“Everyone else who gets the one-hit-wonder tag had real hits,” chuckles Nada Surf frontman Matthew Caws. Caws should know about real hits. His band scored one in 1996 with the song “Popular,” off the band’s debut album, appropriately titled High/Low. With its slow-creeping guitar line, loud/soft alterna-rock crunch, and increasingly…
In the Sixties, while British Invasion bands dominated the Anglophone music scene, a group of young Brazilian performers took their own unique look at the possibilities of rock music. They soon began spreading the seeds of what would become known as the Jovem Guarda (the Young Guard), a movement that…
After getting Richie Hawtin down here outside of Winter Music Conference for a packed-to-the-gills one-off last December, the local promoters of Future Mob have scored another seemingly impossible booking. The latest feather in their cap: an ultra-rare Miami appearance by the German duo Modeselektor, enticed to come down at the…
It’s natural that Foxy Brown is the object of Ali G’s affections — with her foul mouth and short skirt, she epitomizes the fake gangsta-ism he parodies. At least she has the track record to support it: Brown recently finished a stint at Rikers Island, having violated probation stemming from…
Prong’s Tommy Victor recently remarked that metal bands can’t play in standard E tuning anymore because they’d “sound like the Eagles.” Not that Meshuggah ever had anything to worry about, but about midway through the band’s career, the guitarists switched from using already-low seven-string guitars to an eight-string approach in…
Contemporary artist, Frank Haines said it best: “When aliens come to Earth and ask what hardcore music is, just give them Cro-Mags Age of Quarrel.” Reading Jon Joseph’s book is an experience that you will never forget, especially the last couple of chapters about his crack addiction. Listen to part…
It’s been a while since we checked in on Can You Rock a Little Softer, the weekly Wednesday event that Miami New Times just named Best Open Mike night. If you don’t already know, the schedule is thus: From 9:30 to 10 p.m., there’s an acoustic open mike. Then, from…
Usher Here I Stand (LaFace/Sony BMG) You really can’t fault entertainers claiming “player for life” status. At least they’re being honest; everyone from Rod Stewart to Karrine “Superhead” Steffans knows that the promiscuous can’t be reformed and that once you get the taste of the easy-lovin’, high society lifestyle, it’s…
The contrast between Jamey Jasta, normal guy relaxing, and Jamey Jasta, frontman of crushing metalcore latter-day legends Hatebreed, is striking. Onstage, the compact 29-year-old is a man possessed by righteous rage, lathering up a roiling pit of burly guys who pressure-cook just short of a full-blown melee. Often rocking a…
Hip-hop artist Camu Tao, known for his membership in acclaimed underground assemblies MHz, S.A. Smash, the Nighthawks, and the Weathermen, passed away Sunday afternoon after a two-year battle with lung cancer. Born Tero Smith, he was two weeks shy of his 31st birthday. In his hometown of Columbus, Ohio, he…
Johnny Louis Barrington Levy performs at Best of the Best Sunday, May 25, 2008. Last Night: Best of the Best Concert 2008 featuring Super Cat, Beenie Man, Buju Banton, Sizzla, Junior Reid, Barrington Levy, Tony Matterhorn, etc. Sunday, May 25, 2008 Bicentennial Park, Downtown Miami Better Than: Best of the…
Turkey: Mor ve Otesi – “Deli” (Insane) Turkey was ballsy and pretty ass-kicking on two levels here: 1) For entering a straight-ahead contemporary rock song, with band members actually playing their instruments, and 2) For singing in Turkish. That effectively prevents any kind of crossover success, even within Europe, but…
Because today’s a slow, lazy holiday, here are some more highlights from last week’s and weekend’s Eurovision song contest. The previous blog entry looked at some countries’ intentionally funny entries. Now is time for some possibly unintentional lulz. Azerbaijan: Elnur & Samir – “Day After Day” It looks like they’re…
This last weekend marked the finals of the Eurovision song contest’s 2008 edition…. What, haven’t heard of it? If not, you’ve missed out on years of amazing spectacle, full of slinky costumes, little-heard languages, and some of the most painful strains of Euro dance pop we’ll never hear widely on…
Best of the Best weekend has finally arrived and there’s lot’s of reggae madness going on all over South Florida for the next 3 days. Here are five artists who are a part of the show that you definitely should not miss. 1) Buju Banton. He’s been a mainstay in…
Benga Diary of an Afro Warrior (Tempa) South London dubstep veteran Benga operates on several (next) levels when he plants himself in front of a synthesizer keyboard and a hard drive of edited drum patterns. The producer’s Diary of an Afro Warrior, in its array of divergent sonics, speaks to…
In case you didn’t already know, Senator Barack Obama is here in South Florida today. He’s got two separate speaking engagements, but the one I’m most excited for is his speech at 4p.m. at the BankAtlantic Center where the Spam All-Stars are actually opening up for him. Yes, you read…
Since it’s a very chill Thursday morning and we could all use a few laughs, CrossFade is glad to present 10 of the dorkiest and funniest moments in the history of melanin-challenged rap: 1. Here’s a dorky guy who can impersonate LL Cool J, Mystikal and Digital Underground:…
The Nylon Summer Tour With Switches, the Virgins, Be Your Own Pet, and She Wants Revenge Revolution, Ft. Lauderdale Wednesday, May 21, 2008 Better Than: Seeing Switches, the Virgins, or Be Your Own Pet in the future at whatever bigger venues to which they will graduate. The Review: Everyone seems…
Alicia Keys listened as I nervously explained why her song, “Like You’ll Never See Me Again ” makes me cry. From Alicia’s reaction, it sounds like she really cares about me. So my next question for Alicia is, will you marry me? var so = new SWFObject(“http://media.miaminewtimes.com/players/vvmMiniPlayer.swf?audioFile=http://media.miaminewtimes.com/2186624.0.mp3&autoPlay=no”, “theSWF”, “91”, “32”,…
“I’ve always seen myself opening and running a hip-hop college or a hip-hop school of some sort,” says Miami MC Brimstone127. Now the tireless preserver of hip-hop history is one step closer to his goal — and local heads of legal age are going to be jealous they’re no longer…
Vic Kingsley These Frequencies (self-released) www.myspace.com/kingsleyofmiami This “Vic Kingsley” seems to be a Mr. Vic Garcia, backed by Messrs. Luke Moellman, Jon Draper, and Ethan Carlson on various capacities, organic and otherwise. This 11-tracker is another solid calling card for the boys over at Dungeon Studios, and is, for all…
