Born in the forests of Vermont as an intimate, mellow folk project, Alpenglow slowly morphed into a psychedelic entity that feeds itself with roots (music) and converts them into spacey songs full of synths and effects. The release of their beautiful 2014 EP Chapel openied up opportunities to tour with Lucius, Timber Timbre, and their spiritual guru, Jim James of My Morning Jacket. They are now announcing their full debut album, "Callisto," scheduled for a February 26 release, by unveiling single "Following The Scene." The band will play a bunch of East Coast dates supporting the album, before coming back to Brooklyn for a show at the new Williamsburg non profit venue National Showdust, on April 1st.

We added this song to The Deli’s playlist of Best mellow songs by emerging NYC artists – check it out!

There is an earnestness in the power pop tracks of Boston-based piano man Dan Masterson that is deeply refreshing. As the flowing title track from his 2015-released third EP ‘Atlas’ shows, the smooth-voiced singer isn’t afraid to convey feelings of loss and restlessness in his music yet seems keen on championing a spirit of perseverance. The Billy Joel of such iconic tracks as "Piano Man" appears to be an influence on Masterson yet, as the alternative rock-tinged "Nobody I Know (Slow Down)" (streaming below) from the album shows, he impressively adds some edge to his celestial songs. Dan Masterson plays at Middle East in Cambridge, MA on Friday (2/12). – Zach Weg 

While New York City stands as punk rock’s birthplace, neighboring New Jersey has certainly contributed to that genre’s gritty sound. The Garden State may be known for established acts like Springsteen and Bon Jovi, but power-punkers Lost In Society find muse in early era punk and 90’s grunge. New single “I Want To Know” successfully touches those two bases in a concise two plus minutes. While the intro’s mid-tempo drum rolls and emphatic guitar chords suggest a classic power trio, subsequent tempo shift to a much quicker pace establishes meaner intentions. Verses come fast and hard and tell the story of working class people barely getting by “check by check” and “sinking down to a hopeless debt.” With the chorus initially (and conveniently) namechecking the song title, the next lines echo the best of Nirvana in cadence tandem with lyrics “when you take what you get and you don’t look back, do you feel no regret, do you really keep check?” Their full length record ‘Modern Illusions’ (produced by Pete Steinkopf, guitarist of The Bouncing Souls) is set for release on February 26th. Live shows will happen at Saint Vitus in Brooklyn, NY on February 25th and Convention Hall in their hometown (Asbury Park, NJ) on February 26th. – Dave Cromwell

Dear Deli Readers,

Our Best of DC Area Poll for Emerging Artists has been – as usual – a lengthy and painstaking journey which took us through prairies of numbers, horizons filled with band names, and a dense, (mostly) joyous rain of music. We have finally reached our destination and we can announce the final results!

Coming in first for 2015 is DC’s premier velvet pop trio The Walking Sticks. Comprised of outstanding vocalist Chelsea Lee and brothers Spencer and Max Ernst, this group possesses a standout electronic base layered with funk and the stadium-quality voice of a siren. They have a show tomorrow night, 2/10, with Wylder and Tigers Are Bad For Horses at the W Hotel.

Barely a year out from releasing their first LP, Richmond psych rockers California Death landed at number two. Mellow and dreamy, this quintet makes a splash with their beachy, lo-fi shoegaze music in the Old Dominion. Nostalgic and feel-good, these guys have a show at Gallery 5, 2/28.

Number three on the list, Manzara lays out their heavy, atmospheric post rock to great aplomb, also hailing from Richmond. This spacy and mystifying threepiece doesn’t have much music on the books, but keep an eye on them as they build their following. Their next gig is at the Hardywood Brewing Company, 2/20.

