NYC

Unpretentious rock from NYC! Dots Confuse Minds play Pianos on 03.14

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Let’s admit it, NYC is a scene that rarely produces bands immune from pretentiousness, which has its good and bad sides. That’s why stumbling upon Dots Confuse Minds’ straight up pop rock songs seems like a breath of fresh air for our… ears? The quintet musical references range from classic rock of the 60s to The Pink Floyd from The Wall era, but in their best moments (like in streaming track "Doin’ Life Right" they remind us of Seattle’s Young Fresh Fellows, unsung heroes of the college pop rock of the early 80s. Dots Confuse Minds just released EP "A Gentlemen’s Game" and will be playing at Pianos on March 14.

Chicago

Rakunk

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The energetic electro-pop of Rakunk will grab your attention immediately. The duo self-released their debut EP late last month. The break out single from their EP seems to be the catchy "Writing With A Knife".

NYC

Best of NYC 2014 – Deli Writers top picks: Celestial Shore, Beverly, Sons of an Illustrious Father, and Dead Stars

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Deli-rious readers,

In the insanely convoluted (but SUPERBLY accurate) system governing our Year End Poll for Emerging NYC Artist, our writers have a rather influential vote. Here are the results of this specific poll.

Well… you should know by know how much The Deli’s staff loves avant-indie trio Celestial Shore, so I guess no surprise there! Check out their latest awesome video below. Beverly, Sons of an Illustrious Father and Dead Stars also made an impression…

BEST OF 2014 FOR EMERGING NYC ARTISTS
– DELI WRITERS’ POLL RESULTS –
 
ARTIST
VOTES
 
1
 Celestial Shore
4
2
 Beverly
3
icon
3
 Sons of an Illustrious Father
2
icon
  Dead Stars
2
icon

 

The Deli’s Staff

Philadelphia

The Deli Philly’s Best Emerging Artists of 2014 Poll – FINAL RESULTS: 1. Sheer Mag, 2. Nothing, 3. Cheerleader & More

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Deli Nation,

Our Year End Poll for Emerging Philly Artists was – as usual – a painstaking (and somewhat excruciating) process, but we do enjoy seeing what everyone has been into!

Kudos to rock ‘n’ rollers Sheer Mag (pictured and streaming) for winning the overall poll and and certainly impressing many with their debut EP 7"!

Also, big thumbs up to heavy shoegaze outfit Nothing, who released our March 2014 Record of the Month, and rising indie popsters Cheerleader.

Here is how it all went down: First, we let the local bands submit their music (for free), and got our Deli editors to pick the nominees. Then, we polled a list of 30+ Philly music scene enthusiasts/experts (our jury), and asked them to nominate 3 more bands of their choice each. We polled our local writers, and we also requested fans and readers to vote for their favorite. We tried to keep things open for each single genre, from Indie Rock to Roots Music to Hip Hop.

If you are interested in geeking out in all the subtleties related to how this poll works, you can read its rules HERE. But if all you care about is the awesome new music Philly produced in the 2014, this list is all you need. Enjoy!

BEST OF 2014 POLL FOR EMERGING PHILLY ARTISTS
****** FINAL RESULTS ******
 
 ARTIST
J
OS
W
R
TOT
  
1
 Sheer Mag 22   2 0.005 24.005
2
 Nothing 9   2 0.001 11.001 icon
3
 Cheerleader 7   1 0.003 8.003 icon
4
 Modern Baseball 5   3 0.001 8.001 icon
5
 CRUISR 8     0 8 icon
 
 Marian Hill 7   1 0 8 icon
7
 Vita and the Woolf 7     0.006 7.006 icon
8
 Amanda X 7     0.004 7.004 icon
9
 Cayetana 6   1 0.002 7.002 icon
 
