You Destroy Yourself, the first full-length record from Sweet Jesus, was released on February 3 and from the sounds of their first single, this record is ready to punch you straight in the mouth. “The Light of Sun” has great intensity--I particularly liked the intro to the song--drums alone, followed by vocals and drums, then the whole band bursts-in with violent power chords and heavy bass--what’s not to like about that?

You Destroy Yourself was released through Atomic Action Records. For more information about the record, check out Atomic Action’s Facebook page. For more info about Sweet Jesus, click here.

-Dan McMahon (@dmcmhn)

Photo credit: Reid Haithcock

Deli Nation,

Our Year End Poll for Emerging New England Artists was - as usual - a painstaking (and somewhat excruciating) process, but we pulled it off with remarkable flair!

Heavy and earthy, Dark Rodeo applies a punk attitude and and song format to country lyrical themes and guitar tones. Congrats, guys!

Gym Shorts are threw some high-energy surf punk in our laps with last years record No Backsies. Check out their tune "Viberator" and take it to the slopes while we're waiting for the snow to melt. 

Nathan Ventura's back with a band, and released Pucker Up in February 2014. It's definitely a weird one. Check out Nathan's wild vocals and the band's experimental garage feel. Definitely some novel sounds on every track of Pucker Up. 

Honorable mention to Kid Mountain, for their killer free New Years Eve show in Brighton!

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+ New England scene experts (our jury) and asked them to nominate 3 more bands of their choice each. Then we polled our writers, 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 New England produced in the year 2013, this list is all you need. Enjoy!

BEST OF 2014 POLL FOR EMERGING NEW ENGLAND ARTISTS ****** FINAL RESULTS ******

ARTIST J OS W R TOT   1 Dark Rodeo 5.5     0.005 5.505 2 Gymshorts 4.5   1 0.003 5.503 3 Nathan Ventura & The Buttercups 5.5     0.001 5.501 4 Kid Mountain 3   2 0.003 5.003 5 Suitcase Junket 2     1.5 3.5   Smooth Antics 3     0.5 3.5 7 Derive 3     0.096 3.096 8 Particulars 3     0.041 3.041 9 Jake McKelvie & the Countertops   3   0.034 3.034 10 Hayley Sabella 3     0.025 3.025 11 Guerilla Toss 2   1 0.017 3.017 12 Elison Jackson 3     0.011 3.011 13 Alpenglow 3     0.008 3.008   As the Sparrow   3   0.008 3.008   Violent Mae 3     0.008 3.008 16 Butcher Boy 3     0.006 3.006 17 Mal Devisa 3     0.005 3.005 18 Biscuits & Gravy 3     0.004 3.004 19 Anchors Away 3     0.003 3.003 20 Paper Castles 3     0.001 3.001   Rye Pines 3     0.001 3.001   samuel james 3     0.001 3.001 23 Grundlefunk 1     2 3   Miss Geo   1 1 1 3   Ben Knight 3     0 3   Michelle Chamuel 3     0 3   Sirens 3     0 3 28 Clara Berry 2     0.085 2.085 29 And The Kids 1   1 0.064 2.064 30 BLKBX 2     0.061 2.061 31 Abbie Barrett and The Last Date 2     0.044 2.044 32 Daphne Lee Martin 2     0.031 2.031 33 Mosey Greams 2     0.017 2.017 34 Ports of Spain 2     0.009 2.009 35 Elephant 2     0.006 2.006   Neon Fauna 2     0.006 2.006 37 Pile 2     0.005 2.005 38 Moron 2     0.004 2.004   Notches 2     0.004 2.004 40 Dinnersss 2     0.003 2.003   Fire in the Field 2     0.003 2.003   Mini Dresses 2     0.003 2.003   The Hotelier 2     0.003 2.003   Tredici Bacci 2     0.003 2.003 45 Downtown Boys 2     0.002 2.002 46 Andy California 2     0.001 2.001   Bell and the Bees 2     0.001 2.001   Eric George 2     0.001 2.001   Humanbeast 2     0.001 2.001   Mendition Of The Quay 2     0.001 2.001   My Fictions 2     0.001 2.001   Somos 2     0.001 2.001 53 Annie Brobst 2     0 2   Eljebel 2     0 2   Life on The Sideline 2     0 2   Pours 2     0 2   Rabbit Rabbit 2     0 2   Rosie and the Rosies 2     0 2   Tom Kovacevic 2     0 2 60 Andre Obin   1.5   0 1.5 61 Pat and the Hats 1     0.091 1.091 62 Miss Fairchild 1     0.063 1.063 63 Jet Black Sunrise   1   0.053 1.053 64 Sarah Blacker   1   0.04 1.04 65 Doug Tuttle   1   0.023 1.023 66 Marina Evans   1   0.017 1.017 67 Radclyffe Hall   1   0.014 1.014 68 Plums 1     0.013 1.013 69 Joe Young 1     0.012 1.012 70 Tell Stories 1     0.007 1.007 71 Gracie 1     0.005 1.005 72 Zayde Buti 1     0.004 1.004 73 Blessed State 1     0.002 1.002   Couples Counseling 1     0.002 1.002   Madaila 1     0.002 1.002   Mister Happy Cloud 1     0.002 1.002 77 No Evil Star   1   0 1   Plains 1     0 1   Salitter 1     0 1   The Backyard Committee 1     0 1   The Coincidental Hour 1     0 1   We Were Astronauts 1     0 1 Legend: J = Jurors, W = Deli Writers, R = Deli Readers, OS = Open Submissions

