OurStage – a brand new way to discover and enjoy the best new artists and the best new music – as determined by you.
OurStage – a brand new way to discover and enjoy the best new artists and the best new music – as determined by you.
Welcome to The Honor Roll! In this feature, we’ll be doing even more to help you discover some of the best music and video OurStage has to offer. From recent winners to staff picks to diamonds in the rough, what you’ll find here are killer playlists and major shout-outs.
This week we’re bringing you a handful of October winners who secured the top spot in a few of our different Channels—just in case you didn’t hear.
Paraíso Express is the 8th studio album from Spanish sensation Alejandro Sanz, and, hands down, the best yet. Steadily putting out records every two to three years since 1991, the 40-years-old Sanz’s matured sound signifies a wonderful apex in both his life and career: looking and sounding better than ever before.
Sol y Canto could organize their own United Nations of Latin music. They are from New Mexico, Argentina, Puerto Rico, Uruguay, Perú and Panamá; a wide range origins that more than likely come into play when writing their beautiful, traditional Latin roots/jazz music. The band has been playing together since 1994 (that’s 15 years!) and has won three Boston Music Awards in their time. They’ve played everywhere from the Philadelphia Museum of Art, where Rocky made his famous jog up the steps, to the California World Music Festival, Puerto Rico’s Museo de Arte and the White House.
Click here to see Brian and Rosi's photo in People en Español!
Although the band hails from all over Latin America, Sol y Canto is presently Boston-based. After just getting back from playing gigs in New Mexico, for good measure and a little sunshine, they have three upcoming shows in Massachusetts. Not only do their live performances shine bright and “bring audiences to their feet,” Sol y Canto’s studio albums —5 of them since 1994—have drawn high praise. Sancocho, their debut, was chosen as one of the best CDs of 1994 by The Boston Globe’s Scott Alarik.
Sol y Canto’s sound is the kind of traditional Latin that, as their fanclub page says, “makes their music accessible to Spanish- and non-Spanish-speaking audiences of all ages.” The Spanish guitar sound and classically Latin percussion coupled with Rosi’s vocals will make you feel right at home whether you are at an after hours party, drinking margaritas or learning some fresh dance moves. Check out their playlist below:
Model U.N. is taking us to a place that many people know little about outside of what they’ve seen on TV. Israel is often in the headlines for political reasons, with the recent violence hitting very close to home for many with loved ones overseas. In times of turmoil it’s not always easy to focus on the positive or to remember the things that unite us. However, we’re here to put the spotlight on a major positive: the best Israeli music on OurStage. Israel is known for various genres of both Jewish and secular music; klezmer (being one of the most culturally significant folk music), classical and, over the past few decades, quite a bit more in the jazz, rock and pop arenas. Read on to discover some of these great Israeli artists on OurStage.
Squid just so happens to be a past Grand Prize Winner on OurStage, picking up the top Music Finals slot for June 2008. Squid plays everything from acoustic to hard rock, soft indie rock ballads to raucous tunes with pounding drums. We’ve included their winning track “Junky” in our playlist. Squid notes that because of their location, they’ve been exposed to music from “Europe and the United States as well as the Middle East,” and that, like many other Israeli bands, they write their lyrics in English to reach a wide audience. Check out their fanclub page for an awesome backstory on the name Squid.
This year Eatliz carried on the tradition of Israeli artists winning a Grand Prize in the month of June by knocking out the competition in Video Finals. “Attractive,” one of their truly fantastic award-winning videos, is a glimpse into an animated, surreal world where a tiny paper boat and angelic vocals will help you float away. Eatliz has received a huge amount of attention at home and abroad, including an MTV Artist Spot. No wonder they’ve been called “… a critical mass of talent bound to burst/explode overseas.” (~Yoav Bril of Time-Out Tel Aviv) Click to find out more about Eatliz and their free album download.
Deadwood may not have had an OurStage win yet, but if they keep pumping out tunes like “My Sleepy Town,” they’re well on their way. It’s hard rocking and easy to get hooked on, with vocals that vaguely remind us of Placebo’s Brian Molko with an accent. Deadwood’s members came together in 2005 after each playing in other projects. They continue to work on new material and we hope to hear more from them soon.
“Judge U” is a short and sweet yet powerfully rocking track from Sugar Plum Baby, a band whose members met up while studying at the Rimon School of Jazz and Contemporary Music in Israel. The band often plays with rhythms and layering in their music to create a powerful sound, accompanied by equally dynamic vocals that ring out strong and mighty even over their acoustic tracks.
The Noble Brats draw their inspiration from some pretty kickin’ grunge and alt-rock acts such as Pixies and Sonic Youth. These Tel Aviv rockers experienced a little accidental success early on: their first CD, meant to exist only as a record company demo, was so popular with listeners that the band ended up selling it at shows as an EP. When the Noble Brats aren’t rocking out on their home circuit, you might catch them touring the US, being showered with praise by large papers like the Jerusalem Post, and receiving some major nods such as being GarageBand’s “Track of the Day.”
Taboo Bambu has got just what you need to keep warm as the temperatures outside start to drop: tropical Latin pop complete with irresistible rhythms catchy melodies and a sound that’s “calidoso.” That is… calido + sabroso (hot and tasty), which also happens to be the name of the duo’s CD. Taboo Bambu released Calidoso this past July on Bayahibe Music, the same company that has produced tracks and remixes for artists like Ricky Martin, Thalía, Cabas, Shakira and Carlos Ponce.
Taboo Bambu: ¡Son calidosos!
Paolo and Josué, Dominican and Venezuelan respectively, have been making music their whole lives. Both come from musical families and grew up singing alongside their friends and relatives (some of whom had industry experience.) Currently based in Miami, their sound is filled with “Afro-Antillean and Caribbean” elements, salsa and, of course, some modern pop sensibility.
The video for their first single, “Todavía,” is guaranteed to make you wish you were hanging out in the tropics. If you happen to already be there, it’s guaranteed to make you wish you were hanging out with Taboo Bambu. While the darkening October skies look a little threatening, this song could keep the rain away any day of the week.
