It seems that Delta Spirit has decided to make its self-titled album more for itself than for any particular audience. On the group’s website, vocalist Matthew Vasquez said, “We’ve found the sound that we’ve been looking for.”

“Delta Spirit” shows a successful development of its sound from earlier albums, “Ode to Sunshine” and “I Think I’ve Found It,” while stringing elements from days past throughout the record.

Its single, “California,” is one of the faster songs from the album. It epitomizes the summery sound that is prevalent now in the indie genre. It is instrumentally layered, with distorted guitar work coming through. The track is both upbeat and sad, where the instruments nostalgically recall a summer afternoon at the beach, though the lyrics describe heartbreak.

“Delta Spirit” hints at many styles. California beach rock resonates alongside progressive rock as the group moves away from its Americana-influenced roots. Multiple instruments add a distinct layer to its sound, a carefully crafted aspect of the album combined with subtly complex songwriting.

“Home,” a slower, gentler track, highlights Delta Spirit’s attention to detail on the effects and sounds in a single piece. It’s a simple song, but the emotion is present from the introductory guitar picking that continues to the end of the track. Vasquez’s dejected voice remains unchanging as he sings lines like “sometimes sitting still is better than to try.”

In contrast, “Otherside,” the track following “Home,” is a song that maintains constant energy. Again, the desperation in Vasquez’s voice comes out, but this time leaning toward the ecstatic. “Otherside” starts off with a drum beat layered with a guitar that takes turns with other instruments to create a layered sound in which none of the instruments drown each other or the lyrics out, a pitfall that Delta Spirit manages to avoid.

Delta Spirit, a five-piece band from Long Beach, Calif., released its self-titled album in March. The group’s third full-length album shows an evolution from its previous sound, leaving many fans and critics curious of the band’s consistency.

It seems that Delta Spirit has decided to make its self-titled album more for itself than for any particular audience. On the group’s website, vocalist Matthew Vasquez said, “We’ve found the sound that we’ve been looking for.”

“Delta Spirit” shows a successful development of its sound from earlier albums, “Ode to Sunshine” and “I Think I’ve Found It,” while stringing elements from days past throughout the record.

Its single, “California,” is one of the faster songs from the album. It epitomizes the summery sound that is prevalent now in the indie genre. It is instrumentally layered, with distorted guitar work coming through. The track is both upbeat and sad, where the instruments nostalgically recall a summer afternoon at the beach, though the lyrics describe heartbreak.

“Delta Spirit” hints at many styles. California beach rock resonates alongside progressive rock as the group moves away from its Americana-influenced roots. Multiple instruments add a distinct layer to its sound, a carefully crafted aspect of the album combined with subtly complex songwriting.

“Home,” a slower, gentler track, highlights Delta Spirit’s attention to detail on the effects and sounds in a single piece. It’s a simple song, but the emotion is present from the introductory guitar picking that continues to the end of the track. Vasquez’s dejected voice remains unchanging as he sings lines like “sometimes sitting still is better than to try.”

In contrast, “Otherside,” the track following “Home,” is a song that maintains constant energy. Again, the desperation in Vasquez’s voice comes out, but this time leaning toward the ecstatic. “Otherside” starts off with a drum beat layered with a guitar that takes turns with other instruments to create a layered sound in which none of the instruments drown each other or the lyrics out, a pitfall that Delta Spirit manages to avoid.

“Delta Spirit” is a record that fits in with the indie music movement of today. This is both beneficial and unlucky. Since the album was released at a time where groups such as Fleet Foxes and Foster the People are popular, Delta Spirit’s new sound can be easily accepted. As its recent music is more playable to radio audiences than previous albums, the group is more accessible than ever to the general listening population. Nevertheless, this also means that “Delta Spirit” brings nothing new to the table. While the band is beginning to solidify its own sound, it makes no new innovations to the genre or the music world.

Nothing extraordinary, “Delta Spirit” is a comfortable record to listen to, but the group is far from proving its artistic voice to be resilient through the growing pains of its own evolution in a changing music scene. Still, Delta Spirit seeks to prove nothing to anybody but itself, and that sort of bull-headed integrity is refreshing to see in current bands.

Araz Havan can be reached at [email protected]

Since the album was released at a time where groups such as Fleet Foxes and Foster the People are popular, Delta Spirit’s new sound can be easily accepted. As its recent music is more playable to radio audiences than previous albums, the group is more accessible than ever to the general listening population. Nevertheless, this also means that “Delta Spirit” brings nothing new to the table. While the band is beginning to solidify its own sound, it makes no new innovations to the genre or the music world.

Nothing extraordinary, “Delta Spirit” is a comfortable record to listen to, but the group is far from proving its artistic voice to be resilient through the growing pains of its own evolution in a changing music scene. Still, Delta Spirit seeks to prove nothing to anybody but itself, and that sort of bull-headed integrity is refreshing to see in current bands.

Araz Havan can be reached at [email protected].