http://www.cubico.com/feeds/music.xml2007-07-16T15:14:25ZCUBICO Media7Daria Vyaersi

Rodrigo Sanchez and Gabriela Quintero are the epitome of opposites colliding and finding solace within such an occurrence and each other.

Rodrigo Sanchez and Gabriela Quintero are the epitome of opposites colliding and finding solace within such an occurrence and each other. They are devilishly charming in their basic human characteristics: they have a wealth of adoration, their performances thrive in popular venues and yet they do not appear to be ruffled or fully aware of this extremely flattering notice: They are rock stars without singing a single thing. These two bewitching creatures met in their youth in Mexico City, and their fate was sealed as they both shared a mutual disappointment for the lack of musical growth that was presently available to them. Both were also rejected entrance into the Conservatory in spite of their apparent musical intellectuality. Such hapless situations typically thrust artistic personalities into vigorous creativity and quite often breakthroughs, so a steady collaboration ensued. Rodrigo’s playing has a more subdued texture; you can feel Latin history permeating through the notes as he determinately converts his fretwork into an audible jewel. Gabriela performs with flawless tenacity and you wonder whether you see her hands shaking or if in actuality she is indeed plowing through the composition so effortlessly and with such astounding speed. She has a sincere fondness for heavier music and perhaps it is unwittingly done, but she utilizes her guitar as a percussionist may in a traditionally heavier genre. They can best be described as acoustic arrhythmia, irregular and switching from the singularly gentle and romantic pieces to intensely moodier ones with an apparent tribute to rock and metal. Visually their music sheets may very well resemble M.C. Escher’s steps and pathways in his impossible staircase. Together they enrapture and beautify the sense of sound, and we feel that suddenly we are experiencing the gift of hearing and that it is worthwhile to be cognizant. The atypical history of the duo spells gypsy romance, communing of like-minded beatnik roamers and that utter consistency in life that we think is rare, comprehension of our personal passions. A notable philosopher once stated that man must exist among other man for acknowledgment to exist, and thus the labeling of talent. In most instances, praising reviews (aside from the rare specimen who abhors solely instrumental pieces) and sold out shows prove without hesitation that they are utterly tangible and their skills are sophisticated and milestones above par. In 1999 Rodrigo and Gabriela made a decision for an impromptu tour to Ireland, Denmark and Barcelona. However, their version was stripped of the glitz; they had no label, painfully few resources and a fairly malnourished sum of monetary funds. The couple had no plan, but their loyalty to their music led them down an interesting storyline, not astray and into a joyless ending as one might fear. They appear to embody the reverse reactions that any other individuals may in their given situation. It is also worth mentioning they didn’t speak a lick of the primary languages in any of the given countries they busked at. In 2003 they had been personally requested by Damien Rice to perform as supporting musicians back in savvy Ireland, and after releasing "Re Foc" and "Live Manchester and Dublin" they were thrust into the music industry’s ravenous starry eyes. Respectfully their talents and personal inclinations towards the metal genre and acoustic takes on works by Led Zeppelin, Metallica and even Hendrix, has given them the opportunity to support for groups such as MUSE. While retaining their flagrant genre un-classification their fan base has grown, and though they may shy at the mention, regular appearances on late night show programs has given them a little nickname we like to call celebrity.6Daria Vyaersi

Mars Volta, A New Release

The beginning of what is now The Mars Volta might in itself be difficult to pinpoint, it depends on each individual fan’s perception of when the sound that possesses their heart strings first came along. There was initially Defacto, a small town band in El Paso Texas that relocated to Longbeach California and received notable success after their first 2 releases: How Do You Dub? You Fight for Dub, You Plug Dub In and Megaton Shotblast. The members: Cedric Bixler-Zavala, Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, and Jeremy Michael Ward, in 2001 Isaiah Ikey Owens became an additional member. They were also members of the well known sensation At the Drive-In, which can be credited with having developed much of their fan base. In time the central players went on to form a new experimental group called Sparta, Eva Gardner joined the project and the members of The Mars Volta were made official. At present there are 8 total members unleashing their gorgeous noise. At the dissolution of At the Drive-in, a fan base was split, either you admired the experimentation or you rejected them for straying towards their newly ambitious direction which is holding fast and further evolving throughout the years. Following the tragic demise of Jeremy Ward, in The Mars Volta’s debut album, De-Loused in the Comatorium, the loss of a sound manipulator becomes most evident. I wary at calling them attempts, but they are, the search to replace one person’s roles in a creative project, but as many fans have pointed out, they fall short. But perhaps also, the turmoil felt by the remaining band members made it’s translation into the album via the disorientation. The synthesized guitar wailing broken by interludes of sedated vocals and melodic juxtaposition are two alternate realities and compel one to choose which side of the road they belong to. Whether their personal taste and perception has them believe they hear lingering remnants of Led Zeppelin or a mash-up of genres that doesn’t quite fly. One begs to ask, how can there be grace while there is a gross lacking of fluidity. But does it matter? That’s the personal distinction, their salvation from the predictable, their perhaps unintended hallmark. Their music is a compilation of unordinary elements, the odd couplings of harsh rock, psychoactive and trippy new-age jazz. The usage of non-screamo instruments such as the saxophone and the occasional peppering of Latin language and rhythm. The obvious point is that it doesn’t sound ugly; they manage to make these possibly catastrophic unions work. This however is a source of delightful amusement for and fuels musicians with its apparent embedding and practice of advanced music theory. Amputechture was released in the fall of 2006, and is the most recent full length album release to date by The Mars Volta. It remains free-form and with no set narrative to lace the tracks together, each is truly existing in it’s own separate world. This habitual practice of album non-format, has given rise for critics to slash the band’s works with accusations of disassembly and musical schizophrenia. It has never been a secret that the group has a tendency to layer their lyrics, song and album titles in abstractions that we are fully aware hold a significant meaning to them, but that may escape the general public. That trait, along with their musicianship, is seeded in their desire to raise the bar in all of their pursuits. They are rebels who can have no comparison since they create new genre inclinations, and hence they are all the more difficult to judge, they are working on the outskirts of the outskirts of the mainstream. They are either dead wrong in their beliefs of what they feel and where they are going, or are simply another brilliance that more of society will be able to comprehend and lust after once they are bygone. At present the band is at work on their 4th album "The Bedlam in Goliath," slated for it’s release in the fall. Omar Rodriguez-Lopez is producing it, whilst highly respected and aptly utilized Robert Carranza is mixing it up. There are too many mentionables to mention regarding this groups wild ways. So take it easy, have a listen and be prepared to press repeat to fully soak it all in.5JC MacMillan

