Anne V - Featuring Delta Spirit "California"

The band made its name—which, by the way, was taken from
bassist Jon Jameson’s great uncle’s animal stuffing shop, Delta Spirit Taxidermy Station of North Central Alabama—by hammering the tops of trash cans, and recording its folky debut, Ode to Sunshine, in a cabin in the apple-rich mountains outside San Diego. The quintet’s bold new eponymous album streaks keyboards high above big-sky choruses like cirrus clouds. Many of the Delta Spirit’s epics are the sound of longing—for some human company in an empty house, for a time when John Mellencamp called himself the Cougar. Other times the songs beam with the optimism of coal miners who keep finding diamonds.

Frontman Matt Vasquez was born in Austin. He moved to Dana Point, Calif., “to live with my pop after my folks split,” he says. “I really have nothing bad to say about Austin. I loved my youth. Janis Joplin wouldn’t be Janis Joplin without a city like Austin,” Vasquez says. “California was different. It was hard to make friends. But when I finally did, they stayed with me for life.” He was busking on a bench in the middle of the night when drummer Brandon Young stumbled upon him. The two exchanged information and Delta Spirit was born. The singer and guitarist is laconic, blue collar and thoughtful. His directness and sleeves-rolled work ethic shines through the immaculate polish of his group’s third album, which was recorded with producer Chris Coady, who formerly punched up breakthrough albums for TV on the Radio and Beach House. On the precipice of stardom, Vasquez remains humble. You sense he’d be just as happy inheriting a taxidermy shop. “Your job doesn’t make you who you are,” he says, and leaves it at that.

Q & A with Delta Spirit

Your favorite beach?

Churches [off Orange County]. That’s where I learned to surf.

Something from the past you wish you could bring back.

Rock and roll.

Your worst experience on the road?

We did one leg of a tour that equated to two weeks of no sleep. My brain started fighting back. There are a lot of stories, but it’s all worth it, considering what you get to share with people every night.

What inspires you?

Human dynamics.