Rise Against is back and will be releasing their new album Endgame on March 15th by DGC/Interscope. The first single from the album is called "Help Is On The Way" and will be released digitally on Jan. 25th.

There is so much happening in the world of Distractions. The band recently released a hand-numbered 7" through twosyllable Records, in an edition of 500, for their track "We Were Better Off In The Rain".

Today marks the release of the bands debut full-length, Dark Green Sea, through Infinite Best. The album (with digital download) is also limited to 500 copies. The album includes the track "All Night" which you can check out below.

Distractions will be performing at Treasure Town (2106 S Kedzie Ave) with Hollows on Jan. 24th.

Finally you can all vote for your favorite emerging Chicago artist of 2010 from the list on the right!

I know, it's a long list, but that's what our jury of scene makers (see list below) passed us - there was hardly any consensus amongst them, they almost all voted for different artists, and that's why the list is so long. The list also includes the winners for our open poll and our Sonicbids winners.

The band/artist from this list that wins on the poll's composite chart (i.e. jurors + Deli writers + fans' votes) will receive a plethora of prizes provided by the sponsors of The Deli. Right now all the artists in the list have accumulated some points from the votes cast by jurors and writers, now it's the fans and readers' turn!

JURORS: Here's the list of jurors in random order: Samantha Gordon (Reviewsic), Matt Baron (Coach House Sounds), Brendan Shanley (Lost In Concert), Amy Dittmeier (Heave Media), Frank Krolicki. (Windy City Rock), Brendan Losch (Count Me Out), Brandon Wetherbee (You, Me, Them, Everybody), Bill Valenta, and Jason Behrends (The Deli)

In 2009 Wes Kirkpatrick relocated to Chicago from Denver, and has been working on his solo debut album Naps & Nightmares ever sinces. Recorded with Chad Weis (tour manager and sound engineer for Martin Sexton, Mason Jennings, Ben Kweller) at his new Minneapolis studio "The Devil's Workshop", this album has been Wes' driving force and he is finally ready to make it available. "A lot of love, hard work, good times and not so good times went into it. I stuck with it until it was exactly the way I wanted it to be. I didn't want to rush this one." says Kirkpatrick. The album documents the transition of leaving his friends and family in Colodrado and the process of adapting to life in Chicago.

Naps & Nightmares will be released on March 1st by My Forlorn Wallet Records, and a Chicago release show should be announced shortly.