Daddy Yankee is a classic example of the rags to riches dream of every struggling artist. Born Raymond Ayala in the barrios of Puerto Rico, his early ambitions had nothing to do with the music industry.

It may be surprising to hear that Latin Grammy Award winning Daddy Yankee was voted one of the top 100 most influential people in the world by TIME magazine in 2006. Joining the ranks with politician, scientists, entrepreneurs and religious figures, Yankee seems out of place. What has a baby faced, thirty year old reggaeton singer done that merits a top 100 ranking? But when you consider the scope of his influence, you'll realize like many of the elite music moguls, he has his name attached to more than just music. Daddy Yankee is a classic example of the rags to riches dream of every struggling artist. Born Raymond Ayala in the barrios of Puerto Rico, his early ambitions had nothing to do with the music industry. Ayala aspired to play baseball in the major leagues. But, at 16 he caught a stray bullet in his leg and turned to the only other thing he knew. Life in the barrios had given him inspiration for lyrics, and his natural talent of rhythm coupled with exceptional free-styling abilities primed him to become the main contributor in a musical revolution. He partnered up with DJ Playero and began exploring the boundaries of reggaeton. In 1993, Playero featured Ayala on his album Playero 37, and suddenly Daddy Yankee began drawing the attention of music lovers from all genres. Attracted to the force of his delivery, the witty lyrics and the salsa inspired reggaeton beats, even the most timid nightclub goers found themselves on the dance floor. Over the next ten years he was responsible for independently releasing four reggaeton albums: El Cartel de Yankee, El Cartel de Yankee 2, Los Home-runes and ElCangri.com. ElCangri.com would become the best-selling album in Puerto Rico in 2002. A year later it was overtaken by Los Home-runes, and before long Yankee was performing in front of crowds of 12,000. With momentum in his favor, 2004 arrived with unmarked success bringing songs like "King Daddy," "Oye Mi Canto" and club favorite "Gasolina." A few good partnerships with artists N.O.R.E and Nina Sky and suddenly Yankee's stock was recognizable throughout the Americas. Sean "Diddy" Combs approached Yankee to become the face of the newest Sean John collection. Shortly there after, other companies joined suit including PepsiCo International. With a newly marketed image Yankee set out for his first solo tour in August of 2005. Hitting cities like: Los Angeles; Miami; Chicago; New York, and South American cities Bogota and Quito, he set a new precedent as the first reggaeton singer to appear in arena concerts as the headliner. Meanwhile, hit music video "Gasolina" earned a nomination for an MTV Video Music Award. Yankee's success was snowballing, and with the December 2005 release of Barrio Fino En Directo, his first album released under Interscope Records by his label El Cartel Records, began a year that added exponentially to his impressive collection of awards. Barrio Fino En Directo was named "Reggaeton Album" of the Year, and Yankee won the award for "Latin Album Artist of the Year" and "Reggaeton Song of the Year" for "Mayor Que Yo" at the 2006 Billboard Latin Music Awards. Fifteen weeks after its release, Barrio Fino En Directo was certified platinum in the US, a few months later and it was certified double platinum. Other awards include the Silver Torch, a Gold Torch, and the coveted Silver Gull from Chile's Via del Mar International Music Festival. Yankee's star continues to rise, and as one of the most prominent Latino artists he is no longer at the mercy of the industry. But, like many well established singers he has diversified and invested creating a virtual empire attached to the Daddy Yankee name. The DY label now offers complete shoe, clothing and accessory lines. Yankee is also the executive producer and star of Talento de Barrio, a movie set to release late in 2007. Yankee also hosts "Daddy Yankee On Fuego," a syndicated radio show from ABC Radio Networks. But ask Daddy Yankee about his success and like any true musician it always comes back to his passion for people and music. Proudly waving his native Puerto Rican flag, Yankee's commitment to people and his heritage only begins with music. His humanitarian efforts include a successful campaign that brought Puerto Rican schools the support, funding and equipment they needed. Yankee created and continues to dedicate his time to the Corazon Guerrero Foundation, which "serves to help high-risk youths" in Central and South America. Yankee is also in the process of opening an orphanage in Santo Domingo. And, as a member of the Red Cross's celebrity cabinet, he has become a spokesperson for the Red Cross in Hispanic communities.