 Suburban Living 5   2 0.002 7.002 icon
11

 The Lawsuits 7     0.001 7.001
12
 Chris Forsyth & The Solar Motel Band 5   2 0 7 icon
13
 Mumblr 4   2 0.003 6.003 icon
14
 Mo Lowda & The Humble 6     0.001 6.001 icon
15
 Tutlie 2   2 0.01 4.01 icon
16
 Alex G 2   2 0.009 4.009 icon
17
 DRGN King 3   1 0.001 4.001
18
 Bondage & Discipline 2   1 0.5 3.5 icon
19
 Queen Jo   3   0.115 3.115 icon
20
 The Cloth 3     0.026 3.026 icon
21
 Dead 3     0.019 3.019 icon
22
 Divers 3     0.002 3.002
  Ecstatic Vision 2   1 0.002 3.002 icon
  HIVELORDS 3     0.002 3.002 icon
 
 Literature 2   1 0.002 3.002 icon
26
 Chelsea Sue Allen 3     0.001 3.001 icon
  Myrrias 3     0.001 3.001 icon
  Pine Barons 3     0.001 3.001 icon
29
 Ben Kessler   1   2 3 icon
  Hannah Taylor 3     0 3 icon
  Needle Points 3     0 3 icon
  The Mellowells   2   1 3 icon
33
 Those People   1   1.5 2.5 icon
34
 Blood Sound   1 1 0.011 2.011 icon
35
 Chelsea Reed and the Fair Weather Five 2     0.006 2.006 icon
36
 Bonzai 2     0.005 2.005 icon
 
 Thin Lips 2     0.005 2.005 icon
38
 Faking 2     0.004 2.004 icon
  Milton 2     0.004 2.004 icon
  Pinkwash 1   1 0.004 2.004 icon
41
 Teen Men 2     0.003 2.003 icon
42
 Bad Canoes 2     0.002 2.002 icon
43
 Hound 1   1 0.002 2.002 icon
44
 Dylan Jane 2     0.001 2.001 icon
  Prime Homeless Time 2     0.001 2.001 icon
  The Yetis 2     0.001 2.001 icon
47
 Lantern 2     0 2 icon
 
 Locals 2     0 2 icon
49
 Shark Tape   1.5   0.001 1.501 icon
50
 Cave People 1     0.5 1.5 icon
51
 Pushin’ it 2 the Limit 1     0.065 1.065 icon
52
 You You Dark Forest   1   0.029 1.029 icon
53
 What Nerve 1     0.026 1.026 icon
54
 Cherokee Red 1     0.023 1.023 icon
55
 You Do You 1     0.018 1.018 icon
56
 Aaron Parnell Brown   1   0.009 1.009 icon
 
 The Stammer   1   0.009 1.009 icon
58
 S.T.O.P. 1     0.008 1.008 icon
59
 Abi Reimold 1     0.004 1.004 icon
 
 Mock Suns   1   0.004 1.004 icon
61
 Ill Fated Natives 1     0.002 1.002 icon
  Son Little 1     0.002 1.002
  The Bad Doctors 1     0.002 1.002 icon
64
 Combine 1     0.001 1.001 icon
  Commonwealth Choir 1     0.001 1.001 icon
  Little Big League 1     0.001 1.001 </p
Philadelphia

Lushlife & YIKES the ZERO Opening for Kool Keith at KFN Feb. 19

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Legendary alien emcee Kool Keith will be gracing the stage of Kung Fu Necktie once again this evening for a sold-out show. Though he already performed last night (due to popular demand), this showcase is the one you want to be at with its killer local supporting lineup. Multi-talented producer/emcee Lushlife will be coming out of performance hibernation for this special event. Lush has been quiet of late, and we can only hope that it is because he’s been focused in the lab preparing to drop a bomb of beats and rhymes on the world with his long-awaited follow-up to Plateau Vision. Also returning this evening to the Front Street watering hole is YIKES the ZERO and his DJ Caliph-NOW. YIKES has been a perfect pairing with our headliner for this two-night run. His eccentric releases and willingness/ability to collaborate with other artists represent what Kool Keith has accomplished throughout his storied career. This event is surely a celebration of the road less traveled in hip hop! Kung Fu Necktie, 1250 N. Front St., 7pm, $20 (Sold Out), 21+ (Lushlife Photo by Meredith Kleiber) – Q.D. Tran

