After a month and a half long painstaking process, we finally have the overall results of The Deli's Best of Chicago 2011 Poll for Emerging Artists! Unlike in NYC, where Caveman was a clear winner with 5 jurors vote, scores are very close this year in our Chicago poll, due to the fact that our jury's vote was extremely fragmented.
Congrats to heavy rockers Mutts, who won the overall competition in virtue of points accumulated through the Open Submissions, the Fans Poll and the Jurors votes (see below - they were picked as 2nd and 3rd choice by 2 jurors, and therefore were assigned 2 + 1 points in the jurors column).
---
2. DRIFTLESS PONY CLUB
Driftless Pony Club grabbed 2nd place thanks to the 3 points assigned to them because of their win in the Fans Poll, plus one extra point earned through the Open Submission contest.
---
3. SHARPLESS
Winners of the Open Submission contest - which earned them 3 potins - Sharpless also stacked up 517 fans votes, which granted them 3rd position in the overall poll. These indie rockers blend crooked melodies a la Modest Mouse with uplifting and dense choruses - definitely an emerging Chicago band worth checking out.
Here's the final chart of The Deli Chicago's Year End Poll for Emerging Artists - thank you all for spreading the word!
1
1
Artist
J
OS
F
TOTAL
1
Mutts
3
1
0.008
4.008
2
Driftless Pony Club
1
3
4
3
Sharpless
3
0.517
3.517
4
Hemmingbirds
3
0.064
3.064
5
Sissy Mena
3
0.053
3.053
6
Rabble Rabble
3
0.048
3.048
7
Photographers
3
0.037
3.037
8
Island of Misfit Toys
3
0.021
3.021
9
The Super Happy Fun Club
3
0.016
3.016
10
E+
3
0.013
3.013
11
Apteka
3
0.008
3.008
12
Dastardly
3
0.008
3.008
13
Disappears
3
0.007
3.007
14
Canasta
3
0.006
3.006
15
Gold Motel
3
0.006
3.006
Radar Eyes
3
0.006
3.006
17
Kids These Days
3
0.004
3.004
18
Daniel Knox
3
0.002
3.002
19
I:Scintilla
1
2
3
20
Secret Colours
2
1
3
21
The Steepwater Band
1.5
1.5
3
22
Soft Speaker
2
0.254
2.254
23
Milano
2
0.141
2.141
Hidden Hospitals
1
1
0.093
2.093
25
Jerome Holloway
2
0.037
2.037
26
Little Light
2
0.028
2.028
27
White Mystery
2
0.022
2.022
Chaperone
2
0.01
2.01
29
Scattered Trees
2
0.009
2.009
30
YAWN
2
0.007
2.007
Cross Record
2
0.006
2.006
32
Unicycle Loves You
2
0.004
2.004
The Kickback
2
0.002
2.002
34
Valis
2
0.002
2.002
35
Textbook
2
0.001
2.001
36
Paper Thick Walls
1.5
0.174
1.674
Oy Vey
1.5
0.002
1.502
Good Evening
1
0.284
1.284
Rock Falls
1
0.082
1.082
40
The Sweeps
1
0.044
1.044
41
The Noise FM
1
0.035
1.035
42
Michael Lux & The Bad Sons
1
0.021
1.021
43
Secret Science
1
0.018
1.018
44
Briar Rabbit
1
0.017
1.017
45
Go Long Mule
1
0.011
1.011
46
Russian Circles
1
0.011
1.011
47
Bare Mutants
1
0.009
1.009
48
How To Dress Well
1
0.008
1.008
49
Musikanto
1
0.006
1.006
50
Running
1
0.005
1.005
51
oshwa
1
0.003
1.003
Lagos
1
0.002
1.002
53
Eight Bit Tiger
1
0.001
1.001
54
Future Rock
1
0
1
55
Mike Golden & Friends
1
0
1
56
Steve Knecht
1
0
1
Legend: J = Jury - OS = Open Submissions - W = Deli Writers - F = Fans
Stephen Paul Smoker released his new album Ripe Fruit last week. The album an eclectic romp shifting from the fast paced, driving rhythm of "In Cairo" to the somber pluck guitar of "Cold As A Stone". This album seems meditative and psychedelic at the time. The are many moments through out at quite, almost restful. One of my favorites are the flute interlude in "The Light On The First Day of Spring... Pt 1.". In many way Stephen Paul Smoker is a throw back the 60's, but the way he builds his melody's also feel very modern. Ripe Fruit is just that, fresh and ready to be consumed.
The 60's 
