Drummer Rafael Martinez and guitarist Jason Landrian have been pals for a long time under the South Florida sun. Landrian´s early exploits occurred in the early ´90s with a quasi-riot grrl band named Dorothea Dix while Martinez spent most of that time fine-tuning his skills on a multitude of instruments…
Summiting the Rickenbacher Causeway on a bicycle at sunset offers a startling take on Miami. The whitewashed skyline juts like an artificial reef out of Biscayne Bay, which stretches far below and southward into endless Atlantic. Cars whiz by indifferently, and the warm evening air is palpable with sound and…
Though less than a decade has passed, 1998 seems like a lifetime ago. There was a Democrat in the White House and a robust economy, and the greatest threat to national security arose from a little stain on a blue dress. 1998 was also the year that America was introduced…
Most casual classic-rock fans are familiar with the bizarre world of the Grateful Dead. But only the seriously Dead-icated care enough to follow the explosion of side projects that has fallen out after the demise of head Deadhead Jerry Garcia. RatDog is one of the more popular spinoffs, the former-side-turned-full-time…
The evolution of Breakestra has been an auspicious journey of funk and feeling. Bandleader Miles Tackett made a name for himself in Los Angeles as the leader of the weekly Rootdown party, a hangout for conscious and breakthrough hip-hop/soul/funk mavens. His band started out playing covers of soul classics, eventually…
From the ashes of Uncle Tupelo, Wilco has become one of America´s finest rock bands, its constantly evolving sound a seamless mix of country, folk, and jolting blues that retains its urgency even during the quieter moments. Not surprisingly, the group has also grown into a potent live act, thanks…
¨Frances! Frances Bean… What are you doing up here, sweetie?¨ ¨I was just going through Daddy´s tapes, Mom. I wanna pick a song for the new album too!¨ ¨OK, honey, but we´ve only got room for three unreleased tracks, all right? The other 19 are coming from last year´s boxed…
Just because South Florida’s only real seasonal transition is from Hurricane to Tourist doesn’t mean we can’t aspire to an ambiance more earthy and romantic. One easy way to fade into that fall feeling is to adjust your wardrobe. So come November, Beatcomber trades in the hot-pink Zubaz for the…
When Sublime point-man Bradley Nowell died of a drug overdose in 1996, many hard-drinking, fast-living music fans were left in limbo. Where were they gonna get the infectious mix of ska, punk, reggae, rock, and hip-hop that they had come to know and love? Enter Badfish, the Sublime tribute band…
Returning to South Florida has not been an easy task for the Radiators this year. Not only were the August shows canceled as a result of Hurricane Katrina but these New Orleans-based boys experienced the storm’s devastation first-hand. Since its inception in 1978, the Rads have built a loyal fan…
If you can think of another aging rocker with more lives than David Lee Roth, please let us know. First and foremost, he’s the man who made Van Halen the undisputable prototype for ’80s power-pop rock (Disagree? Tell me: Which is more iconic — Eddie’s shredding on “Eruption” or Dave’s…
“Mixing pop and politics, he asks me what the use is/I offer him embarrassment and my usual excuses.” — Billy Bragg, “Waiting for the Great Leap Forwards” Musicologists will argue about the beginnings of politically conscious rock music, but a thumbnail sketch of its lifespan might look something like this:…
“I don’t know that music’s role is always to promote social change, though it can,” John Legend says about the deficit of political activism in hip-hop. “At the end of the day, our job is to entertain people. Certainly we can inform and educate, but mainly, you guys just want…
Go ahead — roll your eyes at Bono’s persistent messianic complex. But maybe the guy’s got good reason to think he’s bigger than Jesus. Don’t forget, Jesus has had 2,000 years to firm up his reputation, while the U2 singer has been alive only since 1960. And — sorry, Pat…
When the ocean breezes of Florida get a little tetchy, a city with winter winds that smack like a hand across the face might feel like a welcome respite. “But I can’t get up to Chicago as often as I’d like!” you cry. Hold on — a taste of Chicago…
The baddest alto sax in R&B/funk history is back (albeit on a German label). Maceo Parker, featured saxophonist in James Brown’s great 1960s band, has crafted a classic-to-be platter of old-school, deep-groove-laden funk. Parker blows fierce and jubilant with his tastily tart, sinewy tone, while his touring band throws down…
So let’s get the obvious out of the way first: Yes, Jahcoozi’s singer is from Sri Lanka, the group plays a glitched-up brand of electro, and (perhaps as a concession) all of its label-sanctioned press materials mention M.I.A. by name. But the similarities between the two artists are, as that…
When you combine former Dead Kennedys lead singer Jello Biafra with seminal sloth-rock monsters the Melvins, you get (a) what the DKs might sound like today if Jello still sang with them, and (b) the Melvins playing much faster than usual. This album gets off to an intriguing start with…
This pairing of several Wu-Tang Clan stars with a collection of underground hip-hop talent is a boon to both parties. The young rappers get to share the mic with the remnants of hip-hop’s last true supergroup, while the RZA and company remind the kids of their prodigious ’90s feats. Although…
West Palm Beach émigré Scott Henderson honed his electric-guitar acumen playing alongside iconic jazz keyboard aces Joe Zawinul and Chick Corea. Like fellow fusioner Robben Ford before him, he stylistically transitioned from electric jazz to electric blues. Henderson, however, brings along many tricks of his previous trade — although Live!…
A luscious bitch she is, true. But it’s not nice to fool Mother Nature. — “Red Hot Mama” by George Clinton You know you’re starving for a groove when your mind cross-fades the sounds of groaning generators and dopplering sirens and the meep-meep-meep of reversing sewage trucks into a mechanical…
The Big Holiday Season is almost upon us — but few radio stations will be blaring songs about Hanukkah non-stop. Just think, another onslaught of Andy Williams, Burl Ives, and plenty of other ditties driving many of us into Cheer Overload and paganism. Not that I’m a Scrooge, but surely…
