Brownout: Aguilas and Cobras

Brownout

Brownout gets down y’all! Out of Austin, Texas, this eight-piece band bring soulful funk with percussion, brass, ear grabbing guitar riffs, and flutes. Yeah, flutes! I love flutes and you love flutes (you just don’t know it yet). You can dance to Brownout, or cruise with this new album, Aguilas and Cobras. The slow jams will surely gangster out anyone’s Hybrid—no doubt about that. Check ’em out. Album just dropped. Get it!

Brownout – Olvidalo (MP3)

Brownout – Olvidalo (Youtube)

Los Amigos en NPR

Los Amigos Invisibles

Los Amigos Invisibles talk with NPR about being commercial and liking it, how they got started, and about the music industry in Venezuela. The interview includes live versions of “Mentiras,” “Plastic Woman,” and “Ultra-Funk.” Click here to check it out.

The Funky Beats of Revolutionary Cuba

Si Para Usted Vol.2

Waxing Deep has just put out Volume 2 of Si Para Usted: The Funky Beats of Revolutionary Cuba. The folks at Waxing Deep really dug in the crates this time around to bring us some even more rare groovy tunes from Cuba’s 60’s and 70’s. Chances are you probably haven’t heard of any of these musicians before, but you’ll surely recognize the funk that’s in every song. It’s crazy how powerful music is—despite the blockade, you can hear how Cuban music was being influenced by some Rock and Soul. As a result, we get some of the most electrifying funky Cuban music I’ve ever heard. In “Vehicle” you’ll hear some of what I’m talking about—we get explosive trumpets, an organ, and a smooth Afro-Cuban feel on the drums.

Vehicle-Orquesta Cubana De Música Moderna (MP3)