COUNTRY
"Bandera Highway," Rosie Flores, Hightone
Rosie Flores is a rockabilly/surf/country/blues/rock guitarist from San Antonio, Texas. She made it big in Austin and has released her eighth album. She's very talented, and not just for being a woman. She's played in country groups, rockabilly groups and even a hard-core, all-female punk band.
FUNK
"You and Me," Phat Phunktion, Liquid 8
Phat Phunktion is a nine-piece group from Wisconsin that fuses funk, R&B, soul and jazz together to generate a large following of Midwestern music lovers. This is the group's third release and they can be seen around the Midwest this summer.
BLUES
Stand Up In It," Theodis Ealey, Ifgam
Soulful blues guitarist Theodis Ealey is a native of Mississippi and has been playing guitar since he was four years old. His latest album, which is his seventh, will be released today.
LATIN
"Live and Off the Record," Shakira, Sony
Colombian singer Shakira has made a name for herself as possibly the most talented female Latino crossover artist. She's extremely popular worldwide, especially in the Americas.
RAP
"6 Feet Under," Gravediggaz, Cleopatra
Hard-core rap group Gravediggaz formed in 1993 and will release its fifth album. The group is made up of the Undertaker (Stetasonic's Prince Paul), the Rzarector (Wu-Tang Clan's RZA) and Frukwan, known as the Gatekeeper. Rapper Poetic, the Grym Reaper, was part of the group as well until his death in 2001. Since then, Gravediggaz has decided to continue with its ventures.
ROCK
"Honkin' On Bobo," Aerosmith, Columbia
One of the most popular hard-rock bands of all time, Aerosmith has added yet another album to its extensive catalog. Its best albums were those released in the '70s, with the band's sound turning a little too commercial pop-rock in the 1990s for many of the band's hard-core fans. Let's hope "Honkin' On Bobo" has the band returning to its classic, raunchy rock sound.
"Blast Tyrant," Clutch, DRT Records
Singer Neil Fallon's grunt is still there in all of its deep and angst-filled glory that launched the band to success with its 1995 self-titled release. The music is fast, it's loud and "Blast Tyrant" is full of sweet guitar solos, more so than any other of the Clutch albums. If you love metal, check out this album; also, check 'em out live on April 17 in Detroit.
