The Deli's Year End Polls for emerging artists are a great opportunity to catch up with all the most exciting up and coming bands that left a mark in the previous 12 months. Don't forget to check out these bands as they might hit it big in 2010 (if they haven't already!).

AUSTIN BEST EMERGING ARTIST OF 2009: STEREO IS A LIE


Also check out
Missions (2nd place overall)
Neon Indian (3rd place overall)
Black Joe Lewis (3rd place overall)
Austin Overall Chart - Austin Fans' Chart

CHICAGO BEST EMERGING ARTIST OF 2009: I FIGHT DRAGONS


Also check out
Hey Champ (2nd place overall)
Netherfriends (3rd place overall)
Chicago Overall Chart - Chicago Fans' Chart

LOS ANGELES BEST EMERGING ARTIST OF 2009: LOCAL NATIVES


Also check out:
Fitz & The Tantrums (2nd place overall)
Crash Kings (3rd place overall)
Light FM - (Fans' Poll Winners)
LA Overall Chart - LA Fans' Chart

NEW ENGLAND BEST EMERGING ARTIST OF 2009: MEAN CREEK


Also check out:
Michael Bernier and the Uprising (2nd place overall)
Jesse Dee (3rd place overall)
McAlister Drive - (Fans' Poll Winners)
New England Overall Chart - New England Fans' Chart

NASHVILLE BEST EMERGING ARTIST OF 2009: THOSE DARLINS


Also check out:
Non Commissioned Officers (2nd place overall)
Protomen (3rd place overall and Fans' Poll winners)
Nashville Overall Chart - Nashville Fans' Chart

NYC BEST EMERGING ARTIST OF 2009: TALK NORMAL


Also check out:
Freelance Whales (2nd place overall)
Bear in Heaven (3rd place overall)
Midnight Spin (Fans' Poll winners)
NYC Overall Chart - NYC Fans' Chart

PHILLY BEST EMERGING ARTIST OF 2009: READING RAINBOW


Also check out:
Grandchildren (2nd place overall)
Free Energy (3rd place overall)
Levee Drivers (Fans' Poll winners)
Philly Overall Chart - Philly Fans' Chart

PORTLAND BEST EMERGING ARTIST OF 2009: EXPLODE INTO COLORS


Also check out:
Nurses (2nd place overall)
Bodhi (3rd place overall and Fans' Poll winners)
Portland Overall Chart - Portland Fans' Chart

SAN FRANCISCO BEST EMERGING ARTIST OF 2009: GIRLS


Also check out:
Man/Miracle (2nd place overall)
Or, The Whale (3rd place overall and Fans' Poll winners)
Orchestra of Antlers (Fans' Poll winners)
SF Overall Chart - SF Fans' Chart

Remember Will Smith’s thrilling musical career? Brooklyn’s Pearl and the Beard sure do. Not long ago, the trio composed a charming Will Smith melody, seamlessly threading together some of his top hits, including the notorious theme to “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.” You can watch them getting jiggy with it in various parts of the city in this music video. In all seriousness, Pearl and the Beard create the kind of heartwarming music that makes the bitter winter months bearable. The soulful folk trio’s energetic output envelopes the listener with whimsical, uplifting joy. Without a wave of distortion, pristine voices are free to entwine with a hearty collage of organic instrumentation. The spirited vocal harmonies tantalize the senses with the playful interaction between male and female voices. If you can’t get enough of their infectious folk, cellist Emily Hope Price is in the midst of a personal project, in which she writes and records a new song every day for the next year. Witness the impossible on her blog. Catch Pearl and the Beard with the equally lovely Dinosaur Feathers on Saturday at Sycamore or on March 5 at The Studio at Webster Hall. - Nancy Chow

Scientific studies show that a small weekly dose of power pop is good for you - in particular if you suffer from SAD syndrome. Your third week of February should be covered by Paperdoll, who are playing Mercury on 02.19. - Paperdoll's efficacy is not verified by the Food and Drug Administration, side effects include jumping uncontrollably, heavy drinking, loss of sexual inhibitions.

In an effort to brainwash babies into liking my music, based on a study that shows infants to have a stylistic preference for music they were exposed to prenatally, Piano-popper Joe Raciti is offering his latest album "Romantic Shark Attack" for free to any pregnant woman or expecting father. "I know this sounds crazy but I feel really good about it," said Raciti. "Babies are wonderful and outright fascinating and I want my music to have something to do with the development of their brains. Must be the mad scientist in me." If you would like to take advantage of this offer, you need to go here, fill out the form below and mark “pregnant” or “yeah I’m preggers” or something like that after your name in the name field. (Joe guarantees that this album will ensure that your child grows up smarter and happier than he or she would have otherwise or he'll give you a %100 refund, no questions asked.) This offer only last’s about 9 months… unless you get pregnant again: *Warning: Side effects of this promotion may include an explosion of the world’s population and occurrences of the first name Joe. (as posted in The Deli's Open Blog - post your band's entries, videos, and Mp3s here).

Semi Precious Weapons might not be a band for NYC hipsters, but it's definitely one of the few local acts that seems to "incarnate" the good old rock'n'roll lifestyle - with a good dose of irony thrown in the mix. Plus, front man Justin Tranter's entertaining ability is precisely what most self-conscious NYC hipsters bands lack. The sexy and campy quartet (featured on the cover of our 16th issue in 2008) has been working around the clock: wrapping up a nationwide tour with Lady Gaga, sold out at many major venues, including four nights at New York’s Radio City Music Hall, the quartet found time to record and release a self-titled EP as a follow-up to their full-length 2008 “We Love You.” The three-song teaser features polished revisions of two favorites, “Semi Precious Weapons” and “Magnetic Baby.” Smoother around the production edges, the tracks maintain the gorgeous filth of the originals, while they showcase augmented guitar solos and diamond-cut precision. Until now, the stomping “Put a Diamond in It” was available only for live enjoyment, but now listeners can indulge in Justin Tranter’s shouting, “WHO!? WHO!? WHO WANTS MY BABY?” in the privacy of their own homes. Semi Precious Weapons are not slowing down any time soon, as they deploy to Europe for more Monster Ball stops. – Meijin Bruttomesso