Deli Reders! 

The Best of NYC issue 2017 is out digitally (physically soon too!), with glorious garage rockers Baby Shakes gracing its cover! The super fun quartet topped our Best of NYC Poll for Emerging NYC Artists earlier this year, which earned them the cover of this issue - go see them live if you can!

Besides featuring more than 90 of the best emerging NYC bands organized by genre, the issue is also focused on the our free, educational event for musicians called NYC MixCon! Musicians located in or near Manhattan should take this incredible no cost opportunity to learn about mixing on July 8/9 - check out the list of incredible producers involved here and RSVP to the single presentation(s) you are interested in attending.

Dear Deli Readers,

We have finally reached the end of the road for The Deli’s Best Emerging NYC Artists Poll. As usual, it’s been a lengthy, exhausting, painstaking journey through an abundance of numbers, band names, and some seriously rad tunes. Now, before we get to our list of this year’s Top Performers, we would like to thank our wonderful, knowledgeable jury of local music experts/enthusiasts (which you can view below), dedicated Deli writers and all those who took the time to check out our nominees and cast their votes. You’re the best, and we wouldn’t be able to do this without you.

The Deli NYC Jurors:

Rami (PopGun Presents), Lauren (Northside Media Group), Katie Jones (National Sawdust), Hannah Gold (City Winery), Chris Pickering (Alphaville), Christopher Thomas, Matt (Rockwood Music Hall), Paolo De Gregorio (The Deli), Paul Bacher (The Knit), Christine (Sofar Sounds), Brett Tabisel (LPR NYC), Michelle (Bowery Ballroom), Tim (ASCAP), Eric (The Wild Honey Pie), Alex (Webster Hall), Patrick (Oh My Rockness), Tyler (Brooklyn Bazaar), Greg (The Delancey), Bowery Electric, Grace Gibson (Arlene's Grocery)

BEST OF NYC POLL - THE FINAL RESULTS

1. BABY SHAKES

This year's Best of NYC band is Baby Shakes, a power-pop/garage rock four-piece (there's a ghost member in the band) that knows how to have fun. The group wins this poll's grand prize: the cover of the spring 2017 issue of The Deli - we are looking forward to that issue! The band's catalogue is pleasantly varied, with everything from relaxed surf rock tunes to easy rock-n-rollers to borderline punk, heavy-hitters. Though the expert guitar work of Mary Blount and Judy Lindsay is apparent, featuring harmonization, synchronized riffs, and the occasional shredtastic solo, what really makes Baby Shakes so infectious is the raw force and high energy of their songs. It's something you can pick up on even through earbuds. Be on the lookout for their new album Turn It Up out this spring. - Andrew Strader

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2. BANGLADEAFY!
Bangladeafy! is a band that's hard to forget after a first listen. They take a mathy, complex, progressive approach to metal without resulting obnoxious. They tow a unique line somewhere between metal and electronica, using arpeggiating synths to compliment complex percussion patterns and distorted guitars. This band is, without a doubt, carving a new path for metal in the tech age. - Andrew Strader

  

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3. BREANNA BARBARA
Breanna Barbara, self described as "occult blues" reimagines the roots of that genre, crafting a witchy, psychedelic take on it. Her latest record, Mirage Dreams was made in Nashville and there's no hiding it: slide guitar, rhodes, and fuzzy bass, all come together to create a fresh take on an authentically southern sound, but with an edge. - Andrew Strader

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OVERALL TOP 20

Here's the top 20 of the Best of NYC Poll for Emerging Artists! This chart reflects the scores of 

1.   Baby Shakes
2.   Bangladeafy!
3.   Breanna Barbara
4.   Big Thief
5.   Margaret Glaspy
6.   Cutworms
7.   Ex Reyes
8.   Sam Evian
9.   Bailen
10. Surf Rock Is Dead
11. Ela Minus
12. Pavo Pavo
13. Latasha Alcindor
14. Baby Acid
15. The Casey Hopkins Trio
16. Navy Gangs
17. Zuli
18. Dakota Jones
19. Yoke Lore
20. Winstons 

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BEST OF NYC ELECTRONIC/HIP HOP CATEGORY 

Overall Winner: Ela Minus 

Readers' Poll Winner: Latasha Alcindor

BEST OF NYC GARAGE/SLACK ROCK CATEGORY 

Overall Winner: Baby Shakes

Readers' Poll Winner: Stuyedeyed

BEST OF NYC PUNK/METAL CATEGORY

Overall Winner + Readers' Poll Winner: Bangladeafy

BEST OF NYC INDIE ROCK CATEGORY

Overall Winner: Big Thief

Readers' Poll Winner: Baby Acid

BEST OF NYC SOUL/BLUES ROCK CATEGORY

Overall Winner: Breanna Barbara

Readers' Poll Winner: Casey Hopkins

BEST OF NYC INDIE POP CATEGORY

Overall Winner: Ex Reyes

Readers' Poll Winner: Zuli

BEST OF NYC FOLK/AMERICANA CATEGORY

Overall Winner: Margaret Glaspy 

Readers' Poll Winner: The National Reserve

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See you next year, best of NYC Poll!

The Folks at The Deli

Our Best of NYC 2017 poll has begun last week with the Garage/Slack Rock category and, after you-the-people cast your vote, we have the results to share with you!

Overall Poll winner (Jurors vote + Readers' vote): Baby Shakes

Readers' Poll Winner (Readers' Vote only): Stuyedeyed

We are superproud of these two NYC bands, that offer high octane garage rock inspired to completely different periods of the history of this genre. Stuyedeyed, with their insanely tense, obsessive tracks and screamed vocals, refer back to the proto-punk days of The Stooges, full of madness and debauchery - you can see them live at Alphaville on February 18th.

Baby Shakes, on the other hand, find inspiration in the melodic garage rock of NYC's own The Ramones, infusing ultra-fun surf and doo-wop elements in it. Baby Shakes will be playing W'Burg Hall of Music on February 14th and then embark on a Japan tour in March.  

Honorable mentions go to Navy Gangs (second in the overall chart) and Thick (third in the Reader's poll). The full list of nominees can be found under the streaming tracks.

Baby Shakes have been perfecting their jangly power pop rock and roll since 2004, and in 2015 they self-released their long awaited second full length Starry Eyes. Its spirited pop melodies combined with its gritty and raw punk attitude are enough to appeal young rebels in the market for party time, while carrying on the tradition of celebrated vintage acts such as The Ramones and The New York Dolls. The quartet’s layered harmonies and poppy vocals shape their fun summery vibe with simple lyrics that celebrate the freedom and light heartedness of youth. Baby Shakes just finished playing some shows in China and Italy, and will be performing at Berlin on September 3rd! - John Honan

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New York City garage rock/girl-group Baby Shakes showcase the release of their second full length album “Starry Eyes” with the single (and accompanying video) “Summer Sun.” Though the warm days will soon give way to autumn, we can hang on just a bit longer by taking in this perfect slice of Coney Island atmosphere. Beach time fun is fully on display in both video and song, which captures the Ramones' “Rockaway Beach” vibe with Ronnie Spector vocal harmonies. The three front-ladies make a solid case that brunettes are just as much fun as blondes at the shore. The band is currently on a European tour taking them through Ireland and Scandinavia, with a hometown show to surely follow that. -Dave Cromwell