Check out our poll’s top ten below, and don’t forget to get even deeper, exploring all the finalists organized by genre:

Alt Rock – Hardcore/Metal – Hip Hop/World – Electronic – Indie Pop – Indie Rock – Post Punk – Roots Music

BEST OF 2015 POLL FOR  EMERGING NDC Area ARTISTS ****** FINAL RESULTS – TOP TEN ******

ARTIST J OS R TOT   1 The Walking Sticks 4.5 3 0.004 7.504 2 California Death 5.5   0.064 5.564 3 Manzara 4.5   0.002 4.502 4 Dr Robinson’s Fiasco 3   0.124 3.124 5 Goldrush 3   0.088 3.088 6 The Milestones 3   0.04 3.04 7 Spirit Plots 3   0.019 3.019 8 Beauty Pill 3   0.004 3.004 9 Stronger Sex 3   0.003 3.003   The NRIS 3   0.003 3.003 Legend: J = Jurors, W = Deli Writers, R = Deli Readers, OS = Open Submissions

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If you wonder how this chart came into existence, 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 15+ DC Area scene expert (our jury) and asked them to nominate 3 more bands of their choice each (3 points for the top choice, then 2 and 1). Then we polled our readers. We tried to keep things open for each single genre, from Indie Rock to Roots Music to Hip Hop.

If you are a geek interested in all the subtleties related to how this poll works, you can read the rules here (happy reading!). But if all you care about is the awesome new music DC Area produced in the year 2015, this list is all you need. Enjoy!

Many Thanks to our Jurors: Josh Sisk (photographer), Craig Boarman (Ottobar), Brandon Wetherbee (Brightest Young Things), Alley Gibson (photographer), Lynda Lu (DC Rocks), Mike Rutz (WRIR), Katie Bowles (DC Music Download), Andrew Cothern (RVA Paylist), Chris (DC Heavy Metal), Jennifer Vinson (DC Setlist), Nestor (Velvet Lounge), Mark (Strange Matter), David Hintz (DC Rock Live), Kevin Hill (Chunky Glasses), Chris Naoum (Listen Local First), Jonathan Goodwin (The Deli Magazine). Many other jurors were asked to send us their preferences but elected not to do so.

Hope you’ll find some awesome new artists you weren’t aware of!

The Deli’s Staff

Deli Readers,

Our Best of Portland Poll for Emerging Artists has been – as usual – a lengthy and painstaking journey which took us through prairies of numbers, horizons filled with band names, and a dense, (mostly) joyous rain of music. We have finally reached our destination and we can announce the final results!

All of us at the Deli would like to congratulate Cat Hoch for becoming The Deli Portland’s Best Emerging Artist of 2015! It doesn’t come as much of a surprise, though, as Cat’s indelible musical footprint even landed her the opening spot for Ride’s performance in Portland last year. She’s talented, as is her supporting band, and she’ll without a doubt keep dishing out incredible, dreamy psychedelia for the enjoyment of the masses.

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The Domestics – after winning this same poll last year, when their full length debut album hadn’t been released yet – ring in our #2 slot, with their fun and loveable rock-pop. They’ve got a mass appeal and an easy to enjoy sound, so much so that it landed them on last year’s PDX Pop Now! festial compilation album, along with our top spotter Cat Hoch (and a performance at the fest along with our 3rd place winner). 

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Round out our top 3 is DIY/post punk trio Golden Hour, comprised of wonderfully endearing ladies who produce songs that are just as captivating. Almost out of nowhere, Golden Hour sprung up on the scene, dominating every show they’ve played so far with a charming humbleness. The Don’t Be Cute LP came out in February of last year and we’re hoping to get another release from these lovelies soon.

