With his second solo disc — after previously helming local outfit Legends of Rodeo — Florida homeboy John Ralston builds on the strength of his critically acclaimed debut, Needle Bed. He has created something akin to a seminal milestone. Finding the perfect mix of attitude and ambiance, Ralston crafts a…
At times, Jamaican-born singer Allison Lee’s vocals barely rise above a whisper. Her voice is a hushed, waif-like instrument that betrays vulnerability and supreme confidence. That’s an interesting juxtaposition for a singer so shy about her talents that until a few years ago, her coworkers at Miami’s Jackson Memorial Hospital…
Scotland may be best-known for kilts, bagpipes, the Loch Ness monster, and Scotch whiskey, but that doesn’t take into account the country’s rich artistic heritage. Broward does its bit to promote awareness through its annual Scottish Festival and Games, but casual observers might put sole focus on the big brawny…
The voice sounds hauntingly familiar, betraying a slight hint of a reggae lilt and a casual charm. That’s not surprising considering Scottish-born Colin Hay’s tenure at the helm of Men at Work, an Aussie outfit whose relentlessly catchy hits — “Who Can It Be Now” and “Down Under” chief among…
Rilo Kiley is on an ascent. It’s one that may take them from cult status all the way to the big leagues, as far as the music industry is concerned. With a critically acclaimed new album on the streets and a major label backing them, now is a telling time…
Call it down-home or downcast; the Everybodyfields’ restless recasting of neo-Appalachian folk tradition is nothing if not emotive. The title of their third album, Nothing Is Okay, may suggest a certain pessimistic perspective, and while cochairs Sam Quinn and Jill Andrews tend to skew their sound toward more melancholic musings,…
The fact that he brought home an armful of honors at the recent Tony Awards — thanks to his sensational smash-hit musical Spring Awakening — may have led some unaware observers to believe that Duncan Sheik has always been a Broadway bard. In fact, Sheik started his career as a…
Labels can be deceiving. Take, for example, those misguided individuals who refer to South Florida as paradise. It’s highly doubtful that the concept of paradise ever encompassed awful traffic, squabbling politicians, heat, humidity, and the near-constant threat of a hurricane. So when Eddie Money promises two tickets to paradise, chances…
You don’t have to scroll very far down the lengthy list of actors who have tried to pass themselves off as singers — William Shatner and David Hasselhoff, anyone? — to dash expectations that any other thespian will ever fare better. Still, Minnie Driver proved a rare exception when she…
It’s a fine line between retro and rehash, but the Black Crowes always manage to tread that precipitous divide with swagger and finesse. In the 17 years since they made their debut, the band, helmed by brothers Chris and Rich Robinson, remains relevant and resilient. With a new effort in…
You may be wondering — and rightfully so — what the hell’s up with Bruce (err, sorry… Broooooooosssssss) lately? He’s detoured off E Street and opted for some dusty old folk songs most of us had to learn back in grade school. “Old Dan Tucker”? “When The Saints Go Marching…
If you don’t know what a doobie is, then brother, chances are you weren’t around when the Doobie Brothers lit up the Top 40 charts while scoring big back in the ’70s. In retrospect, that multiplatinum success seems somewhat ironic for a group that borrowed its handle from a slang…
He’s the master of the smooth croon, and his low-key delivery might give the impression that he rarely breaks a sweat. But with a career that spans two decades and nine best-selling albums, Chris Isaak’s unassuming attitude has garnered him a fiercely devoted following. Taking his cue from the classic…
Jay Beckenstein makes it a point to be prompt. Maybe too prompt. Phoning from his home in upstate New York, the leader and sax player for the jazz band Spyro Gyra duly checks in for an interview scheduled for 9:30. Only problem is, the call’s on tap for 9:30 p.m.,…
If Mavis Staples never uttered another note, her legacy as one of gospel’s greatest voices would still be assured. A surviving member of the legendary Staples Singers, she helped carve a legacy that’s revered in both sacred and secular circles. In recent years, Staples has made a comeback of sorts,…
The University of Miami School of Music claims some notable alumni, two of the best-known being Pat Metheny and Bruce Hornsby. Only time will tell whether Sam Friend will reach their level, but if his first EP is any indication, this 22-year-old UM grad is off to a good start…
BrakesBrakesBrakes’ sophomore album is a skittish romp that finds the young British band (whose members include alumni of British Sea Power and Electric Soft Parade) interspersing off-kilter rockers that give a nod toward the B-52’s, XTC, and Talking Heads, with solemn, meditative ballads and the occasional hint of country twang…
Some assume that being in a punk band means surrendering your sense of humor and giving up all claims on musical maturity. Fortunately, there’s the occasional outfit that dispels that stereotype. The Ramones were goofy from the get-go, while Green Day proved that even irreverence can garner you a Grammy…
In a roller-coaster career that´s nearing the 40-year mark, Paul McCartney has tallied his share of both successes (McCartney, Band on the Run, Flowers in the Dirt, and, most recently, Chaos and Creation in the Backyard) and embarrassments (McCartney II, anyone?). Consequently, the trumpeting of a new Macca opus brings…
Even with the flood of tribute albums besieging the marketplace in recent years — some worthy, most redundant — an homage to an album like the Clash´s Sandinista! seems an especially arduous undertaking. After all, the original LP was mind-numbingly schizophrenic, sprawling across three records, six sides, and a full…
It´s Saturday night at Tobacco Road in Miami, and the Heavy Pets are holding court upstairs. Funky environs and even funkier music have always converged at the Road, and tonight´s no exception, especially since it involves a group like the Heavy Pets, whose instrumental prowess and ability to fuse genres…
Tough and tenacious, Jesse Malin adopts the guise of street punk turned rebellious rocker and unapologetic outcast with a raised fist and an elevated middle finger. Malin´s third album, Glitter in the Gutter, is as contradictory as its title implies a petulant set of songs that celebrate possibility even as…
