Here they are, creators of the Avocado’s “Best” “One-Hit Wonder” song. Continue reading Get The Groove In Your Heart — Deee-Lite Artist Spotlight

Michelle Jacquet DeSevren Branch (b. July 2, 1983) is not a tragic figure. Her achievements in the recording industry — teenage stardom, multiplatinum certifications, mainstream crossover success, even a goddamn Grammy — are nothing to sigh for. It feels weird … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Michelle Branch

Richard James is a fairly common name…even in music. Today, however, I am talking about Richard David James, who is mostly known for his electronic music. He goes by many monikers such as AFX, Caustic Window, Polygon Window, and The … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Aphex Twin

When one thinks of iconic rap groups of the 90s, several names should immediately leap to mind: Wu-Tang, Tribe, De La Soul, maybe Outkast (arguably more of a 00s phenomenon), if we’re feeling ambitious, maybe Company Flow. Yet if that … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Bone Thugs-N-Harmony

Following the acrimonious break-up of transcendent Minneapolis punk band Hüsker Dü, guitarist Bob Mould was at a musical crossroads. Despite making two resentment-packed solo albums and opening for acts such as Nirvana and Dinosaur Jr., Bob was flat broke. He … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Sugar

Artist Spotlight courtesy of Makomore “Please don’t write that I look like I’m about to burst into tears. That’s just my resting face.” – New York Times interview, 2014 No Shape, Perfume Genius’s fourth album, is out tomorrow, so it’s the … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Perfume Genius

Anyone for some Drum ‘n’ Bass? My previous few Artist Spotlights were on musical acts that changed over time. This one, however, is about a musical act that found its lane and pretty much stayed in it. And that lane … Continue reading Artist Spotlight – Lightning Bolt

I originally approached this Spotlight with a bit of snark, wanting to draw the reader in with jokey shenanigans. But I realized that’s dishonest. I don’t enjoy the distancing effect of irony or insincerity when it comes to things I … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Michael Bolton – (Yeah, You Heard Me)

Gor’ blimey, strike a light and welcome to the artist spotlight of Chas n Dave. Pioneers of ‘Rockney’ music, which is rock and roll, pop and boogie woogie thrown together. In a Cockney accent. They are a weird act in … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Chas and Dave

Review courtesy of Pauli The Mars Volta are a polarizing band. Rarely will you come across anyone assessing their ambitious mish-mash of prog, post-hardcore, Latin, metal, funk, and whatever else with an “Eh, it’s alright.” Either you are transported into … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: The Mars Volta

“It seems to be OK for musicians to act, but it doesn’t seem OK for actors to play music.” — Rob Mailhouse, Dogstar Is Dogstar a celebrity vanity project? Or is it a legitimate musical act, hampered by the celebrity … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Dogstar – Not That Terrible After All

This Spotlight has another long tangent that is more about me than the music, so you can skip the first few paragraphs and start where I say OKAY if you wish. Over a year ago, I posted my first Artist Spotlight about … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Bonnie Pink (Redux)

After few more chapters the 40 minutes long dystopian arthouse movie used to open the latest tour is over. Just when the metaphor for Distorted Angels and the messiah about to save the world settles in your mind, a rather … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Archive

Bill Irwin is a perhaps unique multi-hyphenate in an entertainment field full of people who claim to do multiple things. Sure, plenty of actors have co-written scripts or directed an episode of a TV show, but how many of them … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Bill Irwin – Robot Clown Tony Winner

When the album poll results came out, I realized that not enough of us are fans of Adam and the Ants. Kings of the Wild Frontier was way down at #100 on my ballot, and there was no Ant representation anywhere on … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Adam and the Ants

This dude was a whistler. As in, he whistled. As a job. For money. And he was basically the best at it. You may have heard his whistling before:       That last one is not the original movie … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Muzzy Marcellino

Bienvenido a la Artist Spotlight of Francisca Valenzuela, American-born Chilean Singer/ songwriter multi-instumentalist, model, fashion designer and published poet at the age of 12 So, fairly accomplished. Also entertaining as heck. How much fun is this? Quiero Verte Mas, from her … Continue reading Artist Spotlight- Francisca Valenzuela

One of the things I love about Artist Spotlights, and about the Avocado in general, is how we personally relate to our pop culture totems. There’s an intimacy to how we talk about our influences and loves, a sense of … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: B-52’s

We Are Scientists are an indie rock/alternative/dance-punk band hailing from California. I became hooked on this band after hearing their 2006 major label debut With Love and Squalor (named after a J.D. Salinger short story) and have championed them since … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: We Are Scientists

Artist Spotlight courtesy of thunderclap_monolith People who hear Leo Kottke (pronounced Kot-Key) for the first time always say variations on the same thing: “Wow!” Followed, somewhat suspiciously, by: “Wait, that’s just one guy playing?” Indeed, Kottke, a virtuoso instrumentalist and … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Leo Kottke

Nurse With Wound is the main musical project of Steven Stapelton. Originally formed as a trio with John Fothergill and Heman Pathak in 1978, the ‘band’ was quickly whittled down to Stapleton by 1981. Since then, Stapleton has worked with … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Nurse With Wound