Michael Jackson dies and all of a sudden he’s the greatest entertainer of all time. Not so fast. MJ made three great albums, invented the moonwalk and, well…. Let us take another look at the performers who have truly proved most thrilling over the years.1. Elvis Presley Michael Jackson may…
via myspace.com/confusedaseverrocksFort Lauderdale quartet Confused As EverRedeye ’09With Dooms De Pop, Astari Nite, and Confused as EverArtserve Fort LauderdaleFriday, July 24, 2009Better Than: Guy Harvey paintings and seashell collectionsThe Review: Fort Lauderdale is perhaps better known for its nickel slots and three-for-one drink specials than its cultural pursuits. But you…
Yes, it’s no secret I hang out at the Poorhouse in Fort Lauderdale a lot. But here’s a new event worth mentioning at the bar: My Pod Mondays. It started a few weeks ago and is hosted by the place’s legendary bartender, Mr. Jon Owens. People interested in putting their…
In the Venn diagram of modern electro, fidget and hip-house, Milan-based DJ duo Crookers resides in the overlap. The pairing of producers Phra and Bot, Crookers is often mentioned alongside the Bloody Beetroots, a similarly beat-saturated set of Italian DJs that rose to prominence through blogs. But Crookers differentiates its …
photo by Ian WitlenRadio-Active’s punk selection is serious.Click here to view a full slideshow of photos from the event.Radio-Active Records’ Eighth Anniversary Party With Beings, Jose El Rey, and the ShakersRadio-Active Records, Fort LauderdaleJuly 18, 2009Better Than: Stumbling upon a rare 12″ original vinyl of the Stooge’s Fun House in…
As we embark on another hot and sweltering summer in the M.I.A., it’s bound to get hotter with the release of local hip-hop heavyweight Billy Blue’s new mixtape, 36 Reasons. It’s a preemptive strike before his major-label debut album, The Story of My Life, due out the end of August…
The Postmarks’ spiffy new promo shotThe PostmarksWith John Ralston and Raffa and RainerPropaganda, Lake WorthFriday, July 10, 2009Better Than: Gorging oneself on a smorgasbord of the best homemade recipes.The Review: In the handful of months the Lake Worth indie rock spot Propaganda has existed, local booking/promoting guru Steve Rullman has…
Behind every stadium pop star is a king-size producer, and behind every king-size producer, you got the secret weapon: the “mixing engineer.” Most people can’t name one mixing engineer, let alone explain what they do. But that will change this Friday when the Red Bull Music Academy features Marcella Araica,…
Photo by Alvaro VillarubiaBuikaConcha Buika refuses to hide behind a false veneer of personality. She needs no carefully crafted persona, media image or handlers.Instead, the singer who has won a devoted following in Spain and beyond with a powerful blend of flamenco, jazz, African and Latin American music prefers to…
Jeff StrattonKevin Rudolf at Fourth on Flagler on Saturday night.Kevin RudolfSaturday, July 4, 2009Fourth on Flagler, West Palm BeachOpportunity struck for Kevin Rudolf at this Fourth of July showcase, a chance to deploy an abbreviated set of songs from In The City, his solo debut. Best known for production work…
Logan FazioN.O.R.E. peforming at White Room Friday night. Click here to view the full slideshow.N.O.R.E.Friday, July 3, 2009The White Room, MiamiBetter Than: What one might expect from a world-class MC in an unfamiliar situation The Review:Whenever a formerly well-known artist dips under the radar for several years you can’t help but…
Average White BandWar and the Average White BandHard Rock Live, HollywoodTuesday, June 30, 2009 Better Than: Hearing both of these groups play in another 10 years. The Review: With a bill of two of the funkiest multi-cultural groups from the late 1960s still alive and kicking, the Hard Rock promised…
To read past installments of South Florida According to Brooklyn, click here. Last Sunday I went to the Cinema Paradiso record swap that was put on by Mark Pollack of New Art School. Three local bands played: the first was No Class Action, the second was Band Number 12, and…
And Then There Was YouAnd Then There Was You (Indianola Records)www.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 of the post-punk/hardcore scene. The extremely adept rhythm section of Alex De Renzis (drums)…
Isaac HayesHot Buttered Soul (Stax)Forget “Chef,” “South Park,” and all that Scientology bullshit. Isaac Hayes died last summer. If we’re to remember him for just one thing, let it be Hot Buttered Soul.The landmark 1969 LP has been remastered and gussied up with bonus tracks. There are also new liner…
Yellowmanwith Spred the DubRespectable Street Cafe, West Palm BeachSaturday, June 27, 2009Better Than: Discovering sticky hydroponically grown sensimilla in your backyard.The Review:Deep rub-a-dubbing reggae in legendary West Palm Beach rock haunt Respectable Street? Why not? After all, “King” Yellowman’s explicitly sexual dancehall verses pushed the envelope back in the early…
MumpsyThe Orlando InvasionMumpsy, with Surfer Blood and XOXO Saturday, June 14, 2009Propaganda, Lake Worth Better Than: Drinking freshly squeezed OJ with Japanese Tourists. The Review: O-town is famed for being the primary residence of the world’s most renowned mouse, and for spewing out annoyingly cutesy boy bands. So can anything…
via myspace.com/jameszabielaInitially catching a break as an opening DJ for progressive figurehead Sasha, U.K. DJ/producer James Zabiela funneled an interest in acid house’s tightly pitched trills and the instant editing potential of the Pioneer CDJ decks into a blissfully slick sound that’s both sci-fi and hi-fi. Digitally assisted by MIDI…
Steely Dan should have belonged to the oughties. Their particular blend of soft-rock bears so many of the hallmarks of latter-day indie royalty that one begins to wonder whether it’s a coincidence at all, or if Walter Becker and Don Fagen are actually time-traveling sonic explorers sent from the far…
via myspace.com/thelegendaryjcsFew frontmen are as wildly energetic as The Legendary JC’s Eugene Snowden. Backed by a badass eight-piece, he confidently recreates the soul revue sensations of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Snowden brings his own explosive quirks to the indelible personas created by such greats as James Brown and…
When you’ve spent a quarter century reinventing rock music, altering the landscape not only for yourself, but for pretty much every band to come after, releasing a new album can be a tricky affair. It’s not just a matter of increased expectations — of course everyone expects their musical gods…
photo by Ian WitlenView New Times’ full slideshow of the show here. Animal CollectiveWith Black DiceTuesday, June 9, 2009Culture Room, Ft. LauderdaleBetter Than: Eating Terry Riley’s leftover mushrooms and listening to a Diplo mashup of the Beach Boys.The Review:”Harry Belafonte! Harry Belafonte!” That’s what the girl next to me last…
