It appears that Dean Cercone, a Brooklyn avant-folk musician, has focused more on his passion for painting abstract art since his 2013 lo-fi release “Cirrus”. He is however playing a show on the 20th of March at beloved DIY venue Bohemian Grove. Cercone’s music hums and buzzes and confides. The songs stretch out into long, ambient passages with the vocals of an insomniac lying on top of his blankets, wondering aloud at the ceiling. If you like some visual accompaniment with your listening you can check out Cercone’s paintings. – Leora Mandel

A band made up of two ladies both named Katie sounds like a project in cute, right? Don’t be fooled. Local minimal electronic/lyrical R&B act BLKKATHY builds up layers of blissful vocal lines and clicks them into place with the right beats and ace production. It’s music made for pulling up old wounds, soothing, and dancing. The duo released an EP, “Dem Bones”, with Deep Ellum Records and have extra tracks streaming on their website and soundcloud. Their recordings are filled with well-crafted lyrics amongst synths and inventive textures. BLKKATHY will be representing NYC’s surge in electronic innovation this week at SXSW. – Leora Mandel

Flagland is a NYC 3-piece self-described “panic rock” band. Despite some nihilist tendancies on their 2014 record, “Love Hard”, there is room for sweet hopefulness in the song “Sugarcube”: “When I’m feeling dark, you take me to the park. When I’m feeling black, you take me back. Yeah, my cup is bitter stuff, but you make it sweet.” The diverse 20-song album is comprised of this sweet diddy as well as head-bobbing rock songs, some glockenspiel action, sarcastic quips, and tracks that are the healthy alternative to kicking your foot into a wall. Flagland cites influences like Pixies, Nirvana, and Weezer and play with super gusto. They will be playing Brooklyn Night Bazaar on a way cool lineup with Teen Suicide/LVL UP/Crying/Amanda X/Washer March 27th and Aviv on April 3rd.

-Leora Mandel 

3-piece NY outfit Palberta treat music like a playground—they run up slides, stand on swings, and climb to the top of the jungle gym carrying flags in thier teeth. A little riot grrl and a little noise, part clever and part temper tantrum, they pluck and sting and stomp around. They put on wild shows, radiating confidence, chemistry, and camaraderie with their audience. Palberta plays Silent Barn with local favorites Ava Luna (who graced the cover of The Deli a few years ago), LVL UP, and Palehound on April 18th; bring those dancing boots. – Leora Mandel 

NYC, are you ready for more SUNY Purchase grads who know how to rock? 8-bit/pop-punk band Crying is cute in a way that won’t make you puke. It’s Princess Peach in roller derby gear—it’s that Lemuria/Hello Goodbye crossover I secretly have always wanted. Their latest record, “Second Wind”, is seriously fun and filled with glittery angst. They’ll be playing Brooklyn Nigh Bazaar on March 27th. With lyrics like “karaoke’s ready, bring her down” you’re already invited, so who’s carrying the DDR? – Leora Mandel

Close your eyes when listening to Big Huge’s latest record “Don’t Be Shy” and you’ll be transported to a big old couch in your neighbor’s garage (just play along here)—the cushions are a bit sunken in from jumping and the beers are fizzy, warm, and plentiful. It’s not a bad place to be. The sound is fuzzy and upbeat, the rhythm driving, and the vocals excitable. Big Huge is a 5-piece NYC rock band. They’ll be heading to SXSW this March to play this and other shows, but they love you and will without doubt be coming back to local NYC venues this Spring. Big Huge made our recent list of Best Emerging NYC Bands. – Leora Mandel 

Brooklyn chamber-pop group Friend Roulette’s 2014 EP “Grow Younger” is a victory in synchronicity. The band, comprised of multiple singers and drummers as well as featuring a string section, EWI, and bass clarinet, could be a mess of a lunch date, but the record never feels like a crowd. Lead singer Julia Tepper marches through proclamations of magic and dawdles into meditations on mortality. With influences like early 2000’s Vanessa Carlton, a pack of dogs, and space travel, Friend Roulette has managed a unique cohesion. They will be playing shows at Palisades on March 20th and Pianos April 12th. – Leora Mandel

