Like the social protests of Arcade Fire and Hank Williams III, Dear Comrade aren’t content to air their grievances against acoustic instruments and sentimental conclusions. This is a band has serious stadium ambitions. A larger-than-life diatribe against injustice everywhere, this group will make you grab pitchforks and shout the message from the rooftops. Singers Sam Quartin and Arthur Kremer work out their issues in burners ‘Basketcase’ and ‘Wolf’ off their debut ‘All Wisdom is Gone.’ – Mike Levine @Goldnuggets

Experimental indie-pop band Zula (pictured above) will be playing/hosting a show tonight (1.24) at Pianos with avant-indie-pop band Tony Castles. Zula, a psychedelic-electro take on indie-pop, is currently working on a debut album to be released this spring. Tony Castles, a Brooklyn based trio with grooving melodies and diverse instrumentation, released their EP “Sharon Stone” this past October. The show will also include performances by Candide and Honey Octo. – Lucy Sherman

Every once in awhile I come across an artist pulling from so many disparate corners of the map that the influences converge into something entirely new. For Freak Owls, there’s a deep commitment here to channel personal stories amidst a wide backdrop full of earthy textures. In the spirit of The Shins or Gnarls Barkley, singer-songwriter Josh Ricchio has found a home for his acoustic guitar to dance on top of deep grooves and patterned sequencers. For an artist with a lot on his mind, it’s the way he pulls his frustrated visions over a serviceable beat that won me over. Check out debut record ‘Taxidermy’ on his BandPage. –Mike Levine (@Goldnuggets)

You can hear elements of nearly all of Portland’s music circles in Eidelons progressive ballads, and as a result they might be one of the best representations of the city’s music. Their indie rock riffs are played with the purity of a garage rock band atop blistering rhythms that aren’t without an experimental edge. Still they retain a certain pop sensibility within the crooning vocals of Dan Beyers and their occasional blending of a folk influence that seems to be ever present in stumptown. 

Catherine Feeny’s songs are entrancing. Between the ethereal quality of her voice and the dreamlike sensations evoked by intricacies of her compositions it’s easy to get lost in thought while listening. You can hear a passion behind her experimental pop songs that carries with it both nostalgia and innovation and for this reason there’s no doubt in my mind that 2013 will be a successful year for her.

In the past year, The Lower 48 have built a significant amount of momentum in Portland’s music scene and for good reason. Their music is rich with soothing vocal harmonies, tight instrumentation and a captivating presentation that has been winning over audiences at some of the city’s most prominent venues. Their folk pop gems are sure to build them a place among the most recognized acts in Portland over the course of the next year. 

Unicorn Domination has enough rhythmic energy and electronic appeal to start a rave at a young republican’s convention. Their music is saturated with visceral synthesized leads, driving drum machines and contagious vocals that could inspire movement in virtually any room. See them animate a dance floor near you in 2013.

The results are in from the Open Submissions stage for our Nashville Year End Poll for Emerging Artists. All of the submissions were ranked by Deli Editors from other scenes and the list of acts that have advanced to our Readers’/Fans’ Poll phase are below. We will also be releasing the list of nominees chosen by our local "scene expert" jurors very soon. 

Originally from Wisconsin, Foreign Fields began working on their debut LP, Anywhere But Where I Am, two years ago in an abandoned office building. Shortly after, the five-piece moved their project down to Nashville, where their electric folk sound has become part of the aggregate of bands changing the perception of what Nashville’s modern music scene really sounds like.

Anna Haas is one of the rare natives of the local music scene. After growing up in Nashville and following a career in dance to Boston and then to NYC, Haas found her place in the music industry as a singer/songwriter. Armed with years of stage training and a razor-sharp wit that bleeds through to her lyrics, Anna Haas draws inspiration from various sources, each of them creating a new layer to her textured career.

Born and raised in St. Louis, Herschel Garrison moved to Nashville at the age of 16. After learning to play the guitar and taking the stage at a few open mic nights, Garrison followed his talent to Arizona, where he studied audio engineering and learned to make all of his own beats. Discovering an affinity for rapping, the singer/songwriter-turned-beat maker learned to blend his mosaic of musical talents and returned to Music City, where he currently produces, records, and mixes all of his own music, which he describes as "Lupe Fiasco meets Kid Cudi."