Jurors List: Sam Potrykus (Boston Hassle), Erich Hagan (Harlem Globetrotters), Ellie Molitor (Great Scott), Greg (The Oak and the Ax), Ryan (Salty Speakers), Lionel Train (Mid East Club), Conrad Benjamin, Jacob Nathan (AS220), Paul Mayer (Cafe Nine), Nicholas Firine (The Space, CT), Alex Lalli and Quillan George (Signal Kitchen), Joe Adler (Radio Bean, VT), Cresta (The Red Door, NH), Mariam Saleh (Fat Creeps), Noah Britton (The Deli), Erich Hagan, John Fleming (John Fleming Enterteinment), Nick (Deep Thoughts JP), Luke O'Neil (Alternative Press), Joseph Graham (NE Music Awards), Adam Tercyak-Morgan (Surviving the Golden Age), Daniel G. Kuhn, Perry Eaton, Malcolm Tent (Trash American Style).

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

The Deli's Staff

Here’s another October 2014 release that we just dug up. A refreshingly energetic band, Midriffs' debut album Subtle Luxuries is a punk record that calls back to the nostalgia we have for the lighter Buzzcocks era of punk, with some surf and fuzz guitar tones added for good measure. There’s definitely some Agent Orange and Night Birds flavor in their sound, as any good surf punk band needs. The opening track “Taboo Tattoo” is a retro-sounding punk song, absolutely infectious and raucous. The guitar work is extremely clean and precise for a punk record, emphasizing those energetic surf riffs. Listen for the crazy guitar work on “Sunday Morning Cigarretes and Orange Juice,” my personal favorite track. Definitely keep this record in mind for Summer 2015, or take just it to the slopes! God knows we got the snow for it. Listen or download the album here. 

They're playing Club Bohemia (or the Basement of the Cantab Lounge) in Cambridge, this Friday 2/6/15. Here's the event page for more info.

- Paul Jordan Talbot

Fellow Boston-area blogger Bishop & Rook has been busy the past few months, starting a local media collaboration called Boston Scene Party, and partnering with Sound Lion in Harvard Square to host a series of monthly acoustic concerts. In fact, one of these performances is scheduled to take place on January 30th--how ‘bout that for a convenient coincidence?

Along with a live performance by The Offseason, the sketch artist Louis Roe from Squishy Sandwich Art will be drawing at the show. Still not impressed? There will be free beer (compliments of Bishop & Rook) and The Offseason will have a supply of limited-edition, totally awesome, colored vinyl for sale. Sounds like one heck of a way to say “peace-out” to January.

You can RSVP to this free event here. Music starts at 8PM. All ages.

For more info on The Offseason, check out their Facebook page.

-Dan McMahon (@dmcmhn)

Loud Boyz is finally releasing a 7" this Saturday, January 10th, at Comet Ping Pong! The single includes the songs Hard Feelings and 4 the Ladies, and can be pre-ordered at Cricket Cemetery.

Loud Boyz will be joined by DC garage/surf heartthrobs Shark Week, who are preparing the highly anticipated album, Beach Fuzz, for 2015 (check out lead single "Desire"). This is a super lineup, featuring two of DC's hottest bands, poised for national success, on one stage, and not to be missed. Saturday, January 10th, @ Comet Ping Pong. 10PM. $12. --Natan Press