Described as a side project of Rosemary Haskins, Waked Lunch was inspired by William Burroughs and Angelo Badalamenti and is edited using Burroughs’ writing technique, "the cut-up method." After working with saxophonist Steve Mackay on his experimental jazz album, Haskins decided to create her own niche just off the beaten path, utilizing samples, strings, atmospheric sounds, and a myriad of instruments to define her sound. 

The results are in from the Open Submissions stage for our Chicago 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.

A quick reminder that these list are not final nor complete – most of the bands accessing the final stage of the poll are currently being chosen by our local "scene expert" jurors – we’ll publish the complete list of nominees very soon.

When you talk about Martha Wainwright, there’s a host of expectations that precede her. From her heralded lineage including Loudon Wainwright III (dad) and Rufus (her bro), to her controversial first single ‘Bloody Mother Fu*king As*hole,’ Martha seemed destined to conquer modern folk right out of the gate. And so far, she’s set out to move beyond her roots toward a more assertive approach that’s earned her praise from all angles. From playing with legend Emmylou Harris to recognition in worldwide tours, covering ground as far away as Japan. Her latest record ‘Come Home to Mama,’ brings her music back to her family, discussing what it means to become a new mother amidst the pain of dealing with the loss of her own mom. A grivous but refreshing glimpse into the artist’s vulnerabilities, set in her careful acoustic arrangements and raw alto. Martha’s over in England and Ireland for a little while next year, but take a listen to new song ‘Everything Wrong‘ from a recent performance below to get excited for when she comes back home.

A four-piece dream-pop band fronted by the talented Rebecca Scott, Panda Riot first formed in Philly, but has been a staple of the local Chigcago clubs for several years now. 2012 saw the band release a 7" singled called "Serious Radical Girls" while they worked hard to complete their forthcoming full-length album Northern Automatic Music which is due out in February 2013. The band scored an impressive rating average of 8.16 out of 10.

Formed in Austin, TX a few years back The Vliets became part of the Chicago scene in the summer of 2012, when founding member Daniel Gonzalez moved to our fine city. This year also saw the band release their latest EP "God’s Drug." Despite the distance between Gonzalez and his songwriting partner Ty Bohrnstedt, The Vliets managed to release two outstanding and physedelic videos this fall, and continue to work on upcoming releases. The band is also planning a cross country tour in 2013. Our jurors assigned them a rating average of 8 out of 10.

With a modern and vibrant take on soul music and the powerful vocals of Gina Bloom, The Congregation released a new instant classic in 2012 in the form of their full-length debut "Right Now Everything." The eight-piece band sports its own horn section in addition to keyboards, piano, guitar, drums (lots of drums). This is original gospel soul mix in an indie rock form, i.e. what critics love about Alabama Shakes, but so much more authentic. 

Both bands scored a rating average of 7.66

Glittermouse is one of those bands with that added element required for taking things to the next level, i.e.: the determined will to make it happen! The band had a fairly quiet 2012 having released their latest EP back in December 2011, but have big plans for 2013. The band is currently working on a full length album and will be launching a kickstarter page to raise funds for the project shortly.  Their rating average was 7.5 out of 10.

For a band so steeped in pop music history, this group has moved forward quite a bit over the past two years. Coming from their heavier roots, We Can’t Enjoy Ourselves have mellowed out quite a bit for their latest record ‘Make A Mess of Sacred Ground.’ Now they seem to both enjoying themselves more, while finding themselves even more frustrated by various bastards, Winsome William and the ones you love (their words, not mine).

The band dabbles in the music providing the soundtrack to that jangle house party found in the block between Echo and the Bunnymen and Vampire Weekend. Definitely a good time… and all the more reason to doubt these people are able to enjoy themselves. Check out the new record on their bandcamp, and be sure and make it to the end. Because the closing track, “Devil in the Old Folks Home,” is such a good time you’ll want to play the whole thing again. Check out the band at Glasslands Gallery on November 27th with Tony Castles and Kissing Is A Crime– Mike Levine (@Goldnuggets)

ATTENTION! THIS SHOW WAS MOVED TO XPO 929!!!

DETAILS ABOUT THIS SHOW & STREAMING COMPILATION OF ALL FEATURED BANDS HERE.

