The State Of The Live Studio Sessions EP (self-released) thestateofmusic.com Drummer Nabedi Osorio and vocalist/keyboard Steph Taylor have become local favorites with their work as the State Of. Both play well, and share an excellent chemistry that, though it’s kind of journalistically douchey to do so, can be compared to…
I am a sucker for cheap things with maximum value. Thus I’m happy to report that if you’re looking for something to do on Saturday night that agrees with these trying economic times, and falls in suit with your need to party, Legion Fest seems like the best bet. This…
Here’s a track from the forthcoming collaborative effort between some of South Florida’s most notorious, adept and unfortunately under-recognized musicians. We’re talking here about Bobby Tak (formerly of the Bobs and New Wave sensations the Cichlids), guitar master Charlie Pickett, and Ian Hammond (of the DT Martyrs).I’ll be examining their…
Blast From the Past is an occasional Crossfade column re-examining classic South Florida releases of yesteryear. Click here for past editions.This here little seven-inch record in its full Pepto Bismol-pink glory is very dear to my heart. When I moved to Miami in the early ’90s, I was fortunate enough…
This interview is with up-and-coming local DJ Matthew Andrews, a.k.a. MGA. Folks might know him from some downtown hotspots like the Vagabond, where he pops in for the occasional Friday set. His main gig, though, is holding it down in South Miami, at the long-running Shuffle Tuesdays party at Fox’s…
The HongsDelicate Tremors (Diaspora Vibe Cultural Arts Incubator)twitter.com/thehongs There is something very delicate and ephemeral about the Hongs. Their music sounds like something that reverberates in hallways in those moments before sleep hits. I’m talking about serenity — because there is something very serene about this EP. It somehow manages…
Blast From the Past is a new occasional series on Crossfade, revisiting classic local albums from days of yore.Psycho Daisies, Sonicly SpeakingWe’re gonna kick these blasts from Florida’s past with a record that best exemplifies how easily the stuff gets lost in the swamp. I’m talking about one of the…
Music is a WeaponUnplug Your Mind (Self-released)musicisaweaponband.com Music Is A Weapon has already proven its chops beyond simple question, and this EP is a natural progression for the outfit. It opens with the post – industrial – hardcore track “1968 the 2-Bit Hustler,” and bleeds into a rocking, danceable “Benz and…
Okay, we all know and understand that your in-boxes, Facebook message centers, fax machines, pagers, texts, and mailboxes have been flooded with information as to how help our brothers and sisters in Haiti following the devastating earthquake last week. So let’s be honest, is there really too much relief aid?…
Remember that retard guy with the moppy hair and flying-V guitar that was supposed to perform at Churchill’s last January but didn’t? You know? The guy from Memphis who called himself “Jay Reatard?” He died Wednesday, apparently in his sleep after complaining of flu-like symptoms. Isn’t that the tits? Almost…
I know for a fact that most of you, dear readers, like to have fun. Usually in a musical and beer-drenched setting, Hell, I like it too. I was born and raised in Venezuela and if there’s one thing you won’t read in the dailies, is how much fun Venezuelans…
Furious DudesSons of Bitchin’ (Self-released)facebook.com/furiousdudes Thrashy lo-fi garage punk is currently storming out of my speakers with the potential to turn my capable system to abject shit. Wow. Though I can’t wholly get behind the moniker these guys have chosen for themselves (think of the jokes), I do get completely…
Kreamy ‘Lectric Santa bridged the awkward end of the ’80s and the massive untamed wilderness of the ’90s local music scene, especially helping to cement Churchill’s Pub as the musical hub of South Florida. But a spinal injury, relocation to Oakland, deaths, and dwindling finances have limited the band’s commercial…
Miami Bass WarriorsMiami Bass Warriors 12″(Palm Tree Snuff/¿Que Pasa M.I.A.?)You ever stand around and realize that you are completely surrounded by fucking children? Yeah, it happens… that’s how old age dawns upon you and it don’t matter how cool and with it your little record collection is, you’ll be hard-pressed…
Kreamy ‘Lectric SantaOperation Spacetime Cynderblock: “Four Riddles of the Spheres”(Starcleaner Records)It has been a very long time since the Kreamies have graced us with a full-length effort and what an incredibly delicious piece of wax it is. And though it has been ages, the spirit of this outfit permeates every…
Jacuzzi Boys/Woven Bones “The Countess”/”Grown Crazy” split (Needless Records) myspace.com/jacuzziboys Here’s another quality split from South Florida’s superinfectious Jacuzzi Boys and Orlando’s Woven Bones. Edgy, surreal guitars propel this 45 into the ne’er-do-well regions of the mind. Is it a coincidence I’ve been singing Jacuzzi Boys’ praises as of late?…
The Crumbs Insubordination Fest ’08: Live from Baltimore (Insubordination Records) insubordinationrecords.com Here are the Crumbs as a three-piece, rocking harder than most of their contemporaries in an excellent live document of one of their retrospective gigs. (The Crumbs have 16 years in the game, baby!) The DVD gives them the…
¡Mayday! The Thinnest Line (self-released) maydayonline.com This five-track EP is rife with sexy R&B backed by elements of funky hip-hop and solid live instrumentation. It has an overall lounge vibe for the casual cool cat who dresses well and knows how to order a drink. The collective comprises Plex, Wreckonize,…
Agent Orange at Respectable Street Proved Punk’s Not Dead
Arsonist In Constant Motion (self-released) arsonistmusic.com This 11-track disc by local band Arsonist rocks with proper inflections of shoegaze, post-punk, Hialeah rock, and solid indie know-how. And Miami’s Rimsky lends vocals to two tracks. Awesome. Jorge Ubieta (bass/keys) and Alejandro Tuesta (drums) put down an almost whimsical rhythm foundation for…
Call It Radar We Need Our Friends to Be Closer (self-released) callitradar.com Not too long ago, Tom Gorrio hung up the towel on Call It Radar in order to take his solo work on the road. Well, he did just that, but the power of Call It Radar still came…
And Then There Was You And Then There Was You (Indianola Records) myspace.com/attwy Powerful, melody-driven three-and-a-half-minute ditties propel this album above and beyond the muck of what has sadly become the post-punk/hardcore scene. The extremely adept rhythm section of Alex De Renzis (drums) and Steven Vasquez (bass) ably sets up…
