Deli Readers,

The Deli KC’s Best of 2014 Readers and Fans’ Poll for local emerging artists is over, thanks to all those who cast their vote in support of the emerging local bands and artists in our list of nominees.

1. Kangaroo Knife Fight

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Here’s this poll’s top 10 chart, full results can be found here. 

BEST OF KC 2014 – READERS’ POLL RESULTS   Artists Votes   1 Kangaroo Knife Fight 502 2 Yore 461 3 The Blackbird Revue 302 4 ATLAS 181 5 AY MusiK 57 6 Scruffy & The Janitors 34 7 Jorge Arana Trio 21 8 Riddles 18 9 The Gorlons 17 10 The Thunderclaps 15

Stay tuned for the composite chart, to be released soon, which will include the point nominees accumulated from the jurors and Deli writers’ votes, and will crown The Deli’s Best Emerging KC Artist of 2014.

The Deli’s Staff

Isn’t there something beautiful about finding a great song born from a collaboration between two bands that, together, don’t even reach the 500 Facebook likes thereshold? Ok, ok, FB likes mean nothing, but still… Check out this minimalistic gem entitled "Locomote" (first track streaming) by atmospheric pop trio Kid in the Attic (pictured) and solo electro tinkerer Genghis Hans, both based in Brooklyn, and let’s call it our new little secret. The track is from 2013, but the two groups kept active since then, and they seem to have a busy live schedule. Kid in the Attic, who released a couple of covers in 2014 (of Bjork and Will Stratton songs) will be playing Trans Pecos on February 17, while Genghis Hans, whose latest, 2013 EP ‘Reptilian Regions‘ is a lush example of imaginative electro-pop, will be performing at Rought Trade on 2.13 with American Royalty and Syd Arthu. Check out the title track single below.

Deli Nation,

Our Year End Poll for Emerging Toronto Artists was – as usual – a painstaking (and rather complicated) process, but we pulled it off with remarkable flair!

Congrats to loud rock duo Teenage Kicks (pictured and streaming below) for winning the aggregate chart (see below) and therefore becoming The Deli Toronto’s first Emerging Artist of the Year! Because of this they’ll be featured in our SXSW print issue (10k copies of it will be distributed in Austin during Music Week – read last year’s edition here).

Thumbs up to retro-pop starlet Laura Cole and Lou Reed-esque quintet Sun K, also winners of our Readers and Fans Poll, who placed respectively second and third.

In case you are wondering how our poll works, here’s a quick explanation:

1. First, we let the local bands submit their music (for free), and got our Deli editors to pick the nominees.
2. Then we polled a list of 20+ Toronto scene expert (our jury) and asked them to nominate 3 more bands of their choice each.
3. Then we polled our writers, then we polled our readers and writers.

We tried to keep things open for each single genre, from Indie Rock to Roots Music to Hip Hop.

If you are a geek interested in all the subtleties related to how this poll works, you can read its rules here (happy reading!). But if all you care about is the awesome new music Toronto produced in the year 2013, this list is all you need. Enjoy!