Toronto

Jutes- “Down to the Wire”

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Keeping it bumpin’ with his hip-hop, alt-rock musical mixture, Jutes, has us hooked on his tight flow and memorable melodies. Transmitting all around, good, laidback feelings, Down to the Wire is a track to check out! This tune pairs up synth, as well as an offbeat guitar rhythm, with a 4-on-the-floor groove, creating an unbeatable and delectable combo that is best enjoyed while dancing along. Although the hook is a goofy, happy-go-lucky vibe, Jutes manages to bring it to a serious note with the bridge, showcasing himself; introducing you to his impressive rhymes and smooth flow.  This song most definitely demonstrates what Jutes is all about, happiness and music. So, listen to the hook, and use the excuse that you’re young – Go out and party with Jutes and the JutesFam Feb 20 @Hard luck Bar.- Courtney Chalapenko

Philadelphia

New Video: Dreams Don’t Chase Themselves – Hezekiah

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This short film Dreams Don’t Chase Themselves chronicles producer/emcee Hezekiah‘s journey as he dreams of/envisions his fears and fights to overcome them. Written by Michael Beon and directed by Embassy & Hezekiah, the film’s scenes correspond to songs found on the album of the same name, and include segments of tracks “Spirits Moves Through All Things,” “Coming Back is Harder,” and “Fake It.” This album isn’t one that you should sleep on.

Austin

Quiet Company, Cilantro Boombox and More Austin Bands Cover Other ATXers

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STUCK is a non-profit org and production company here in ole Austin whose mission is to create ways for artists to connect with the state and each other. It’s a neat little group, and among the products of their labor are things like the ultra-high-quality, Vimeo-based music show Hardly Sound and apartofstuck, through which they release music.

Using this last outlet and following their musician and Texas-supporting missions, STUCK has just released "Frog Music Licensing Presents: Parallels Volume One" with, as you might guess, Frog Music Licensing. This 15 track album/playlist is packed like The White Horse on honky-tonk night with local musicians, each of whom records a cover of another Austin-based musician. It’s got quality names both on the side of those doing the covering (Cilantro Boombox, The Invincible Czars, Tee Double and more) and those being covered (The Octopus Project, A. Sinclair, Ghostland Observatory, Ben Kweller etc.).

We were handed the whole shebang, and it’s an affair of quality, with standout tracks being Zookeeper’s “Ballad of My Friends” covered by Quiet Company (and available below) and Box of Baby Birds’ cover of Bill Baird’s “New York Love.” Listen to the whole album from Frog Music Licensing and STUCK, and which is about as Austin as it can get, here.

Portland

Appendixes ‘Every Day Use’

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The music of Portland trio Appendixes is like that place between sleep and waking, where consciousness breaks away from subconscious,  emerging from colorful dreams that seemed to make sense at the time.  Light begins to filter through, stirring past a weighted heartbeat of bass, and then bursting full of synths and acoustic strums. Beth Morgans vocals are hazy, and slowly the lyrics become clear: “I had a dream we were walking on the moon” .

“Moonwalking” is the first sweet song on the band’s new five track EP Everyday Use (Jan 24th on Track and Field), and is an extension of previous works Neon Green Fear and False Color, possibly pointing to a full length endeavor. Its Dream-gaze, with eerie, condensed echoing, but also fun pop tendencies. Morgan’s alto slowly navigates the interplay between rhythms and acoustic melody. “The Plan” is a dusty and fast paced jaunt, while “Treehouse” is a sparkling dramatic into for  “Burn”, which showcases catchy beats complemented by synths and electric guitar solos, but grounds near the end with a negative rhythm of feedback.

Through some cutester strums, synth and breathy vocals, there is an ominous mood surrounding their sound, such as the darker, final track “Stolen.” And yet, listening closely you find lyrics about being “a shooting star, a glimmering ball of light” among the struggles.

Here’s to lucid dreaming.

– Brandy Crowe