Delta Spirit will issue a new album, One Is One, through New West Records on May 20. The rockers also shared the music video for lead single, “What’s Done Is Done,” in honor of World Down Syndrome Day.
One Is One follows Delta Spirit’s 2020 album What Is There. Delta Spirit and Jason Kingsland (Band of Horses, Belle and Sebastian) produced the ten-track One Is One along with mixing from Matt Pence (Jason Isbell, The Breeders). Frontman Matthew Logan Vasquez and drummer Brandon Young began initial recording in Austin, Texas in 2020. With the group spread throughout North America, they came together for sessions in New York and Vermont, furthering their cinematic style of music.
“Our cup of tea is making epic and cinematic music, Vasquez noted. “We’ve always been like that. We try to put our listeners in their own movie.” Vasquez also described the album as essentially saying “‘What is life all about?’ Here are some observations.”
The music video for the lead single “What’s Done Is Done” sees Delta Spirit teaming back up with frequent collaborator and filmmaker Michael Parks Randa as well as the Global Down Syndrome Foundation (GLOBAL). The visual is a love story between two people with Down syndrome starring Jamie Brewer (American Horror Story) and Zack Gottsagen (The Peanut Butter Falcon).
“I want people to see what’s inside our hearts,” Gottsagen shared. “We are warm. We are kind. We are sweet. That is who we are. People with Down syndrome want to be in love and spread that love and joy, like me and Jamie in the music video.”
“I believe that everyone should be included in everyday activities and be represented in all aspects of the media,” Brewer added. “Our world is made up of all types of individuals with different backgrounds and lifestyles, and music is a common thread with everyone. We can all learn from each other and be inspired when we see something new, exciting, and possible around us. Let’s all keep music in our heart.”
Both Vasquez and Randa have personal connections to people with Down syndrome and disablities and shared their experiences. “Before starting Delta Spirit, I worked in an adult transition program for people with disabilities and it was such a rewarding experience,” Vasquez said. “As a society, we really underestimate the capabilities of the disability community, especially in the creative arts. We’ve been collaborating with Randa for years, and after seeing his inclusive film Best Summer Ever, we were energized by the idea of doing our part to help further inclusion in the music industry.”
“My parents have run a day program for people with disabilities in Massachusetts for the past 50 years, so inclusion and authentic representation in the film industry has always been an initiative for me as a filmmaker,” Randa said. “With inclusive films like CODA and Crip Camp getting recognized at the Oscars, it’s encouraging to see some progress being made in the film industry, but it’s much harder to identify progress in the music industry. We hope that the existence of this music video will encourage labels and artists to think in more inclusive terms going forward and that people will support the Global Down Syndrome Foundation.”
Watch the video for “What’s Done Is Done” below:
One Is One Tracklist:
- Villains
- One is One
- What’s Done is Done
- Lottery Ticket
- Pick it Up
- The Beginning
- Ghost of Caddo
- Thoughts on Seneca
- Jane Pauley
- On & On (Look Away)
