An authentic poet is Norwalk, Connecticut’s Sarah Golley: the artist’s complete devotion to maximum exposure is the trademark of her latest record As We Crawl. From the spoken poetry of the opening track, “From the Sea,” to the grandiose string-instrument-driven composition that backs up her soulful vocals in “At a Snail’s Pace” the album opens majestically. The honeyed symphonies continue in tracks like “Over Time” and “Into the Flames” where the melodious grand piano keys fire away as Golley dramatically spills her heart; the music takes on a rich theatrical form that is as exquisite as it is immersive. Sarah Golley channels ferocious energy in the vein of artists like Amanda Palmer, yet her music has a softer touch to it that is rooted in the theatricality of it all. Tracks like “On the Treadmill of Thought” hypnotize with vibrant harmonies and thunderous kick drum patterns. From the onset, As We Crawl requests one surrender their thoughts and emotions entirely to each piece, weaving both for an experience unique, and satisfying. Listen to the gravity with which “Through a Black Hole,” from the new album, blossoms below. - Rene Cobar, photo by Jesse Newman

There are so many things to be grateful for today: family, friends, good food, good times. Here at Deli New England, we are grateful for one more thing, and that is the opportunity to cover New England’s always-thriving music scene. For ten years, we have been privileged to witness the rise of talented artists from Connecticut’s New York border to Maine’s Atlantic seaboard. Since the birth of this branch, on this date ten years ago, we have had our many editors explore with delight hip-hop acts, indie-pop darlings, rock-punks, and so much more. Below you will find nine posts from different editors of this magazine over the last ten years. A big thank you to Meghan Chiampa for kicking off this journey and letting me know of the special occasion at hand. Happy holidays and happy reading! - Rene Cobar

Meghan Chiampa on Brendan Hogan (2010)

Chrissy Prisco on Boy Without God (2011)

Dean Shakked on High Pop (2012)

Jake Reed on Deja Carr (2013)

Daniel McMahon on Here We Just Dream (2014)

Zach Weg on And the Kids (2015)

Olivia Sisinni on Dreamtigers (2016)

Cameron Carr on Clairo (2017)

Lilly Milman on People Like You (2018)

There is nothing quite like discovering new music that is provocative, inspiring, and tastefully unique. Boston’s Rhett Price impresses with his novel take on hip-hop: by letting luscious violin melodies lead the way Rhett creates feverish beats that have a touch of the classical, an urban haze to them, and an elegant club tinge. The intrepid violin work of Rhett is on full display in the artist’s latest track, “Get It,” which boasts an ominous-lingering bass that complements the violin flourishes coloring the composition. The song is direct, graceful, dangerous, and wholly unique. Rhett is an artist doing things his way, one not afraid to try something different; if you ask us, we say that he is walking down the right path. Stream his latest single below and discover something different. - Rene Cobar

The cool winds of the fall are settled in, but New England bands are still bringing in the heat. Such is the case with Boston’s Hallelujah the Hills, whose dual singles are hot alt-rock music to gather around. “Folk Music Is Insane” is melodic in the verses and destructive in the choruses: from grand piano embellishments to swelling orchestral instrumentation drowned in guitar distortion, you never quite know where the song is headed, and that is alright. “Running Hot With Fate” has more of an indie feel to it, with harmonies glazed atop a steady rhythm section that drives the song forward with sweet style (you can’t help but be infected by the groove). Hallelujah the Hills is not afraid to go big; the band stands out by blending indie rock with a distinct Americana touch—now that is different. The singles are part of the band’s upcoming album, I’m You, which is slated for release November 15, 2019. Stream “Running Hot With Fate” below to start your week right. - Rene Cobar

Dear Deli Philly Readers,

I’m a procrastinator by nature, and this is certainly a post that I’ve been procrastinating to write. When I first became involved with the Philly music community, I started with booking shows at various spaces and for local area acts. I remember coming out to a show in Brooklyn to support one of the local bands that I was helping out, and I was really interested in figuring out how I could connect similar-minded, up-and-coming NYC acts with the lesser known yet talented Philly artists that I was assisting. During that time, if you had heard of a touring act coming to your town, they were usually already a little too popular to really want to trade shows with any acts that they didn’t know personally and/or probably had never heard of. That was when I just happened to come across a print issue of the NYC Deli Magazine in a coffee shop. (I still probably have that copy somewhere because I’m a borderline hoarder.) It was exactly what I was looking for – a publication that was dedicated to giving exposure to interesting-sounding, indie/DIY acts that were still flying under the radar of the larger music blogs and news organizations.

I was instantly a fan of what The Deli was doing, so when I read that they were opening a Philadelphia branch, I was psyched to get involved. I have always been a bit of a music geek who spent way too much of his time listening to and discovering new music to make mixtapes, burn CD mixes, and create playlists for my friends. The Deli Philly just felt like a natural extension of what I had been doing most of my life. However, when I submitted my first post, I never imagined that I would be writing my final one over a decade later, which will unfortunately also be The Deli Philly’s last as well.

Running the Philadelphia site and helping to edit the NYC print magazine have truly been a joy to me and a labor of love, but as some of you may or may not know, I recently became a father, and I’ve been simply finding myself lately more interested in jamming on a toy cat synthesizer with my daughter and deejaying private dance parties for her than practically anything else in the world. So deciding to move on from what has been such an essential part of my life for over the last ten years or so was definitely a difficult decision, but it also became a much easier one. It just felt right.

I’d like to take this time to thank all those who have supported us over the years and those who have inspired us with your music, words, photos/graphics, and always much-appreciated kindness. Of course, extra special thanks go out to Deli Editor-in-Chief Paolo De Gregorio for his passion and genuine good nature, Michael Colavita, whom The Deli Philly could have never survived without for the last few years, Tedd Hazard for his creativity and humor, and all the wonderful writers and photographers who have contributed to The Deli Philly site. It’s been an honor to share your words and art. And finally, for those who might still be interested in what I’ve been listening to of late, you will soon be able to find interviews with some of my favorite musicians over at Delicious Audio. (That is after I take a much-needed vacation.)

Much Love to All,

Q.D. Tran