No, not the Genius. From the songwriter/producer who brought you Kyary Pamyu Pamyu and the choreographer behind BABYMETAL, I present…  A group that is flashy in a different way but will never be as popular in the West.  This Spotlight … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Perfume

I wanted to write a love song, ay But the nighttime sun say it’s time for play If these two eyes could make a sound Then this is what they’d say… -The Cat Empire, “Wanted to Write a Love Song” … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: The Cat Empire

Maybe I’m old and my ol’ emotion bone is broken: I don’t really “feel” much anymore when I listen to music.  Maybe I’m old, maybe I’m filled up with nostalgia from the music I listened to when I was younger, … Continue reading Artist Spotlight – The Moody Blues

You know, for the previous two installments of the Annual Terrible Artist Spotlight Challenge, I had a little bit of fun. Soulja Boy and Dogstar made for interesting targets of lampoonery and cultural criticism, and even if I’m not a … Continue reading Accept That BrokeNCYDE Is A Real Band: Third Annual Terrible Artist Spotlight

Are we on the third year of torturing my ears already? How time does fly. The Artist Spotlight series has slowed down a bit in recent months, as the Avocado’s lifestyle changed following our move to WordPress and the welcome … Continue reading The Third Annual Dare Me To Write A Terrible Artist Spotlight Challenge

Some musicians had a hardscrabble upbringing. They were basically nobody and had nothing to work with but their talent and perseverence, and maybe an early mentor or a pushy stage mother. Their story is about surviving the pressures of poverty … Continue reading When Will Melania’s Album Drop? Carla Bruni Artist Spotlight

Just because something’s intensely personal, doesn’t mean you can’t share it with everyone. It’s December 2009 and, quietly but surely, music journalists worldwide are being sent a link to two videos and nothing more. And what better way to build … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: iamamiwhoami

Back in high school, I would often take lunch in the choir room. It was quiet and safe. On occasion, it was just me and Mrs. Sidener. She would usually eat in her office, leaving me free to mess about … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Glenn Branca

Be Forewarned: This is the first post I’ve written for The Avocado and I’m still getting the hang of WordPress (line breaks in particular are giving me grief) , so please let me know if I’ve formatted anything in a … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Joanna Wang

I expect this to be among the most unusual of Artist Spotlights we’ve done. To my knowledge, no previous entry in this series has been about a Country act, no previous entry in this series has been done about an … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: South By Southwest (No, Not That One)

I can’t say enough good words about these two gentlemen; Brian Poole (Renaldo) and David Janssen (Ted the Loaf) The music they make has been described throughout the years by friends I’ve played them for as: “circus music on acid”, … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Renaldo and The Loaf

Aaliyah (born Aaliyah Dana Houghton) was a singular talent – the voice of an angel, the ability to project a unique measure of vulnerability and confidence simultaneously, and the effortless swagger of a Hall Of Fame-worthy pop diva, all residing … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Aaliyah

Retro-futurism is a dead aesthetic. Past ideas of what the future will look like always seem impossibly quaint in hindsight, and pointing that out amounts to kicking the past when it’s down. And yet there was one band who managed … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Stereolab