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Check out our poll’s top 15 below, and don’t forget to get even deeper, exploring all the finalists organized by genre:

ALT-ROCK/METAL | ELECTRONIC | INDIE-POP | INDIE-ROCK | PSYCH | PUNK/GARAGE | ROOTS

ARTIST J OS R TOT   1 Cat Hoch 6.5   0.036 6.536 2 The Domestics 6.5   0.005 6.505 3 Golden Hour 6.5   0.004 6.504 4 Fur Coats 5.5   0.016 5.516 5 Chanti Darling 5.5   0.014 5.514 6 Moon by You 4.5   0.064 4.564 7 Blowout 4.5   0.015 4.515  8  Coco Columbia 3   1 4 9 Dirty Revival 3   0.125 3.125 10 Rod 3   0.055 3.055 11 Leo Islo 3   0.054 3.054 12 Muscle and Marrow 3   0.02 3.02 13 Sioux Falls 3   0.018 3.018 14 Boone Howard 3   0.015 3.015 15 Ah God 3   0.015 3.015 Legend: J = Jurors, W = Deli Writers, R = Deli Readers, OS = Open Submissions

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If you wonder how this chart came into existence, 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 15+ Portland scene expert (our jury) and asked them to nominate 3 more bands of their choice each (3 points for the top choice, then 2 and 1). Then we polled our readers. We tried to keep things open for each single genre, from Indie Rock to Roots Music to Hip Hop.

If you are a geek interested in all the subtelties related to how this poll works, you can read its rules here (happy reading!). But if all you care about is the awesome new music Portland produced in the year 2015, this list is all you need. Enjoy!

Many Thanks to our Jurors: Aaron Sharpsteen (SSG Music), Ana Ammann (Publisher for Oregon Music News), Annie Ostrowski (Riot Act Media), Chad Davis (music video director), Duffy Rongiiland (Gnar Tapes), Heather Hanson (Portland Radio Project), Hunter Skowron (Dazzleship Records), Jeni Wren Stottrup (Portland Mercury), Linneas Boland-Godbey (Vortex Mag), Mac Pogue (Impose Magazine), Meagan Ruyle (PDX Pop Now!), Noelle Magia (CD Baby), Rob Cullivan (Portland Tribune), Todd Walberg (show photographer), Tony Prato (Bunk Bar), Travis Leipzig (Noise & Color), Yousef Hatlani (Faces on the Radio).

Hope you’ll find some awesome new artists you weren’t aware of!

The Deli’s Staff

The recording project of songwriter and producer Gabrielle Smith, Eskimeaux began in 2007 as an outlet for her experimental and noisy home-recordings and later, within Brooklyn collective of musicians The Epoch, developed into a more structured folky tinged pop. Smith’s latest full-length album, "O.K." was called the #1 record of the year by the U.K. blog GoldFlakePaint, and was featured in NPR’s All Songs Considered’s Top 10 albums of 2015 – which it ain’t bad if you ask us. The artist just announced a new EP entitled "Year of the Rabbit," scheduled to be released on April 15. Check out single ‘Power’ below. The band will be also touring the US with Frankie Cosmos and Yowler in the spring, but New Yorkers will be able to catch it live at Market Hotel on February 26th.

Holy cow, Deli Readers! Check out this stunning song/video combo, directly from our digital submissions, which rarely reserve this kind of surprises (when they do, it’s pure joy). The band in question is called Humeysha and – according to their Facebook profile – hail from NYC / LKO / KHI – which is enough info to include them in this blog, but fails to convey any other familiar location. However, their bio indicates Indian origins, betrayed rather heavily by their music and imagery. In October 2015 the quartet released a 14 track self-titled full length album that integrates Indian influences and western pop format in psychedelic ways that would make George Harrison proud. The video elevates the single’s dreaminess with stunning and vaguely disturbing images. Kudos to all parts involved, this is beautiful art.

