Delta Spirit

Delta Spirit

Album No. 3 marks a big step forward for Californian quintet Delta Spirit. Whether you'll follow where they're headed depends on your taste in modern rock. Bands like My Morning Jacket and Kings of Leon took a couple of tries to reach the audience and sound they wanted, and so it might be with Delta Spirit. Moving away from its inherent rootsiness, the band breaks out synths and electronic beats on "California," another among a lengthy list of songs about failed relationships. One thing that remains is Delta Spirit's aptitude for quirky rhythms, and on that alone, "Otherside" stands out. Songwriter Matt Vasquez stretches himself vocally to the point where some might wonder if they're hearing Delta Spirit, especially on tribal rave "Tellin' the Mind." Always a band that was larger on stage than on disc, its eponymous third finally finds Delta Spirit's natural abilities coming through in the studio. (Fri., 10pm, Stubb's)