Club's Chris Martins said the album "is brimming with gritty, staggering soul that floods the gap between the Stones' R&B-inflected; early oeuvre and Cold War Kids' world-weary keening.

"[8] NME's Tessa Harris said the band's "sound is timeworn and instantly familiar: the "set me free" chorus of 'Streetwalker' is pure Springsteen, while the honky-tonk of 'Trashcan' is classic Stones, made more remarkable by the sandpaper snarl of their frontman.

"[6] Slant's Nate Adams wrote that "The songs on Sunshine range from vaguely spiritual (the groove-heavy first single "Trashcan") to openly Christian (the passable but forgettable "Children"), and while this is by no means a bad thing, it can be distracting at times: No one likes to be preached at, even if the message is wrapped up inside bluesy pop songs", and that "Sadly, the guitars are buried low in the mix, forcing the vocals and piano to do most of the work.

"[9] Spin's Nate Adams said "Whether it's a happy accident or a painstaking work of art, the rousing debut of this San Diego quintet impresses mightily.

Despite passing echoes of Spoon and Violent Femmes, Delta Spirit's rough barroom pop is its own creature, with jangly pianos, rattling drums, and scruffy acoustic guitars making a thrilling ruckus.