Mo & Madafo Jazz JamMiami Shores Country Club, Miami ShoresThursday, May 27, 2010Better Than: Caddy Shack The Review:Curiosity and country club envy initially inspired me to investigate the sign on Biscayne Boulevard and NE 100th Street: “Miami Shores Country Club now open to the public, live jazz Thurs. Fri.” I…
Six weeks ago, the Sin City’s unelected, unofficial representatives of the undead, Lil Daggers, got blitzed in Brooklyn, made friends with all the zombies there, and eventually returned home a conquering horde full of Bushwick and Williamsburg’s finest booze and brains. The bad news: No one remembers a thing. When…
The guys of the Fort Lauderdale foursome Howitzer may sound tough as nails on record, churning out a classic style of street punk in the vein of old Doc Marten-footed acts like Sham 69 and Cock Sparrer. But for all the swagger of their shout-along anthems, which boast titles like…
We all know that the music industry isn’t the same anymore for all of these artists and record labels. And in hip-hop, artists have capitalized on being able to put out free mixtapes to promote their upcoming store-bound projects. As such, Rick Ross has been preparing his Memorial Day Weekend promotional…
Hide your heretics, France has launched a new crusade. This time ’round, the French have invaded to sing to you about love. Crusaders of Love are a power pop, punk band on a U.S. tour for their album, Never Grow Up! They play with punk’s raw, quick energy but their…
In just a few years, DJ/producer Mark Henning has managed to rise from mere hobbyist — juggling his fledgling musical pursuits and a full-time corporate job — to internationally acclaimed touring artist. And it’s all been by sheer virtue of his talent and uncompromising work ethic.Henning’s musical development and sound…
As electro-blog-house-whatever’s star dims, the great one-track wonders of 2008 or so are slowly disappearing. (What, for example, happened to all those chainsaw-bassline-wielding people from L.A. who buzz-bombed every IheartComix compilation?) Still, when any trend wanes, those with talent make it through. Among likely survivors is the duo L.A. Riots,…
The late ’90s were, in many ways, a musical wasteland, at least above-ground. Rock and roll was dormant thanks to the spectacular death of grunge, and hip-hop was in a weird transitionary period. The dance music that broke into the mainstream was usually a scary brand of commercialized trance. Thanks…
The guys of the Fort Lauderdale foursome Howitzer may sound tough as nails on record, churning out a classic style of street punk in the vein of old Doc Marten-footed acts like Sham 69 and Cock Sparrer. But for all the swagger of their shout-along anthems, which boast titles like…
After a blowout weekend celebrating its ten-year anniversary, Club Space this Saturday presents a serious bill of out-of-town stars that should keep the lines at the door as long as ever. In the main room is London-based favorite Funkagenda, which hits Miami in just one of a handful of U.S…
After a blowout weekend celebrating its 10-year anniversary, this Saturday Club Space presents a serious bill of out-of-town stars that should keep the lines at the door as long as ever. In the main room is London-based favorite Funkagenda, which hits Miami in just one of a handful of U.S…
As electro-blog-house-whatever’s star dims, the great one-track wonders of 2008 or so are slowly disappearing. (What, for example, happened to all those chainsaw-bassline-wielding people from L.A. who buzz-bombed every IHeartComix compilation?) Still, when any trend wanes, those with talent make it through. Among likely survivors is the duo L.A. Riots,…
Free music is the best music in our book. And it’s even better when the music is actually good. If you are smart you probably already know that the Major Lazer (Switch and Diplo) and La Roux mixtape Lazerproof was released today as a free download via Mad Decent. You…
Theophilus London’s This Charming Mixtape, released early last year, was a hit seemingly as soon as the Brooklyn MC hit “upload.” There was that clever Smiths-referencing title, of course, which got more than a few click-throughs from people who wouldn’t usually be interested in a hip-hop mixtape. But the unofficial…
The Swell SeasonThe Fillmore Miami BeachMonday, May 24, 2010Better Than: Any heady lullabies you’ve ever heard. The Review: There was an air of quiet excitement at the Fillmore Miami Beach Monday night, in advance of the Swell Season’s Miami debut. The crowd was diverse, consisting of both the more discerning pop music…
Welcome back, Gucci Mane. The Alabama-born, Atlanta-based trap rapper’s songs are full of street swagger and sordid tales, and his latest series of personal misfortunes back it all up as reality. While he finally scored a major deal with Warner Bros. last year, his celebration period would be short-lived. Late…
Hip-hop’s Barbie princess may be most recognized for her outrageous curves, her outspoken bisexuality, and of course her slightly sqeaky-voiced verse on the Young Money smash “Bedrock.” But what most ignore about this heiress to the Lil Kim throne is that behind all the girly-overdrive flash, 25-year-old Nicki Minaj can…
Click here to view all the photos from this event.Lee Foss and Ryan ElliottElectric Pickle, MiamiFriday, May 21, 2010Better Than: The increasingly boring-ass state of dance music at the rest of downtown’s venues on Friday nights. The Review: While the buzz surrounding Lee Foss and Ryan Elliott’s dual booking at…
The mere mention of Capleton anywhere fans the Internet flames, as the reggae legend has been accused, on and off, of homophobia – or, rather, for refusing to co-sign on, or about-facing from, various anti-homophobia efforts in dancehall. His defenders, however, claim that he’s moved past all that and instead…
Born Calvin George Scott, Cocoa Tea hails from Kingston and carries on the island’s reggae tradition. The early/mid-’80s saw him flirting with early dancehall stylings on chilled-out songs like “I Lost My Sonia” and “Too Young.” But when dancehall veered into more aggressive, hip-hop-influenced territory, Cocoa Tea stayed put, and…
If Gustavo Cerati and Soda Estereo are the Lewis and Clark of Argentine rock, Luis Alberto Spinetta is Christopher Columbus. If Los Enanitos Verdes are the Atari 2600, Spinetta is the “Brown Box” of 1967, which you probably never heard of, unless you’re a huge geek. If you think of…
One of the biggest stars of current urban Jamaican music, Mr. Vegas was among young artists leading the charge in the ’90s to take dancehall in a more American-influenced direction. His smash hits fused sparse riddims with plenty of hip-hop swagger and R&B melodic flavor, and his recent synth-heavy singles…