BEST OF 2013 POLL FOR EMERGING Toronto ARTISTS ****** FINAL RESULTS ******

ARTIST J OS W R TOT   1 Teenage Kicks 6.5     0.004 6.504 2 Laura Cole 2 2   1.5 5.5 3 Sun K 2 1   2 5 4 Weaves 4.5     0.003 4.503 5 The Pick Brothers Band   2 1 1 4   The Zilis 3   1 0 4 7 Brothers of North 3     0.126 3.126 8 The Box Tiger 3     0.072 3.072 9 Ferraro 3     0.052 3.052 10 FAT AS FUCK 3     0.04 3.04 11 JJ and the Pillars 3     0.033 3.033 12 Alvvays 3     0.017 3.017 13 Kira May   3   0.012 3.012 14 The Sunbelly Band 3     0.009 3.009 15 Century Palm 3     0.005 3.005 16 Brave shores 3     0.004 3.004   Lowell 3     0.004 3.004 18 Do Good Assassins 3     0.002 3.002   Sumo Cyco 3     0.002 3.002 20 Black Baron 3     0.001 3.001   Marcellus Wallace 3     0.001 3.001 22 Growing Irons 3     0 3   Sweet and Lowdown 3     0 3 24 River Tiber 2.5     0 2.5 25 Mumbai Standstil 2     0.135 2.135 26 Harlan Pepper 2     0.071 2.071 27 Streetlight Social 2     0.065 2.065 28 The Galacticats   2   0.038 2.038 29 Flamingo Bay 2     0.03 2.03 30 ASMR 2     0.022 2.022 31 The OBGM’s 2     0.011 2.011 32 Poor Young Things 2     0.009 2.009 33 Christian Punk Band 2     0.005 2.005   Fresh snow 2     0.005 2.005 35 Breached 2     0.004 2.004   Dilly Dally 2     0.004 2.004   Pkew Pkew Pkew 2     0.004 2.004 38 Bad Channels 1   1 0.003 2.003   frankie and jimmy 2     0.003 2.003   New fries 2     0.003 2.003 41 Blonde Elvis 2     0.002 2.002   Jaunt 2     0.002 2.002   Petra Glynt 2     0.002 2.002 < San Francisco Buzzmutt Releases New Music Video – Stumble Forward Posted on: January 27, 2015 The San Francisco based avant-noise post punk band, Buzzmutt has released a new music video for their single, Stumble Forward. The song is a track off their entrancing 2014 release, Strange Planes of Surveillance. The Stumble Forward music video is a crisp pastiche of images starring an oddly charming robot. The video looks great and shares a number of clips from Buzzmutt’s local live performances. Watch the video and see if you can make out where the band is playing. If you go to enough shows, you can recognize any stage! We like robots, dioramas, cardboard cities and rock and roll! Stumble Forward has it all! Toronto The Zilis @ Baltimore House Posted on: January 27, 2015 Old school rock n’ roll meets a modern edge with The Zilis. Their latest album Sketches II takes you on a journey through their eclectic musical influences; from blues to pop, R&B and jazz, it all can be heard in their rock and roll sound. “Don’t Ever Change”, the third song on their album, is a great example of what these guys are about, fun and roaring with energy! They open the song with some guitar feedback which quickly turns into surf rock tune, making you want to grab a partner and break into some sort of 60’s jive. Much like the rest of the album, it’s got that get up and move vibe, but don’t let that fool you, these guys show they’ve got a softer side too. If you feel like tearing up to some heart-wrenching bluesy music throw on “Ballad of a Broken Heart”. These guys are incredibly diverse, you won’t regret giving them a listen! So, brave the snow and warm up with The Zilis tonight, they’re worth the trek! Jan 27 @ Baltimore House.-Courtney Chalapenko Toronto Jaunt @ the Horseshoe Posted on: January 27, 2015 Feel the sun on your face as Jaunt warms the skin with the steady embrace of honest and unpretentious feeling. They juxtapose traditional sound with the sweet lullaby of  “Intimate Sunrise”.  Setting the mood with an affectionate vocal, inviting guitars, glistening keys and tender beats of the bass and drums; they create such belief as if you were the sun crossing the horizon and traveling through the atmosphere changing color. Listen to their sounds of glitter and gold tonight @ the Horseshoe.   NYC Invisible Familiars celebrate release of ‘Disturbing Wildlife’ at Baby’s All Right on 01.30 Posted on: January 27, 2015 As creation stories go, Jared Samuel – chief songsmith of NYC band Invisible Familiars – has one, just like the rest of us. It begins in suburban New York State, and crystallizes in Brooklyn, where he doubles these days as both session-man and bandleader.  He’s played and toured with acts like Superhuman Happiness, Cibo Matto, and, more recently, Sean Lennon’s GOASTT. The band’s debut album, "Disturbing Wildlife" soars gracefully through the pop and psychedelic strata, where rich harmonies and an array of exotic instrumentation never overwhelm Samuel’s lyrical expressionism. Don’t miss their CD release party at Baby’s All Right on January 30 – there’s a rumor that his friend Sean Lennon will make an appearence. Read Emilio Herce’s interview with Invisible Familiars. Philadelphia New Space Drugs LP Available for Streaming & Download Posted on: January 27, 2015 As we prepare to trudge through the mess of winter, Space Drugs‘ debut LP, Black Dog Takes The Bait, could be a fitting soundtrack. The