We are glad to announce that the winners of the next Deli polls (each city) will receive a Fat Head Ribbon Microphone from Cascade Microphones.

Our friends at Delicious Audio found this microphone so great that they decided to make it their Delicious Tool of the month. You can find the review here.

The Clutters have their fierce, scalding brand of balls-out rock down to a science. Their 2007 release Don’t Believe a Word was packed—not cluttered—with fuzzy guitars, huge, sloppy drums and catchy vocal hooks that resembled some sort of Frank Black-Ozzy Osbourne hybrid Frankenstein. Their jolting, power chord-driven build-ups and choruses are enough to make you punch your grandfather in the sternum. The Clutters haven’t been playing much lately, which makes their July 24 show at Mercy Lounge all the more exciting. They’ll be playing with The Titts, yet another Nashville band known for their loud, punk-infused rock ‘n’ roll. If you miss this show, your eardrums might thank you, but your inner shirtless thrasher will be pissed. -D. Patrick Rodgers

We Were the States is our second Murfreesboro nominee. Hell, they even share a couple members with Hammertorch. But unlike the practiced country sounds of Hammertorch, WWTS are all hard-hitting rock ‘n’ roll. They’re a page right out of five-piece pop rock history, channeling The Stones, The Strokes and every other garage-turned-touring band to get people dancing since 1965. The States’ live show ain’t bad, either. See them with And the Relatives and The Dirty Holidays at The End tonight, July 12. You can watch their video for "Up Your Sleeve" off their album Believe the Thieves above. - D. Patrick Rodgers

Indie powerhouse Imaginary Baseball League is reuniting for one last show tonight, Friday July 11, at the Five Spot. Longtime fans are sure to enjoy a night of nostalgic songs from the band’s back catalog. IBL's ability to mix dreamy indie pop with a country twist is something their fans have always appreciated. Anyone attending the show with no previous knowledge of the band may be in for some disappointment, however. You know, the kind of disappointment you feel when you meet a girl the last day of summer camp.

But there may be hope yet—since the demise of IBL, singer Aaron Robinson has been busy with his solo career. He released his album, We Are Racing Ghosts, to much critical acclaim. His signature croon is present throughout the album, most notably on tracks "All Us All" and the upbeat "Dreamer's Dream". The show promises to have something great for fans of IBL and Aaron's solo work alike. Also appearing are The Privates and Eric Wilson & Empty Hearts. Listen to Imaginary Baseball League's "Statistics" above. -Jason Goucher

Finnish freak rocker Ville Kiviniemi is beloved here in Nashville. His project The Mattoid employs some pretty outlandish lyrics and hypnotic, creeping guitars, and his albums feature some of Nashville's most talented musicians. His latest release The Glory Holy was June’s CD of the Month, and you can read our review of it here. I don't know what they put in the water over in Finland, but it works for Kiviniemi. His songs are somehow both exotic and vaguely familar--and occasionally strangely sweet (listen to "I Am Here" if you don't believe me). Couldn't find any mp3s we can link to, but you can listen to all but one of The Glory Holy's 11 tracks at his Last FM page, and they're all worth checking out. -D. Patrick Rodgers

So Tallest Trees strike me as something of an enigma. Their Myspace page bills them as minimalist/roots/experimental, they have no members listed and at one point the band was just one guy. I even caught them wearing some very striking paper masks at a show at the Five Spot on one occasion. Despite all their anonymity, they do happen to have a handful of pretty phenomenal tracks available for download on their profile.

Tallest Trees’ varied instrumentation and resonant, introspective vocals are as captivating as they are unpredictable, and the Trees have begun to cultivate quite a following. Led by songwriter Thomas Samuel, this folksy--perhaps more accurately anti-folksy--band of wandering performers is currently playing a string of shows out of state. Local singer/songwriter Dabney Morris plays drums for Tallest Trees, and you can read our review of his album here. Since we haven’t covered these guys before, we figured we’d link to one of their tracks. Listen to "Church of Blood" above. You can catch the Trees fresh off their tour at 12th & Porter on July 24. -D. Patrick Rodgers

Now here’s a band that knows how to plug themselves. Parachute Musical’s album release show on June 19 brought out countless fans of their piano-driven powerpop, and they’re already leading our poll. Lead singer Josh Foster’s thoughtful, revealing lyrics are belted out in a manner that doubtlessly captures the hearts of devoted ladies throughout Music City. Check out our show preview from a month ago here and go here to purchase their latest album, "Everything is Working out Fine in Some Town". -D. Patrick Rodgers

Hammertorch is the first of our two Murfreesboro nominees, and as the comments on our poll already indicate, they have a strong local following. They’re backing Caitlin Rose at The Five Spot Thursday July 10, but Hammertorch can most definitely hold it down on their own. Their sound is something like My Morning Jacket injected with a dose of pure classic country. Between their skillful steel parts and Jason Yeary’s passionate, towering vocals, I’d say they’ve earned the "Nashville" label, even if they are from the Boro. -D. Patrick Rodgers

Caitlin Rose has gotten a lot of coverage here at the Deli Nashville recently. But can you blame us? She’s a talented young Theory 8 artist with an astounding forthcoming LP (I’ve heard some of the rough mixes and trust me—they’re good), and she participates in a handful of local acts that are pretty astounding. Not to mention that she's got a 7-inch that will be out July 22.

