Brazilians have rapidly become an integral part of South Florida’s cultural melting pot. And while many will recognize their contributions to the arenas of futebol and beach wear, I’ve always made a big case for their musical innovations. From bossa nova to death metal to MPB, the Brazilian sound is…
Sons of Tonatiuh S/T (Self-Released) myspace.com/sonsoftonatiuh Hailing from the sticky sweet region of Atlanta comes the lumbering, guitar-heavy metal of Sons of Tonatiuh. And while we’ll dispense with the quick lesson on Aztec deities or the nuances and complexities of the Nahuatl language, just know that this is good, brutal…
It is no secret that we love the Methodaires. We love the crew’s take on ska and roots reggae. And we certainly love that its self-titled debut EP is finally out and getting a proper release for Miami fans this Friday at Churchill’s Pub. The Gold Coast Derby Grrls will be hosting…
Drug Czars S/T EP (Destroy Records) myspace.com/drugczars For those who came of age on this scene during the ’90s, the Drug Czars were a happy medium between South Florida’s excellent punk rock past and the then-current state of affairs. The band represented the lore of the ’70s and ’80s with…
Gay Cowboys in Bondage Owen Marshmallow Strikes Again! (Sublapse Records) myspace.com/gaycowboysinbondag By now, if anyone were to scroll through these Blast From the Past columns, one key note would be the inherent humor that many musical acts from this great state have embodied through time. One of the better and…
Dee Dee Wilde’s venture into music is a proud South Florida story. Born into a music-leaning family of eight siblings, Wilde’s brother is the legendary ’80s crooner Eugene Wilde and her first single, 1988’s “I Found You” was a charting success in the U.K. Regularly compared to heavy-hitters Chaka Khan…
Hollow Leg Instinct (Self-Released) myspace.com/hollowlegband There is nothing imaginary about where these two dudes store their energy. Nah, the hollow leg here refers to the actual hadron collider of doom sludge and booze these guys bring forth. Last year’s The Hive Demos did a great job of whetting appetites and…
It’s no secret that we’re big fans of Shroud Eater and we completely resent their criminal lack of recorded goodies for us to enjoy. Last year’s EP has done a good job of keeping us entertained. But we are gonna need a full-length effort soon! Until then, we’ll have to…
Elastic Bond Frequencia Natural EP (Self-Released) elasticbond.com As time passes, Elastic Bond band leader Andres Ponce is beginning to look like the greatest export the rhino-shaped country of Venezuela could’ve mustered. (Sure, there’s all that petroleum for your lame SUVs and the Miss Universo titles. But that’s politics for a…
Smoke and Miras The Line in the Sand Mixtape (Self-released)smokeandmiras.com The Smoke and Miras collective has been busy this year bringing some good, conscious South Florida hip-hop to the foreground. Comprised of Orion, Brown-I, Thousand, Sweet Jesus, Name Brand, Draz, John Wilson, Sci-22, Irene Shemoney, Vers-One, Mr. Chris, Rob Remedy,…
The U-Boats Dead and Desperate EP (Crow Records) For years, I’ve searched for Dead and Desperate. And the only time I ever came across a bona fide copy, I was too broke to claim it as my own when the eBay bidding surpassed the $250 mark. Oh well … The…
To close out the year, Crossfade is picking out its favorite albums by 305 artists. Read the full list of Miami’s Best Albums of 2010 here. Bulletproof Tiger Starving Hearts EP (Self-Released) It’s not very often that punk rock’s aging, bony body gets a shot of hot, new blood. And…
The swamps and warehouse squats, Carol City and Coco’s Nightclub, South Beach and the megaclubs — our city’s music scene is the product of so many split-up, spliced, and remixed sources that any attempted overview of its output will inevitably seem insufficient and incomplete. But here at New Times, we…
Torche Songs For Singles (Hydra Head Records) hydrahead.com Admittedly, this eight-song EP came out in September. But I’m boiling down the tardiness of this review as follows: I just bought a copy, it hadn’t been properly reviewed, and my colleague Erica K. Landau over at County Grind just named it…
By now, if you’re a dirty rock ‘n’ roll lover, you should know all about the Furious Dudes, a local band that proudly carries the torch of heavy-hitting, feedback-laden punk rock thrash as originated by scene stalwarts like FWA, the Fuck Boyz, and Load. Like us, you also might’ve heard…
It is not unusual for the children of musicians to follow in their parents’ footsteps. But it’s also not unusual for them to try to forge their own artistic path, oftentimes shying away from the legacy left for them. Not the case with Tito Puente Jr., who shares the same…
Rifas Is Here A Sense (Self-released) rifasband.com The last time I encountered the music of Evan Rifas and Ron Huneycutt was well over a decade ago when, under the name Laptripper, the pair put forth some of the best and most heartfelt pop-punk tunes you’ve probably never heard. In other…
The Reactions The Reactions Love You (Reaction Records) While we’re all still reeling from Johnny Salton’s passing, I have to admit that it has been a real pleasure to revisit the music that the man left behind. Without a doubt, the Psycho Daisies are one of Florida’s most criminally underrated…
As kitschy and hardcore as I wanna keep my existence, every now and then a little crew comes out of left-field that makes me reexamine myself and my sensibilities. So much is true for the soldiering motherfuckers from the Electric Pickle’s Champion Sound Wednesday party. These cats make me wanna…
When you think about the second wave of New York City hardcore, there’s Gorilla Biscuits, Youth of Today, Earth Crisis, and scene daddies Agnostic Front. You could casually dismiss Madball for its role in that classic era. And the way I see it, the reason is Madball frontman Freddy Cricien…
Magadog Self-titled (Moon Ska Reocrds) myspace.com/magadogtampa It’s hard to believe Magadog has been soldiering since 1992. This band (and this album in particular) recall a time in life when going to shows with a group of friends was 100-percent fun. I’m referring to cool Sunday night shows at the now-defunct…
Still reeling from the success of August’s Super Open House, Stone Promotions did it again this past Saturday with a varied bill that rocked the house, brought back memories,and emphasized the spirit of community in time for the holiday season. Keeping in the tradition of the Open Houses from back…
