Brooklyn indie-pop band The City and Horses makes music that's both sensitive and urgent. Their records sound like a proverbial melting pot of influences, ranging from '60s Britpop and disco to contemporary alt-rock. On "Shades," the opening track from their newest album, Ruins, verses comprised of ethereal, swelling synthesizers seamlessly merge into romping, major-key disco-esque choruses. On "Drag" (streaming below) the influence of Modest Mouse and Silver Jews can be heard in the song's aura of twangy melancholy. The Deli recently spoke with lead songwriter Marc Cantone about the new album. You can catch TCAH on July 19th at the Gateway in Brooklyn. Listen to "Shades" here, and check out the Q&A they won thanks to The Music Building's Expose Yourself campaign, by following the link below! - Ethan Ames

Interview with The City and Horses.

A pillar of the NYC indie pop scene (the group has been active since the late aughts) The City and Horses are back at it again with another absolutely delightful LP called Ruins, and if you're anything like us--chomping at the bit, unable to wait for the release to officially drop tomorrow--then we have a really killer gift for you: The Deli is streaming Ruins a whole day early. The album is 12 tracks worth of dynamic, wistful, and often quirky indie pop that draws on mastermind Marc Cantone's commanding lyricism and pop-writing prowess. The City and Horses describes the release as being "about a girl, a boy and his OCD," but there's so much more going on here, as the band manages to navigate a myriad of topics, feels, and genres--all while remaining infectiously catchy. Seriously, we dare you to not be humming these tracks after the first pass, but the songs are well worth spending the time on multiple listens. Check out Ruins streaming below and check back on their site tomorrow to get your paws on the downloadable version here. - Olivia Sisinni

Last week we started publishing the results of the Best of NYC Year End Poll's Open Submissions (find them here), and it's finally time to go indie poppy!

Total submissions in this category: 16

Jurors: Michelle Bacon (The Deli KC),  Cervante Pope (The Deli Portland), PDG (The Deli NYC).

Artists qualified to the next stage (i.e. the Readers' Poll, starting around 01.20):

1. The City and Horses - 7.33 (out of 10)

Active since the late aughts, The City and Horses is a collective of musicians guided by singer songwriter Marc Cantone and his elegant melodic talent. The variety of instruments featured in their recordings (from flute to strings and horns) will make most people scream "Orchestral Pop!" - and to some extent they would be right! Thing is, the band's arrangements are so tastefully composed that, while listening to their music, you'd be hard pressed to think about an orchestra. You can see the band live at Grand Victory on January 22.

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2. Silverteeth - 7.16

Led by NYC scene veteran Bill Bartholomew (guitar and vocals) and Brazilian bass player Gabriela Rassi, Silverteeth is an excercise in stripping pop of anything superfluous to let the melody and the songwriting shine. Operating in a strictly DIY fashion, this is one of the few bands able to land gigs both at Bowery Presents' venues (they'll play Mercury on February 9th) and at Brooklyn DIY spaces like Palisades. We should hear some new material from them soon, since they were recently invited to record a few tracks at Converse's Rubber Track.

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3. RANN - 7.00

With their refineded sound, stylish melodies and smooth vocals, RANN could be presented as the Prefab Sprout of Brooklyn. Their brand new debut album "Yellowgun" looks back at the so called sophisti-pop of the '80s, while adding to that sound an all NYC edge. The group doesn't shy away from occasional, more aggressive and tense moments (like in 'Magic Number'). They'll be playing at Bushwick's Black Bear on February 20th.

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3. Julian Fulton - 7.00

Imaginative and whimsical, New Jersey's Julian Fulton plays a brand of DIY pop that flirts with the classics of psychedelia, while bringing his own voice, stories and production to the picture. A picture that's as multifaceted as it's enjoyable, like his latest track "Another Tattoo," a complex collage of sounds and melodies in part reminiscent of the production style of the early Beck records, which, remarkably, was written and recorded at home in 24 hours.  Julian Fulton will perform at the Asbury Underground Music & Arts Crawl on January 16.

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HONORABLE MENTIONS (artist with a rating above 6):

Dot and Logic, Kirsten Izer, Sam Kogon, flocke, Late Cambrian, Lunifred Benjamin, Modern Diet.

Stay tuned for more results!

The Deli Folks

In August we asked our readers in bands to submit through our system to be considered to play The Deli's four official CMJ Music Marathon shows, promising at least three slots. From the nearly 800 submissions we ended up picking twice as many bands as promised, here they are:

The City and Horses - Dream Pop stage (The Living Room, Saturday 10.17)

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Journalism - DIY Stage (Muchmore's, Thursday 10.15) 

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Zuli - Dream Pop stage (The Living Room, Saturday 10.17)

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Balancer - Dream Pop stage (The Living Room, Saturday 10.17)

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Pop & Obachan - Dream Pop stage (The Living Room, Saturday 10.17)

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Aimee DeBeer: Dream Pop stage (The Living Room, Saturday 10.17)

Those who are growing resentful of the attitude affecting many Brooklyn hipster/bands' may take solace in The City and the Horses' music, a NYC/Philly band that's been around since the late aughts. Their loungy pop is as colorful, multifceted and transparent as a glass marble. It also prominently features - among many others - an instrument that is bound to come back in vogue at some point: the flute. The band recently found a cozy spot under the wing of Brooklyn's label/event organizer Paper Garden Records, which booked them for their Northside Fest show, scheduled for tonight at The Living Room. On the bill also NY-ers Salt Cathedral, ARMS, Stranger Cat, and Spritzer among others. Check out also their new video for their electronic ballad "Re-Inking."