We first covered NYC quartet Silverbird back in 2013, and, two years and a half later, we find a band that has evolved from their initial soft, dreamy and orchestral folky atmospheres (still dominating their 2014 EP ‘Surface Life‘) to a more elaborate, extroverted and upbeat art rock sound, pervading their 2015 release ‘Pureland‘. Considering it was entirely self released, the record has received a surprisingly good reception, raking up tens of thousands of plays on Spotify and a good amount of press coverage. The strenght of the album, besides a sound that blends glam-pop overtones (some may hear a Suede influence) with the trademark light psychedelia, is its consistency. Unlike most records out there, the band’s best material isn’t immediately burnt within the initial few tracks, but slowly unfolds song after song. Our personal favorite is ‘Seventeen’ (streaming below), a tune that, after a rather static verse, develops unexpectedly through a peculiar trasaction towards a chorus that brings to mind the best Flaming Lips tracks. Don’t miss these guys at their next live show, scheduled for February 18 at Baby’s All Right with Corbu and Ron Gallo.

We added this song to The Deli’s playlist of Best songs by emerging NYC artists – check it out!

Hey Newyorkers into Soul music and Hip Hop!

On Tuesday February 23rd we’ll celebrate the release of our 45th NYC issue of The Deli Magazine with a show at Rough Trade featuring our cover lady Brittany Campbell, who will take the opportunity to celebrate the release of her new EP! Check out her latest video for single ‘Sexy Darth Vader,’ inspired to Star Wars!

Here’s the lineup, tickets are $10/12 and can be bought here!

10.15: Brittany Campbell (EP Release!) 
9.30: Kate Ferber
8.45: Mathanee Treco
8.30: Paco the G Train Bandit
8.pm: DJ Topclass

See you there!

The Deli Folks

My Oh My’s next appearance in KC will be this Saturday at The Brick, with Pocket Vinyl (CT) and 40 Watt Dreams. Facebook event page. 

Last Saturday, 2/6, a beautiful thing happened at DC9 Nightclub. A sold out crowd was treated to a night of wonder as DC-based bands The Duskwhales, Broke Royals, and Wylder performed their superb music, with Wylder performing a full cover of Weezer’s debut album. Despite a late start and minor feedback problems, this show was not worth missing.

The Duskwhales kicked off the night with their typically exuberant style, belting out fast-paced, dreamy indie rock. Channeling the best of times long past and the days ahead, their sound is the stuff of youthful excellence and highly stylized stage presence. Vocalist and guitarist Seth Flynn brings a unique flavor to the stage, bushy hair masking his face and ruby red fingernails flying over his guitar. This trio has a highly refined musicality and standout personality on the scene. They released a video for their latest single, Emerald Skates, today. Also, they’ve declared themselves the only thing worth knowing in Manassas, VA, aside from the Civil War battlefields.

Following up, Broke Royals pursue being the epitome of smooth, rocking out in vests and belting out feel-good alt rock. Drummer Colin Cross possesses stellar skills at the drum kit, frequently twirling a drumstick without error between beats, while lead vocalist Philip Basnight work the crowd into a bopping mass of adulation. Their performance was energetic and engaging and they really pumped up the crowd. They recently put out their third album, The Luxury of Time Pt. III, keeping it simple for fans, and they’re releasing a new single, On My Way, on 2/19.

Headlining the night, indie folk group Wylder put their own spin on Weezer’s Blue Album for the show, executing the cover perfectly and adding to the classic masterpiece with violin and keys. Hitting all of the high notes and owning the title of DC’s best Weezer cover band, the band invited The Duskwhales onstage to sing along to The Sweater Song, which was thoroughly harmonious. Following the end of the album, Wylder rounded out the night with some of their originals, including their forthcoming release, Swells. The new single drops 2/15 and it is a fantastically upbeat, anthemic track.

-Jonathan Goodwin

This past November, Providence power pop quartet Jets Can’t Land released its ruggedly sweet debut EP, ‘You Can’t Linger On.’ As heard in the irresistibly nostalgic, guitar-fuzzed opener “A ‘70s Photograph” (streaming below), which excitingly melds the jagged splendor of Bowie’s “Queen Bitch” with the pure warmth of The Kinks’ “Powerman,” the six-song effort shows a band not so much enslaved by past struggle but ennobled, and even strengthened, by it. Jets Can’t Land plays at AS220 in Providence, Rhode Island on 2/19. – Zach Weg