Delta Spirit

With its 2008 debut, Ode To Sunshine, Delta Spirit rode atop a wave of indie bands playing sweaty, energetic revival country that occasionally takes on a gospel aesthetic. It was 100 percent earnest and 100 percent compelling, which is probably why everyone from Dr. Dog to Cold War Kids has taken the group on tour. Despite the band losing a guitarist prior to recording History From Below, the sophomore album actually sounds bigger and more ambitious, as on the eight-minute time signature-shifting “Ballad Of Vitaly.” Now based in Brooklyn, New York, the band continues its evolution on the new, self-titled third album, with mixed results: “Idaho” is familiarly muggy and rollicking, but many of the tracks—particularly on the latter half—are too calculated and fashionable for their own good, losing much of the band’s stirring energy and charm in the process.

Updated 04/03/2012