Alt-pop outfit Delta Rae skillfully juggle gospel-tinged country-rock, blue-eyed soul, and harmony-laden Americana, resulting in a radio-ready sound that falls somewhere between Nickel Creek and Adele. Formed in 2009 as a four-piece around the talents of siblings Ian, Eric, and Brittany Hölljes along with Elizabeth Hopkins, the North Carolina-based band expanded to a sextet the following year with the additions of Mike McKee and Grant Emerson. In 2011 the group inked a deal with Sire/Warner Bros. The resulting Carry the Fire, their major-label debut, arrived the following year. ~ James Christopher Monger