One of the really cool things about the early records of California’s Delta Spirit, is that they didn’t sound like the work of a band from California. The Long Beach natives have a knack for crafting catchy but disjointed Americana pop that defies regional pigeonholing. So a recent move from the sunshine state to Brooklyn would, on the surface, seem a logical step for a band on the cusp of fulfilling lofty expectations. However, despite the ferociously catchy opener ‘Empty House’, Delta Spirit is an album that leans, at times clumsily, on all-too familiar keyboard flourishes and drum loops. For a band that once used an actual trashcan as a percussion instrument, on the fantastic (and aptly titled) ‘Trashcan’, there are too many easy outs to make this record a step forward.
Shock
2.5/5
Reviewer: Nick Mackay