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…
Click here to view all the photos from the event.Heineken Inspire Night OneWith the Hold Steady and Cold War KidsThe Moore Building, MiamiFriday, May 21, 2010Better Than: Paying for stuff.The Review:The Friday night kick-off to Heineken’s weekend-long Inspire events series was one hell of a party. It was a party-crasher’s…
While he tried to grow up and become just Cham, he’ll perhaps forever be known to fans as “Baby Cham.” It’s a sign of affection, though, because even though his studio albums are few and far between, Cham remains a popular live performer. He also makes his bones as a…
The never-old argument of South Florida’s geographical isolation is null and voided from what I’ve been witnessing via social networking sites (Facebook, et al) as of late. Still, as much as I’d like to sit here and spout holier-than-thou bullshitisms, I can’t deny the powerful force that an actual geographical…
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,…
You wanna sit there and tell me that reunion shows are bunkum cliché? Okay. Go ahead. Me personally? I’d rather see a local band reunite for an evening’s worth of mayhem than watch some pretty, washed-up cluster-fucks from somewhere else. Unless you’re talking about the reanimated corpse of D. Boon…
iLA MawanaPurdy Lounge, Miami BeachThursday, May 20, 2010Better Than: Another predictable round of classics with The Wailers. Yea, I said it. The Review: A city drenched in dubstep could always use a breather. Thursday night, Lance O. and the kids from Kulcha Shok welcomed Boston-based reggae octet iLA Mawana for…
The 27-year-old Serani’s 2008 single, “No Games,” with its sped-up, hiccuping beat and indelible chorus, was everywhere that year. A debut album of the same name followed in 2009, but since then, he’s been working to prove he’s no one-hit wonder. Newer songs like “When It’s Cold,” “Naked,” and “Romance”…
Since the mid-’80s, Lady Saw has represented for the females in the highly male-driven world of dancehall. And throughout her career, she’s racked up a lot of firsts. She was the first female dancehall artist to headline major genre events outside of Jamaica, the first to win a Grammy, and…
Wailers fans face a similar dilemma that devotees of Asia, L.A. Guns, the Platters and other groups touring (and squabbling) under the same name face. There are currently two bands touring as the Wailers. The first is the Wailers Band, which was formed by Bob Marley as his backing band…
Many know Daryl Hance as the right hand man to Mofro frontman JJ Grey. Now, Hance — the quiet and sincere dude who sits calmly on stage, eyes closed with his Fender, weaving its electricity masterfully through the band’s deep, front porch soul grooves — has embarked on his first…
Barrington Levy has had two musical lives, it seems, in the past few decades. There was his first one, as a wildly popular singer of reggae and a splash of early dancehall, a career which began in the ’70s and netted him hits like “Collie Weed” and “Under Mi Sensi.”…
The good news: There are still some tickets left for some of the free Heineken Inspire events taking place Friday and Saturday at the Moore Building in the Design District.The bad news: That doesn’t include the most coveted of the events, the Friday-night show by the Cold War Kids and…
Rolando Grooscors has worn the hats of producer, composer, and arranger, but is best known as an accomplished jazz guitarist. Impressively adequate in all these fields, he’s twice received Latin Grammy nods and his latest album, Thankful, has garnered positive criticism and acclaim from notable jazz musicians. Pianist and vocalist…