Go here to read our entry on Rose’s latest project, The Garland Sisters, where you can also listen to the track "Shotgun Wedding" from her recently released Dead Flowers EP. -D. Patrick Rodgers

A decent-sized crowd crawled out of the depths of a stifling Murfreesboro summer to see The Ascent of Everest, Irepress and Evil Bebos play Thursday, July 3 at Wall Street. After what I was told was a two-hour sound check, Ascent of Everest took the stage. AOE played in front of a white sheet with what looked like shaky images from a home-recorded video (the lighting was bad, so I can't be certain). From the crowd the set looked like controlled chaos, but the sound that came out makes it is obvious that it was well-rehearsed and carefully orchestrated. The band has six members—two guitars, bass, drums, violin, cello and keys are all represented. Although it is apparent that AOE is heavily influenced by Sigur Ros, they are also not afraid to play heavy at times.

The night grew louder as Boston based Irepress took the stage. Sounding like something of a mix between Mastadon and The Appleseed Cast, Irepress served as a sort of gateway between AOE and Evil Bebos. As my eyes grew tired and my ears were being pushed to the limit, noise rockers Evil Bebos went on. I was not sure what to expect after hearing the songs on their Myspace page, but I was pleasantly surprised by the live show they put on. Devin and Chris from AOE pulled double duty as (they are also members of Evil Bebos). Beards and hair flew everywhere as growling vocals rumbled throughout Wall Street. Technical guitar work, swirling synth sounds and bass that could make your heart stop all added up to a pleasant first experience with Evil Bebos. Evil Bebos will be playing The Muse on July 19. -Jason Goucher

Photo by Jeff Ehlinger

Local favorite Caitlin Rose has been getting a lot of attention lately. She’s on Theory 8, she recently released a critically acclaimed EP and has a full-length in the works, she contributes to local acts Spiritual Family Reunion and Dixie Whiskey and plays so many shows that she rarely manages to keep her Myspace up to date. Seems like the last thing she’d need on her plate is another band to play with. Nevertheless, Rose has teamed up with fellow Nashville folkstress Tristen in a duo they’ve named The Garland Sisters. If you’re lucky enough to have caught these two live yet (a difficult feat considering they’ve only played about two shows), then you’re probably already a fan.

As beloved by Nashvillians as Rose is, don’t be fooled into thinking Tristen is the Garfunkel of this folksy coupling. Tristen has received plenty of attention for her soaring vocals and quirky lyrics, and her shows never fail to win the hearts of country, folk and pop fans alike. Unfortunately, The Garland Sisters don’t have so much as a Myspace page yet, so their upcoming dates are a bit of a mystery. However, both Tristen and Rose are playing The Five Spot July 10 with out-of-towners The Lonely H and locals Atlas Songs, so odds are good you’ll catch a little bit of the Sisters’ material if you show up for that one. No Garland Sisters recordings yet, but check out Caitlin Rose’s "Shotgun Wedding" above as a consolation prize. -D. Patrick Rodgers

The 4th of July weekend blowout starts early this year as local duo Florez will be hosting a party in support of Not Alone, the band's latest EP. The pop-conscious rockers deliver a melodic brand of hook-laden jams and mellow ballads in a similar vein as Spoon or Jason Mraz. The price of admission is $12, which includes a copy of Not Alone and what promises to be a excellent show down down on 4th Avenue at The Rutledge. Thanks to consistent touring and some great exposure from bassist Erik Huffman's stint on 2007's "Survivor: China", Florez continues to build a rabid fan base and shows no signs of slowing down. Catch the boys while they're still in town as they'll be heading out on an extensive national college tour later this summer and fall. You can preview a few of the tracks from Not Alone at Florez' MySpace. -Wesley Hodges

As you can plainly see from the new banner, our July poll has resulted in The Deli Nashville’s very first co-Artists of the Month. It was a heated battle between Cortney Tidwell and MEEMAW, but at over 200 votes apiece, we decided to call it a draw. Both artists have proven that they have huge amounts of local support, and for good reason.

MEEMAW, though nearly at the opposite end of the psychedelic spectrum from Tidwell, has earned plenty acclaim of their own. As was indicated by the dozens of comments left by MEEMAW fans on our poll, their supporters are just as youthful and intense as the band itself. MEEMAW’s caustic yet melodic style of punk often dwells on subjects as bizarre and random as Lou Diamond Phillips or whole milk, but songs like "Blue in the Black Light" and "Original Sin" display a surprising amount of songwriting maturity. See our review of MEEMAW’s latest release Glass Elevator here, where you can hear their track "Smoking in the Sun". You can also listen to "Blue in the Black Light" on our blog channel.