After a successful kickstarter campaign, and a seemingly interminable build, the folks at the Mama Coco’s Funky Kitchen (MCFK) collective have finally completed construction on their new studio. To celebrate they’ve put together their second show this month, this time at the Gutter, Brooklyn’s premier bowling alley/venue which isn’t Brooklyn Bowl. The showcase will feature the gleaming psychedelic soul pop of ghostpal, Goodman’s excoriating garage pop (both Deli NYC Artists of the Month) as well as Toot Sweet, NoPop (whom are not to be missed), The Brooklyn What, and Awkwarium. Stream MCFK’s latest compilation below, and catch them tonight (1/23) at the Gutter. -Emilio Herce (@emilioherce) photo cred: Dan Bracaglia

The Pluto Moons play with magic. It’s your garden-variety, bass-based, synth and sample, four-on-the-floor sort of magic, but magic no less. Their latest, the E$pooky EP, is something of an evolution from their debut, Mannequin Legs, but retains the playful instinct that’s a staple to most of their music. “$pooky,” the first song on the album, begins with a whisper and a bang, Jachary’s undulating bass refrain quickly vaporized by the rest of the of the band’s entrance. It comes back to haunt you later in the song, bigger and more insistent than before, like most of the Moon’s catalogue. The Pluto Moon’s will be playing Bowery Electric on 2/5 with a Mellencamp. -Emilio Herce (@emilioherce)
 

Brooklyn experimental trio Zs has always been defying expectations, and their latest release, the mesmeric Xe (pronounced Zee), is no different. The record features some of Zs’s most accessible work, yet remains as challenging and captivating as any of their previous releases.  “Corps,” the third track on the album, begins with the hypnotic plucking of Higgins’s guitar, and is immediately matched by Fox’s tom heavy fills, a machine gun patter played between toms and their rims. Hilmer’s saxophone refrains, sinewy and versatile, modulate the band’s volume and energy throughout. The rest of the album remains meticulously composed, but because it was recorded live in studio, captures the frenetic energy of their live sets. Zs will be releasing Xe tonight with a show at (Le) Poisson Rouge. – Emilio Herce (@emilioherce)

Thanks to all the artists who submitted their music to be considered for The Deli’s Best of Nashville Year End Poll for Emerging Artists. We had a record number of submissions from Nashville this year – 49! – thanks so much for the overwhelming response!

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4. I’m an Island – 7.66

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5. Chrome Pony – 7.5

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6. Jack Berry – 7.33

6. Smooth Hound Smith – 7.33

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8. The Cunning – 7.11

Honorable Mentions (scores above 6.5)

Koa, Yumi And The System, Stewart Eastham, Everyone Moves Away, Creature Comfort, DEDSA, Aaron Moses, The Double Intenders, Sugar Lime Blue, David Newbould.

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WHAT’S NEXT: These results end the first phase of the poll. We have already unveiled full list of nominees that also includes the artists nominated by our local jurors (see left column here). It’s now time for our readers to influence this Year End Poll for Emerging Nashville Artists with their vote – look out for th readers’ poll on the right column of this same page!

The Deli Nashville

 

Thanks to all the artists who submitted their music to be considered for The Deli’s Best of Portland Year End Poll for Emerging Artists. We had a record number of submissions from Portland (70!) thanks so much for the overwhelming response!

After tallying our editors’ ratings for the Open Submissions stage, it’s time to release the results. Please note that to avoid conflicts no local editor was allowed to vote for bands in her/his own scene.

Total submissions from Portland: 70.

Jurors: Jurors: Michelle Bacon (The Deli KC), Roxy Morrison (The Deli Toronto), Paolo De Gregorio (The Deli NYC).

Acts advancing to our Readers/Fans Poll:

1. The Lower 48 – 7.8 (out of 10)

2. Just Lions – 7.6

2. Jackson Boone – 7.6

4. Dirty Revival – 7.5

4. Jeffrey Martin – 7.5

4. The Binary Marketing Show – 7.5

4. Anna Tivel – 7.5

8. Kool Stuff Katie – 7.3

8. Mermaid in China – 7.3

9. Mothertapes – 7.16

Honorable Mentions (scores above 6.5) 

Future Historians, Dogheart, Souvenir Driver, Foxy Lemon, Talkative, LiquidLight, Ezza Rose, Neka & Kahlo, The Adaptive.

WHAT’S NEXT: These results end the first phase of the poll. We have already unveiled full list of nominees that also includes the artists nominated by our local jurors (see left column here). It’s now time for our readers to influence this Year End Poll for Emerging Portland Artists with their vote – look out for th readers’ poll on the right column of this same page!

The Deli Portland