Finally, here’s our last announcement for this CMJ week – on Saturday, we’ll be welcoming some of the city’s best noise/punk/post-punk up-and-comers to XPO 929’s stage, for an afternoon of high decibels and free booze (specifically, vodka and bourbon on the house all day!!!). Kicking off with alternative punk/riot grrrl trio TinVulva, followed by female fronted Bugs In The Dark and their fierce slow-burning indie rock, this show will be bringing to you Life Size Maps, who over the course of three records, have worked out their own brand of noise pop eccentricities and EULA (all in caps, please), another lady-led trio that’s been attracting a fair deal of attention over the last couple of years with its wild post-punk jams served with an attitude and a half. And now we get to the this show’s two headliners, with first up, The Everymen, eight-piece (the more, the merrier!) rock&roll explosion from New Jersey who recently released their debut LP ‘NJHC" and finally, EndAnd, so-called 90s revivalists with the balls to push some aesthetics which not many under that label really seems ambitious enough to attempt, working on the follow-up to their -most impressive- debut. In the picture: Life Size Maps

DETAILS ABOUT THIS SHOW + STREAMING

COMPILATION OF ALL THE BANDS HERE

This is going to be the longest list of this whole series of announcements. On Thursday, we’re once again taking over both floors of The Delancey with upstairs, a line-up of electro up-and-comers from all sides of the spectrum and downstairs, some creative pop gems fitting under the Avant Pop label, for a total of.. NINETEEN acts! So enough chit-chat, let’s get to the list, because that is sure going to take up enough space.

Opening the (free!) upstairs show, Thomas Simon‘s ghostly mixes, followed by the bizarre folk-tronic experiments of Max Horwich’s Sewing Machines, Cultfever‘s chaotic outputs and Railbird‘s more intimate creations. Next up, we’ve got three out-of-towners, i.e SF’s Maus Haus, Philly’s electro/hip hop artist Lushlife, and finally, Anomie Belle, from Seattle, co-headlining the show with NYC’s own Dynasty Electric. Then, taking it to the later hours of the evening, Ducky, and Drop Electric (coming from DC).

Downstairs, our two headliners will be Dinosaur Feathers (top picture) and Wildlife Control, who both released this year a delicious new album, second for the former and a first for the latter. We’ve also got, on this stage, three acts coming from Los Angeles: openers American Royalty, shoegaze-pop band Letting Up Despite Great Faults, and Kiven, who will be closing the show. Add to this Columbian transplants Il Abanico, Conveyor, whom we covered in our last print issue, the catchy jams of five-piece Modern Rivals and finally, Santah, coming from Chicago, and.. I believe WE’RE DONE! In the pictures: Dynasty Electric & Wildlife Control.

Schoolhouse Rock once noted that “three is a magic number.” This Wednesday, October 17 at Bar Matchless in Brooklyn, Rocker Stalker, EiPR, and The Outlet Collective present an official CMJ showcase demonstrating the power of three. The “Trios Do it Better” showcase will feature Birmingham-bred indie rockers La Resistance (NYC), electronica-laced outfit  Black Bird White Sky (NYC), the blues-driven sound of Chainwave (NYC), late Deli ‘Artist of the Month’ Viva Mayday, with the communicative energy of their reggae/r’n’b rock fusions(NYC), psychedelic genre-busters The Gypsy West(NYC), garage band The Phuss (DFW), in town for a few dates, and alt-rockers Lights Resolve (NYC), and you will have a chance to dance, groove, and head bang all in one night. It’s a not-to-be missed event with 21 of the top music makers. Doors are at 7:30pm, 21+, FREE entry with CMJ badge, $10 without. – Meijin Bruttomesso

DETAILS ABOUT THIS SHOW & STREAMING COMPILATION OF ALL FEATURED BANDS HERE 

For Wednesday’s Deli CMJ showcase at Spike Hill, expect a sweet crescendo from the sprightliest to the raunchiest of our pop/rock picks. Headlining the first half of the evening, featuring five of the city’s upcoming Indie Pop artists, we’re offering you the eccentricities of Eytan & The Embassy and the passionate ballads of duo The Last Royals, whose debut album is on the way. These two will be joined by Flying Points, a new record on the way, who will be opening show, followed by Fast Years, whose latest music video you should definitely be checking out if you haven’t already, and the only solo artist of the lot, Ace Reporter.

Subtle transition into the second part of the night, Motive will be the first headliner of our Alt Rock stage, opening the dance with their delectable indie rock before co-headlining cock-rock outfit Mother Feather comes to take over with its flamboyant tease of an act, heating the crowds up for the last two bands of the evening. Next up will be self-dubbed ‘weird rock’ troubadours New Beard, and to conclude the night, you’ll be entertained by the contemporary intepretations of back-to-basics rock&roll formulas served up by Raccoon Fighter. – In the pictures: Eytan & the Embassy and Mother Feather.