Cortney Tidwell’s luminous vocals and eerie, swirling instrumentation have earned her critical acclaim and the affection of countless ravenous fans all around the globe. Her captivating presence at performances never fails to silence even the rowdiest of crowds, and her vocals are rarely anything but exceptional. You can see our preview for Tidwell’s two dates at The Basement last month right here, where you can also view her video for "Missing Link". Keep and eye out for her forthcoming release Son and Moon. -D. Patrick Rodgers

Keep an eye out for August's Artist of the Month poll. It will be up soon.

So perhaps you caught our post about Turbo Fruits' 4th of July show at The End. In mentioning the scalding sounds of the Fruits, we failed to expound upon Royal Bangs, who will be sharing The End's stage. Let's fix that right now.

Fresh off an appearance at Bonnaroo, these Knoxville natives serve up an exciting dish of garage rock that hints at the likes of Q and Not U and Hot Hot Heat. Expect instrument changes, dueling percussion and fun stage antics from front-man Ryan Schaffaer. If Royal Bangs can't make you shimmy and shake, you may want to check if someone is slipping rufies into your drink. Also appearing are Nashville natives MARJ! and Reid and Wright. What more could you possibly ask for from a Fourth of July celebration…except maybe a large helping of freedom fries?-Jason Goucher

With an EP and a full-length already on their resume, Nashville instrumental rock band MAPS officially released their second LP The Wick and the Fire on June 10. Leaving behind the ambient sounds that are all too common on post rock records these days, MAPS has made a challenging and technically superb rock album. The songs almost dare the listener to get comfortable and settled into a part before violently changing into the next progression. The guitarists of MAPS, Pete Kron and Taylor Franks, play brilliantly off one another throughout the album. Making sure no one ventures to far off course is the precise rhythm section of Chris Vicari on drums and Jon Lee on bass.

The album opens with “Failure of Constancy.” Even though it clocks in at under two minutes, the track somehow manages to provide a blueprint for the heavy, melodic sound that is contained within the rest of the The Wick and the Fire. A seemingly innocent, jangly melody on the track “Ambuscade” turns without warning into crunchy chords and a finely executed ending featuring guitars that scream at you through the speakers. The album closes with “Synergy,” a song that allows you to come back to solid ground after an amazing journey through the record.

In a city dominated with country and pop music, it is with open arms I welcome MAPS into my stereo. They have made a stunning post-rock album that keeps in mind that songwriting is just as important, if not more so, than ambience. The Wick and the Fire is a triumphant reminder that sometimes no voice at all can speak much louder than someone screaming. Highly recommended for fans of Faraquet, Minus The Bear and Explosions In The Sky. -Jason Goucher

Summer is here. This means two quintessential summertime events are beginning to transpire more regularly: music festivals and pool parties. So why not a little combination of both? Gaylord’s Opryland Hotel is putting on a handful of shows they’re referring to as Poolapalooza, and tonight’s show will feature Deli favorites and local indie pop sensations De Novo Dahl. Baroque pop locals The Nobility will also be playing, making for some sassy, splish-splashing fun. Here’s the lineup for weeks to come:

July 4 - American Bang
July 11 - Pico vs Island Trees
July 18 - Sam & Ruby

Every one of these shows is free and starts at 7 pm. Be there or be square. -D. Patrick Rodgers

Ok, ok…so we just posted an entry about Turbo Fruits last week. But that was before we knew they’re playing a FREE in-store with Massachusetts indie poppers One Eyed Stanley tonight at the Groove. Until recently, it looked like the boys of Turbo Fruits would have a pretty narrow window between Be Your Own Pet tours in which to play for those of us here in Nashville. As it turns out, however, Be Your Own Pet has canceled all of their Warped Tour dates (read the Pitchfork article about it here). That’s a full month now open—who knows how many shows the Fruits can squeeze in? Be sure to catch Turbo Fruits tonight at East Nashville’s Groove Records. The show kicks off at 8:00, but I’d recommend going a bit early to check out the Groove’s vinyl selection. -D. Patrick Rodgers

Nashville pop rock quartet The Privates are some hardworking young gentlemen. The band is comprised of current and former members of De Novo Dahl, The Features, The Pink Spiders, Brendan Benson’s backing band, Lambchop, Cortney Tidwell’s band, Lone Official and more—honestly, I’m surprised they have time to practice their set, not to mention crafting their skillful covers.

At past shows, The Privates have offered some pretty unique renditions of tunes by Scott Walker, Billy Joel, Dire Straits and more. But now, the boys are leaving it up to their fans to c