You know.. I don’t think I listen to soul enough, so I guess I forget sometimes how involved a lot of this music can get. For chanteuse Fanesha Fabra at least, these are some dense and swirling pads and beats, fronted by her breathy and powerful soprano, her worlds are every bit as dense and powerful as anything coming from NY these days. Along with producer Chikara Aoshima, electro-soul jams like ‘Take Your Time’ and ‘Transform,’ the Brooklyn artist cools things down while boiling over with soul. – Mike Levine (@Goldnuggets)

Ten Ton Man has been in and out of love, bars, trains, and after such an eclectic journey… the itinerant bluesman has finally released his debut record, ‘Fall Down.’ But for all the stylistic highways Paul Livornese’s scruffy baritone travels throughout Americana, his songs are most effective when used to bring down the hammer, like the judge/jury/executioner style of ‘Dearly,’ a track where he vows justice for those betrayed. Thankfully for the rest of us, he has plenty of songs about redemption here too. See him when he plays ZirZamin on Wed, Mar 27th. – Mike Levine (@Goldnuggets)

Last week New York-based Outernational released their four track EP “’Here Is The Rose” in honor of International Women’s Day. Produced by Tom Morello it features a litany of special guests, including Lindi Ortega, Chad Smith, Bridget Barkan, Gil Sharone, Joe Tomino, Trevor Welch and Sonny Singh. Known for their politically charged message and fiery rock sound, Outernational takes a more celebratory approach for this special occasion. Upbeat dancy number “Here Is the Rose” kicks off the record and is followed by “We Own the Night” which swings with infectious guitar/trumpet riff interplay. “She Craves Spring” slinks along with seductive beats and romantic flair in the form of crisp guitar solos Closing out the record, “Ladies of the Number” showcases the band’s masterful multi-part harmonies and acoustic roots. The EP is available for FREE download here. The band is in the midst of a March residency at Arlene’s Grocery, and will be performing March 13, 20, and 27, then at Bowery Electric on May 10. – Meijin Bruttomesso

I first came across Gina Mobilio‘s music at her debut album release at The Side Walk cafe a couple of weeks ago during the Anti folk festival. The song "Razor Behavior," which is also the title of the album, is what first captivated me – a morose song about the consequences of self-destruction and personal liberation, enough to make Sylvia Plath smile from her grave. The New Jersey artist grew up listening to oldies stations, and was obsessed with doo wop – and it shows. The rest of the album isn’t as hard-hitting and melancholic as Razor Behavior, but it’s real, and at times funny, and honest; her showtune-esque feel is unique in an era of mass-indie rock and EDM-inspired mainstream music, and her sound is reminiscent of a Broadway performer gone completely rogue. Gina’s stage presence is equally as captivating, engaging the audience with quirky and somewhat off putting lyrics, accompanied by a piano, and at one point a saxophone (her album features the likes of Ben Pagano, Charles Mansfield, and Julian Samal). In an interview with the artist, we found out that the album is influenced from a tumultuous musician relationship gone wrong, a somewhat quasi response letter in Taylor Swift fashion. -Kristyn Potter

Here’s two ladies that know how to be emotional. Not only does duo Frances Rose rock a denim jacket for a post-grunge feel, but they also douse their mixes in an electro-dub haze of beats and loops, giving a psuedo-goth feel to their stories of heartbreak and trying romantic adventures. Track ‘Vampire’ is especially revealing, as only two women that have known each other all their lives are capable of. Frances Rose won our Reader’s Best of 2012 poll for emerging bands. – Mike Levine(@Goldnuggets)

Skaters excitedly pronounces their name repeatedly on landing on their nondescript website. But once you’ve seen the pizza-loving video for ‘Schemers,’ you’ll get a better idea for the sense of humor the trio is capable of. Shooting toy guns through confetti-soaked backgrounds, it’s obvious this is a band looking for a party. And with this much energy, there can’t be one far behind. The band was selected as The Deli writers’ best band of 2012, and recently signed a deal with a major label – they are definitely going to be one of the emerging acts not to miss at SXSW 2013. – Mike Levine (@Goldnuggets)

Haven’t hopped on The Secret History bandwagon yet? Then you better start listening before their upcoming album release. Comprised of cult songwriter Michael Grace Jr. as well as other members of My Favorite, as well as vocalists Jaime Allison Babic and Lisa Ronson (daughter of glam rocker Mick Ronson) The Secret History has made a graceful transition from My Favorite’s psych pop antics to their current sound, while maintaining a trademark whimsical playfulness. Their debut album “The World That Never Was” in 2010 gained them praise from Allmusic.com, Spectrum Culture, and was even listed as one of Kip Berman’s (of The Pains of Being Pure at Heart) favorite records of the year. We’re pretty excited to see what they’ve got coming out this June. Mark your calendars, the release party will be on 06.05 at Glasslands. – Lucy Sherman

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

Ghost Box Orchestra strips down to traditional psych rock, while building up from their foundation a technical structure of noisy rock. Their music frequently grows in seemingly chaotic sounds before breaking down in a steady beat and groovy melody. Ghost Box Orchestra top our Boston open submission with two other bands, and will be playing Middle East Restaurant and Nightclub Saturday, January 26th.

Bella’s Bartok is a strange mix of a band, and with their absurdity lies their charm. Varied percussion, bright pianos, scratchy guitars, scattered horn sections, and group harmonies give their dancy tunes a distinct bohemian vibe, and their raw sound gives them something of a punk edge.  Bella’s Bartok topped our New England open submission with two other bands. –Lucy Sherman

Folk pop duo You Won’t apply old school folk vocally driven melodies and harmonies with new diverse instrumental tactics. Bass heavy rhythmic drums, various percussion, and mixing clear acoustics and noisy electricity make for a unique blend of sounds for this genre. You Won’t topped our New England open submission with two other bands. -Lucy Sherman

Great Elk have a sound that seems to rise straight from the earth. Whether singer Paul Basile’s lyrics are down in the mud, or soaring through the sky, this is a reminder of open spaces the band left behind in their native Alaska. Tracks like ‘I’m Going to Bend" off debut LP ‘Autogeography’ are tell-tale reminders of how much we have in common no matter the landscape. See the band when they play Littlefield tomorrow night at 7:30 pm. – Mike Levine (@Goldnuggets)