News tagged "ozomatli" on mun2

Eight-piece Latin ska-tos Upground are on the verge of becoming East L.A.'s next big thing, following the footsteps of hometown legends Los Lobos and Chicano roqueros Quetzal. Locally, the former marching band geeks have already opened for synth-rock upstarts The Killers, electronic dance DJs The Chemical Brothers and Rage Against The Machine guitarist Tom Morello.

Formed in 1999, Upground's current lineup has been together since 2003 and consists of keyboardist Chris De Los Santos, saxophonist Eric Carillo, vocalist and guitarist Danny Estrada, vocalist and trumpet player Everado García, bassist Chris "Bolillo" Manjarrez, drummer Adolfo Mercado, Jr., saxophonist Aaron Perez, and trombonist Joseph Quiñonez. Seven of the eight members are alumni of Garfield High School, the alma mater of boxer Oscar De La Hoya, comedian Carlos Mencia and three of Los Lobos: David Hidalgo, Conrad Lozano and Cesar Rosas. With members ranging from 18 to 23 years old, the group earned their big break after cruising to victory in the 2006 Sprint Battle of the Bands, a competition that landed them free shoes and, perhaps, more importantly, free music equipment.

In 2006, the horn-y band released their debut, Feel The Vibe, featuring tracks like Oye Chica, a sunny, laid back reggae-cumbia, and "Skanking Monkeys," upbeat ska-punk punctuated with sharp horn stabs and a shuffling bassline. Upground is often compared to fellow genre-hoppers Ozomatli, and just like their "big brothers", they thrive in a live setting. Their rambunctious onstage antics made them an obvious choice to perform at this year's SXSW alongside Quetzal. Next month, they'll be joining Café Tacuba, Chetes, Panda, Zoé, and Mala Rodríguez at this year's Latin Alternative Music Conference in New York City.

Recommended tracks (iTunes)

The Million Colour Revolution by The Pinker Tones – who appear on The Chicas Project soundtrack – contains "a cut-and-paste formula of pop, funk, soul, bossa, breakbeat, swing, lounge, and psychedelia,” according to the The Miami New Times. The Austin Chronicle is transfixed on the variety of sounds the Barcelona duo bring to the mix, which are able to “transcend the ruts of pastiche and collage.”
Timbaland Presents Shock Value, Timbaland’s first solo effort since 1998, “might not be an abject failure, but it’s still a missed opportunity,” laments The Village Voice. There is nothing shocking in the mega-producer’s newest, according to Certified Hip Hop, but it admits the catchy floor-bouncers and “bending & mending of musical genres” will probably give the record “constant spins on all types of radio stations.”
Bachata godfather Juan Luis Guerra returns with La Llave De Mi Corazón. Billboard.com notes that Guerra’s first album since the Christian-themed Para Tí is “a romantic romp through multiple sub-genres of tropical music, including bachata, merengue and salsa.” La Vibra believes the Dominican’s disc is “exaggeratedly dance floor friendly,” while the English version of the title track, “Medicine for my Soul,” will surely help Guerra cross over to a wider audience.
Ozomatli’s new release, Don’t Mess With The Dragon, benefits from a radio-friendly sound that “thankfully doesn’t totally abandon the band’s style,” says Canada’s Dailybulletin.com. Webzine Popmatters.com gives the album eight out of ten points, predicting that the band’s multi-genre sound, now with a twist of pop, will make “the disc palatable to a more mainstream audience.”
Macy Gray ditches soul music for a more contemporary R&B vibe on her new album, Big. The New York Times says the change in musical direction “doesn’t hold back her personality or her odd, indelible voice.” The LA Times is less positive in their assessment, claiming that the diva’s latest “is a nice return to form. Too bad it runs out of ideas before it runs out of tracks.”