Wow! We got almost twice as many submissions this year as we did last year. Thanks to everyone who helped spread the word and give bands a chance to have their music heard by critics all over the country. After tallying the votes for the Open Submissions stage of our Austin Year End Poll, it's time to release the results.

Please note that no editor was allowed to vote for bands in their own scene. The editors that voted on the Austin scene were: Q.D. Tran (Deli Philadelphia), Jordannah Elizabeth (Deli San Francisco), and Paolo De Gregorio (Deli NYC, Editor-In-Chief).

Acts advancing to our Readers/Fans Poll with a ranking above 6.5:

1. Criminal Birds (Indie Rock) - 7.3
2. Emily Wolfe (Songwriters) - 7.2
3. The Vliets (Psych Rock) - 7.2
4. Growl (Indie Pop/Rock) - 7
5. Hikes (Folk Pop) - 6.8
6. Danny Malone (Songwriters) - 6.8
7. Language Room (Alt Rock) - 6.6
8. Foe Destroyer (Garage Pop/Rock) - 6.6
9. Milezo (Psych Pop/Rock) - 6.6

Honorable Mentions (ranked above 6.0):

Calliope Musicals (Psych Pop/Rock) - 6.3
Lake Lady and the Mountain Man (Soul/Indie Pop) - 6.3
Paula Maya (World Music) - 6.3
Anya (Hip Hop) - 6.2

Total submissions from the Austin Scene: 43

WHAT'S NEXT: These results end the first phase of the poll. In the next few days we'll unveil the artists nominated by our local jurors (mostly venue promoters and other industry people who know the Austin scene insode out), and we'll let our readers and writers influence the poll with their vote.

Thanks to all the acts who submitted to us. Our open submissions pool was truly a celebration of the diversity and richness of Austin's talent. Keep creating, keep supporting and stay tuned for your chance to vote!

The Deli Staff

The Vliets have graced the Open Submission Featured Artist list 2 years in a row! That's quite a feat, especially in Austin, a city that we all know is so saturated with musical talent. Their laid-back electro rock brings back memories of carefree adolescence, glossing over the hardships and holding onto the life raft of nostalgia. Check out their sound and don't forget to vote for your favorite band in the final stage of our Year End Poll! -Written by Charise Sowells

If you’re in the mood for an acid trip without all of the unwanted repercussions, DEEP Space is just the band to take you on that psychedelic journey. With their latest album, Evil Dreams, the 5 piece band creates a labyrinth of grave, psych rock music that features spacey guitars, droll synth sounds, and terrifying spoken word messages. 

Reminiscent of the Pissed Jeans, Monster Magnet, and the weirder parts of Pink Floyd’s Meddle, tracks like "Motorcycle" will reach into the parts of your soul where fear, panic, and the unknown all come together to create a trembling 15 minute soundtrack to your nightmares. After you’re through with your, “I’m pretty sure I channeled Jim Morrison,” hallucination, the tempo picks up and your dancing shoes magically appear for the fun and whimsical track, “Inner Light”.

See them live at Lamberts on 8/17 with The Vliets and The Demings, after they return from a short tour though Oklahoma and Colorado. --Written by Jodi Lang 

Though they bow to Captain Beefheart (a.k.a. Don Van Vliet), The Vliets have graduated from their guru and are now generating their own brand of post-modernistic psych rock.  Check out "God's Drug EP", a 4-track master class in cool groove construction.  Propelled by keys + guitar + Ty Bohrnstedt's understated, 60-ish vox, this release's confident, slow-gro compositions will lay claim to a spot on your heavy rotation list.  

There's a reason these guys came in 1st in the 2012 Best of Austin poll - Check it out.

--Scott Osborn

We've tallied the results for the Open Submissions stage of our Austin Year End Poll. Deli Editors from other scenes ranked all of the submissions, and the list of acts that have advanced to our Readers/Fans Poll phase are below. We will also be releasing the list of nominees chosen by our local "scene expert" jurors very soon.

Thanks to all the acts who submitted their artistry to us. Our open submissions pool was truly a celebration of Austin&rsquos musical talent and diversity.

Total submissions from the Austin Scene: 27

Jurors: Q.D. Tran (Deli Philadelphia), Brandi Lukas (Deli Philadelphia), Paolo De Gregorio (Deli NYC).

The Deli Staff