Remember when reggaeton first blew up internationally, extending its reach far beyond the confines of Puerto Rico? Every club and radio station from Beantown to Brussels was playing that new booty music from La Isla del Encanto. Few of the cats from that first wave have survived in the industry,…
Listening to the band’s incredibly tight, über-polished debut album, Manners, it’s hard to believe Passion Pit has been around for such a short time. But fact is, it hasn’t even been three years since frontman and songwriting mastermind Michael Angelakos conceived of the project. Back then, it was a solo…
Sure, socially conscious artists are prevalent in Spanish-language music. But few acts have committed themselves so completely to fighting for the greater good than Aterciopelados, whose zeal for placing social and political causes right before the public’s eye is legendary.The band’s most recent album, last year’s Grammy-nominated Rio, is a prime…
¡Mira Que Lindas! continues this week, and it’ll live up to its name more than ever. So if you’ve yet to check the kick-ass exhibit of Latin pop album art paired with special showcase performances at Awarehouse, you definitely don’t want to miss this Thursday night’s show. Scratch that, if…
You may recall this post last week, where you were prompted to catch Pacha Massive’s one of a kind live performance at the opening day of ¡Mira Que Lindas!. That’s a music and art exhibition enjoying a three-week stay at Awarehouse. It features a display Latin pop album artwork (519…
Yes, you read that right. These are the 10 hottest moments we could dig up on Latin pop’s resident heartthrob. Why? Because he’s been making fans swoon for 30 years and showing no signs of slowing down. Because he’s the original Latin Lover. Because, through the cries of adoring (mostly)…
Sure, socially conscious artists are prevalent in Spanish-language music. But few acts have committed themselves so completely to fighting for the greater good than Aterciopelados, whose zeal for placing social and political causes right before the public’s eye is legendary. The band’s most recent album, last year’s Grammy-nominated Rio, is…
Chances are pretty damn good you’ve heard of Los Fabulosos Cadillacs. But are you familiar with Los Auténticos Decadentes? If the answer is yes, you can feel free to either skip ahead or move on to whatever else you had lined up, such as grabbing a hot dog or teaching…
Let’s put to rest the age-old question of what happened to Elvis. He was reincarnated in Puerto Rico as Latin pop phenom Chayanne. Forget the chronological conundrum posed by the fact that the latter was born before the King died. For Exhibit A, just look at Chayanne. Where else have…
If I were Jay Leno, I might begin this post by saying, “Have you heard about this? Have you seen this?” Then I’d hold up a clipping of dejected Mexican-Americans protesting Arizona’s SB 1070 bill. But I have neither his chin, nor his bankroll. And this really isn’t a laughing…
Though Pacha Massive was born in the Boogie-down Bronx, theirs is a global identity. They build their blend on traditional sounds from each member’s roots, like palo (from band member Nova’s native Dominican Republic) and cumbia (from the homeland, Colobmia, of the duo’s other half). The pair then blends those…
If you’re wondering, “Who in hell is Pupy y Los Que Son Son?” you’re not alone. Only the most dedicated Cuban musicologists are likely to have heard of the band. So let’s delve into a little history lesson. Cuban musical director César de las Mercedes Pedroso Fernández, AKA Pupy, formed…
If hip-hop isn’t your thing, here’s an event that still may give you cause to cross the causeway, or stay oceanside if that’s where you live. The Vice City Pop party at Buck 15 on Sunday promises to be a damned good time, featuring none other than local rocker badasses Radioboxer…
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…
We may have made mention before, but in case you haven’t heard, just like papa, Locos Por Juana’ s got a brand new bag. It’s an EP called Evolucion, and that’s not just a clever name. Living up to the EP’s title, and to the lyrics on the title track,…
Through years of enjoying Locos por Juana’s funky reggae-cumbia fusion, perhaps you’ve sometimes wondered, “Hey, what do you suppose they would sound like if they crossed over to the electro scene?” Sounds pretty intriguing, no? Well, whether or not you’ve previously thought about it, your curiosity can quickly be sated…
Time once again to tip you, the dear readers of Crossfade, off to some sweet, sweet cubaneo. You know it, you love it. You know we love it. That Cuban swing is a big part of our fair city’s cultural lifeblood. And on the menu for this week’s recommended sumptuous…
If you’re either a) one of those that were bummed to have missed Enrique Bunbury, formerly of Heroes del Silencio, at The Fillmore yesterday, or b) were in fact at the Fillmore on said night, catching one of Spanish rock’s old schoolers, than this show on Wednesday at the same…
The weekend is at long last upon us once again. Perhaps, you had a few cross words with days Monday through Wednesday this week, sullenly gave Thursday a wary, sidelong gaze whilst tiptoeing around it, and now find yourself damn near giddy as a schoolgirl for the arrival of dear…
If you’re either a) one of those that were bummed to have missed Enrique Bunbury, formerly of Heroes del Silencio, at the Fillmore yesterday, or b) were in fact at the Fillmore on said night, catching one of Spanish rock’s old-schoolers, than this show on Wednesday at the same spot…
cu·bi·che [koo-be-che] – noun1. someone emigrated from Cuba2. derogatory term for a person of Cuban descentFor those of you unfamiliar, that’s the definition of the word, as stated in the dictionary… or urbandictionary.com. For what it’s worth–Webster, oddly enough, doesn’t actually have a view on the topic. And anybody with…
Ever notice how Italians think they’re so cool, what with their incredibly delicious food, super sleek sports cars, their country shaped like a boot and their immigrants dealing in “waste management?” Not to mention the way they’re always so suave with the ladies. Case in point, Eros Ramazzotti.Aside from being…