trio establishes a salty, gritty texture which is emotionally raw and agitated with instrumentation that is solemnly aloof yet prepared to get aggressive and smash something at any moment. Check it out for yourself in its entirety below! Philadelphia New Video: “The Sunshine of Your Youth” (Live) – Cheerleader Posted on: January 27, 2015 Last October while local five-piece Cheerleader were up in New York at CMJ Music Marathon, they took a few moments to step in front of the cameras for Paste at Brooklyn’s The Living Room to play the group’s latest single "The Sunshine of Your Youth." The stripped-down performance of the intimately reflective song uses the comfortable elements of acoustic guitar and harmonized vocals, taking a look back while focusing on the here and now. As you ruminate, take a peek at the calendar where Cheerleader will be performing alongside The Wombats on April 23 at Union Transfer, which will be the kickoff to their nearly month-long tour. Chicago Daniel Knox CHIRP Session Posted on: January 27, 2015 CHIRP Radio recently posted a live session with Daniel Knox. As we have mentioned the new album from Knox will be released on Feb. 24th via Carrot Top Records. You can catch Daniel Knox at Constellation on Feb. 28th with Josephine Foster. NYC The Nation of Love: connecting musicians with music lovers Posted on: January 27, 2015 With a mission to “create fresh, inventive art with musical sounds” and “promote skillful musicians and songwriters whose goal is to compose from mind, body, and soul,” The Nation of Love is an independent record label that connects passionate music makers with devout music lovers.   In 2009, songwriter/drummer/producer Phylshawn Johnson founded the label out of a desire to create and promote albums. “Inspired by Motown Records having musicians and artists that searched for a new sound and had a professional way about them,” Johnson remarks, “the mission was to find artists to compose in a unique way but also connect with the listener.”   Mr. History was the first band whose album was released under The Nation of Love’s purview, and the label has since added fellow KC band The Future Kings and Columbia artists Violet & the Undercurrents, Ruth Acuff, Zorya, Violet Vonder Haar, and Phylshawn. “I wasn’t looking for the most popular musicians,” says Johnson, “but those who would always make music because it’s their calling and love.” As a result, the label’s artist roster is an interconnected and collaborative collective of musicians that has released more than 15 albums altogether since its inception.   Johnson runs The Nation of Love from Columbia, where the music/arts scene has gained tremendous support and traction in recent years. Most of the label’s Columbia artists have been building their fan base in various projects for over 10 years, helping establish the city’s musical identity. “I believe that every artist/band should have their town or city behind them, and bands should represent their town or city. To me, artists express the world around them and the world that influences them.”   The Nation of Love continues to expand its reach by embarking on its first tour in March with Ruth Acuff, Violet & the Undercurrents, and Future Kings. They’ve also launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise money for travel and showcase expenses. The Golden Hour Tour, from March 14-21, will cover venues in Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Texas, and Louisiana, with several unofficial showcases at the big music fest in Austin (including a day party at MidCoast Takeover on March 19).   As the label grows, Johnson hopes to connect with more artists, venues, and fans. For now, The Nation of Love relies on a solid foundation of artists savvy in the music business. “Each NOL artist is special and unique in a sonic way,” Johnson says. “Also, they are more than artists; they are my friends and family. We are all connected in some way.”   —Michelle Bacon   Michelle is editor of The Deli KC and plays in bands.     This Saturday, January, 31, The Nation of Love will be showcasing four of its artists (Ruth Acuff, Zorya, Violet & the Undercurrents, and The Future Kings) at Coda. Doors at 8 pm. Facebook event page.   You can also visit this page to help The Nation of Love reach its goal for The Golden Hour Tour; the campaign ends February 6. Listen to tunes from each of the artists at this link.   Philadelphia New Music Video: “Chinatown” – Girlpool Posted on: January 27, 2015 Pop-punk duo Girlpool reveals a bit of a sensitive side for its former home, Los Angeles, in the group’s latest music video, "Chinatown." The track is off the band’s upcoming 7", which will be available on March 24 via Wichita Recordings. You’ll find Cleo Tucker and Harmony Tividad performing next in Philly at PhilaMOCA on Tuesday, February 3 at the sold-out R5 show with Alex G and Teen Suicide. (Photo by Alice Baxley)