifully balanced with anthemic indie rock tracks and elegantly composed, self-reflecting acoustic ballads, subtly informing their audience that they're no 'one-trick-pony.' This is one of those albums that will definitely grow on you...so I strongly advise you go pick it up now.
Rating - 9 out of 10
FULL STORY - I met lead singer and guitarist Matt Vasquez in the bathroom at Brooklyn Bowl about a month ago during Cherry Lane's 50th Birthday Bash. With about four beers in my system, I felt compelled to tell him how great some of the new songs sound and he eagerly discussed the recording process and how proud Delta Spirit was of the new record. The conversation then shifted to different music venues we like in NYC, the fact that Park Slope is his favorite neighborhood in Brooklyn and that they actually just finished shooting the initial footage for the video for Bushwick Blues two days earlier. That fifteen minute conversation in the bathroom was enough to make my night, but it didn't stop there. He went further and invited some of us to bowl on his lane with his friend Johnny Corndawg, which was also adjacent to where John Legend happened to be bowling. I'm still in disbelief, and I still feel bad that I ended up beating Matt by one pin in the tenth frame. What a dick.
On to the actual album. "History From Below" begins with one of the better opening tracks I've heard this year in '911.' The song is a bouncy acoustic number that is filled with Americana references, background harmonies and lyrics that reflect on everything from the economy to, predictably, 911. Make no mistake, this isn't an 'oh my god, the World Trade towers are gone' song - but it does a great job identifying and relating to the struggles and tragedies of the common man through some cleverly insightful lyrics, and is presented in a sarcastic, yet uplifting tone.
"Back east they said the market's fine. I heard that before 1929. When black Tuesday comes it'll be a hit, right out of the air in to the pit. 'There's one out now' said the President. World War Three will make the bull horns bend. All the old boys said they could make it last, like Vietnam without a draft. We got the best in the biz for the marketing. We'll turn the Marlboro Man into a marine. The brave youth will come from far and wide, with 911 as their battle cry."
'Bushwick Blues' is the second track and lead single to the album...and it does not disappoint. Filled with heavy bass lines, crushing drums and reverb-filled guitars the song takes on the necessary repertoire for that great indie-rock song. The lyrics are much more self-inquisitive and powerfully delivered with emotion and conviction by Vasquez as he focuses on that 'girl that never was.' The sing-along-ability to 'Bushwick Blues' is off the charts. I've found it impossible to not mouth lyrics on the L train to work as Vasquez belts out:
"Do you recall the night we took the L out into Bushwick? It was colder than hell."
The track is catchy, but not gimmicky. It's heavy, but not overwhelming. Everything is properly delivered and proportioned into this amazing indie/rock/folk track that really demonstrates just how accomplished and talented Delta Spirit is.
'White Table' begins with just tapping drum sticks and a simple guitar riff, but you can tell there is something bubbling under the surface. Perhaps purposely slow and basic, the track enters with a certain degree of caution and awareness as it slowly begins to build in intensity. Around the 2:40 mark, everything takes off like a freight train as a few carefully constructed background vocals and riffs play off of each other. 'White Table,' while simplistic in it's own right, somehow comes off with such a large and momentous feel. Each time I listen to this track I feel like I'm listening to it in a crowded arena with some ridiculous laser light show...I don't really know why.
Perhaps the most pop-influenced track on the album would be 'Golden State.' With a great keyboard riff as it's bedrock, the song revolves around the band's humble beginnings in California and their pursuit of the 'long road ahead,' while never forgetting about their roots. The track is supplemented with mild guitar riffs and chords, but remains very piano and drum heavy. With this minimal approach, the song really allows Vasquez to deliver the goods with another display of powerful vocals and passion.
'Vivian' takes the listener into a more intimate and personal setting, dealing with the loss of a Grandmother. The slowly strummed guitar chords and punctuated piano notes, mixed with the deeply personal lyrics allow for Delta Spirit to become more accessible than ever before. For anyone that has a lost a grandparent, this is sure to be a tearjerker:
"I fought for each breath as long as I could, fighting with nothing to hold. The last breath I took blew right through the wind into nothing at all. Sleep, oh sleep my Vivian, heaven is too cold without you. I'll stay right here below the clouds waiting to see heaven with you..."
Emotional and personal affectations aside, the song itself is brilliantly composed. The pace is slow enough to remain somber, but never drags on. The inclusion of a few harmonica lines gives the effect of a more bluesy influence, however the acoustic piano and background harmonies reassure the listener that this a folk song at heart.
I thought it would be tough following up "Ode to Sunshine," but really, what was I thinking? "History From Below" showcases Delta Spirit's ascension into the upper echelon of elite indie rock bands. Marked with some of the better songwriting you'll find out there, this album is filled with addicting fusions of blues, folk and rock - all of which are delivered with confidence and void of hesitation or indecision. Delta Spirit set out to create this exact record, and that's just what they've done. There may be portions that seem a bit slow for some of the older Delta Spirit fans, but their maturity and evolution as a band has clearly improved the final product. "History From Below" doesn't come with the expected 'Trashcan,' 'People C'mon' or 'Streetwalker' type songs, but rather it comes in the form of a complete album that can truly be appreciated by simply hitting play and letting the twelve tracks run.
Delta Spirit's show at Bowery Ballroom on 6/30 is sold out, but tickets are still available for their show at Music Hall of Williamsburg on 7/1.
Tracks
1.) 911
2.) Bushwick Blues
3.) Salt in the Wound
4.) White Table
5.) Ransom Man
6.) Devil Knows You're Dead
7.) Golden State
8.) Scarecrow
9.) Vivian
10.) St. Francis
11.) Ballad of Vitality
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