All the way from Italy comes the Crookers, a DJ duo who basically put its nation on the electro-house map. For a country who loves its traditional house, it’s refreshing to see someone actually breaking the mold and the Crookers have no problem doing so. So when they stop by…
Something About Dolly One Man’s Appreciation for All Things Parton –John Hood When I first got word that Dolly Parton would be coming to South Florida I got giddy; then I got on the phone. I called my editor. I called her publicist. I called my mom. If Dolly was…
Some people stumble into the DJ booth, others connive their way in, and a few even get there through bloodline. But there aren’t many head spinners who can lay claim to all three. Think about it: accident, hustle, and pedigree? That’s gotta be some fucking hat trick. Which makes DJ…
Whether you know it or not, if you listen to indie or hip-hop, nearly everything you hear these days has its roots in the productions of one man. Hyperbole? Perhaps. But it’s not far-fetched. Because two songs form a primary basis for both schools of music, and both came about…
It’s easy to say Alanis Morissette wouldn’t be where she is today without the success of Jagged Little Pill. After all, it remains the best-selling debut album in world history, with more than 30 million units sold. Those kinds of numbers guarantee an artist can record albums indefinitely for the…
On her latest project, On the Other Side (Telarc), Los Angeles-based jazz vocalist Tierney Sutton has put together a selection of standards based on the theme of the Founding Fathers’ “pursuit of happiness.” She has emerged with a collection of tunes that examine topics from both a more positive and…
Miguel Migs knows his history. His soulful, song-oriented deep house draws heavily on the style’s disco roots, tinting it with soul, funk, hip-hop, and reggae influences. In the studio, Migs employs live musicians and soulful vocalists, skillfully blending organic elements with electronic textures and programmed beats to create ultra-slick yet…
Regarded by many as “The Sinatra of Rancheras,” Vicente Fernandez is arguably the best-known singer of his genre, and is one of the first to reach international iconic status without having to resort to any other musical style. The comparison to Sinatra is not difficult to understand: The former gave…
Dutch DJ Sander Kleinenberg is one of the few decksmen who can pull off the This Is prefix in front of his name. The words actually refer to the title of his latest two-disc mix CD, but he has also been throwing parties under the This Is umbrella, and apparently…
Monday’s bill at Revolution brings a somewhat unexpected mix of the scene’s big-deal heavy music acts. But what all bands share is an obsession with texture, the subtleties that poke through the intentional layers of murk. The two bands to hold the most in common sonically are probably Baroness, from…
Not really a threesome (tour manager Nolan McGuire often plays guitar for live shows), Chicago’s Alkaline Trio is nonetheless one of the best purveyors of catchy and thoughtful punk/hardcore at a time when fashion sense and well-applied eyeliner have sadly become the modus operandi of many in the genre. Even…
The “punk composer” of his generation, Beethoven garnered that reputation mostly because of public reaction to his early works — they were sinful, even satanic. But difficult as it might be for contemporary audiences to grasp, just about all classical music has, at some point, been judged the work of…
The Brooklyn quartet the Shondes offers no shortage of politically charged tinder with which to spark a debate. That’s clear from just the band’s name: Pronounced shonduhz, it’s adapted from Yiddish for “shame” or “disgrace.” Outspoken — emphasis on out — the group is part Jewish, part transgender, and all…
While other top MCs have had to create their own boogeymen to battle — Kanye has his ego, Eminem had Kim, Lil Wayne has those cough-syrup Martians — T.I. has real problems. Released from house arrest and in the midst of 1,500 hours of community service, he still has to…
On its self-titled 2005 debut, Calle 13 was hilarious and musically innovative, vocalist Residente’s lyrics poking fun at every aspect of contemporary Latin culture while his cousin Visitante’s beats combined reggaeton, hip-hop, and funk into a swirling, irresistible groove. The followup, last year’s Residente o Visitante, was more thoughtful and…
The collision of Seventies hard-rock riffs and Eighties hardcore aggression has long been a volatile combination, successfully mined by the likes of Zeke, Nashville Pussy, and the late-lamented REO Speedealer. Though quintet Annihilation Time doesn’t careen through songs at the same maniacal tempos as those bands, its explosive third album…
It’s just before midnight outside Diamonds Cabaret, a swank-meets-hood black strip club on the western, industrial edge of North Miami Beach. Six cops sit in patrol cars outside, and three security guards stand near the door. The club once had a bad reputation it’s trying to outgrow — but the…
Justin Namon GrandMarnier, Julie Budet (a.k.a. Yelle) and Tepr. When French electro-pop trio Yelle’s C’est La Amerique tour stopped at the Magic City last Friday, we decided it was a good opportunity to meet with the group face-to-face. We originally hoped to spend the day with Yelle, getting to know…
While there are a number of high-profile club DJ sets going on this year on Halloween, save some energy for the following day, when the Viva Tour hits Mansion. Featuring a WMC-caliber lineup of Steve Lawler, Tiefschwarz, and Audiofly, this is a DJ tour with a twist — instead of…
Our sister paper, the LA Weekly, reported this morning on some sad news for longtime local scene-watchers. The artist and musician Brad Stewart, a.k.a. Gidget Gein, was found dead yesterday in his home in Burbank. He was born and raised around Hollywood, Florida, and gained notoriety in the Nineties as…
Ugh, we can’t believe it’s coming already. Our bodies were just starting to recover from the havoc known as Winter Music Conference. But lo and behold! Ultra Music Festival organizers have announced via a newly redesigned Web site that UMF tickets go on sale this month. For how much? We…
So there’s a new mixtape DJ on the prowl in Broward County and she (that’s right, I said she) has a deft ear for good music. Her name is Miss Face, and she just released a red-hot digital download called “Face Smusher” which, when you hear these beats drop, will…
