'Catch The Throne' hopes to catch diverse audience

So, you may have heard: "Game of Thrones" is coming out with a mixtape called "Catch The Throne." HBO has hired 10 hip hop and Latin music artists to rap about all things Lannisters, dragons and Winterfell. It comes out tomorrow and will be available for free online. 

Joffrey's mad he's not featured in the mixtape. 

I guess the goal is to attract more of a multicultural audience and entice them to check out the show. I'm all for more people (especially Latinos) falling in love with the show and book series (as I have) — but I question if this is really going to do it. On the one hand, Common's vouched for this. On the other hand, I can see myself becoming very annoyed if Daddy Yankee's going on about Khaleesi lovin' the gasolina...

geek on,
michelle

Geeking over: Iggy Azalea's 'Clueless' tribute

I'm totally geeking over Australian rapper Iggy Azalea's new music video. "Fancy" does an awesome job of re-creating scenes from the 1995 teen classic "Clueless." 

Can I get that closet app in the opening scene? 

geek on,
michelle

Happy Valentine's Day!

I hope you get to spread love to all those around you and also see some rad geeky valentines online like the one below. 

Source: Castle McQuade

And if you're in a lovey dovey mood ... I leave you with one of my favorites singing one of my favorites. 

geek on,
michelle

Spanish cover of 'Wake Me Up'

You know that "Wake Me Up" song by Avicii and Aloe Blacc that's on all the time on the radio? Yeah, I find it annoying too.

Well, listen to this Spanish cover of it. I love it! There's something about Spanish that makes songs better for me. :)

geek on,
michelle

Geeking over: Piñata Protest

Man, I've been lucky in the concert department lately. The latest band to blow my musical mind is Piñata Protest. I originally heard of them on one of my favorite podcasts, NPR's Alt Latino. Their cover of an oldie-but-a-goodie "Volver, Volver" was like nothing else I've ever heard.

Piñata Protest fuses the best of punk rock and norteño/traditional Mexican music, thereby creating one of my new favorite genres of music. It makes me nostalgic, it makes me want to rock out, it makes me want to learn the accordion.

Alvaro del Norte and me!
Photo: geekylatina

I got to check them out at Reggies Rock Club in Chicago, and was not disappointed. They totally rocked their set, and I stalked, er—waited to meet the lead singer—Alvaro Del Norte after their show. He was sweet and incredibly friendly. I geeked out and asked him for a photo (see left). I want to be his friend. That's not creepy, right? :)

I hope they come back to Chicago, I'd love for them to get more exposure in a city that would absolutely embrace this cross-cultural sound. 

Check out my favorite Piñata Protest song, "Volver, Volver"  below. I'm sure you're like me and used to hearing this song sung by tipsy uncles at weddings, but you must listen to their version of it.

In love? Check them out on their official website, or Twitter.

geek on,
michelle

The Mexican Indie Soundcase

... or why I love Carla Morrison. 

This past weekend The National Museum of Mexican Art hosted a night of indie music performed by talented Mexican/Mexican-American artists. Now, normally an event like this would already intrigue me enough to buy a ticket. But a double-take showed me that Carla Morrison would be there. CARLA MORRISON. A.K.A. my musical obsession for the past two years. 

For those of you saying, "Who?" Listen up. Literally.

Carla has one of the most romantic, heartbreaking, poetic voices I've ever heard. Just click here, I made a playlist for you. Start with "Compartir" and spend the rest of your evening curled up in the fetal position. Sigh.

Back to the Mexican Indie Soundcase. I got to check out Madame Ur y Sus Hombres and Jazmin Solar, who were awesome and making their U.S. debut. Carla closed the show and was incredible. I saw her perform live back in the summer of 2011, and she has definitely upped her concert game. She sang beautifully, and appeared confident onstage in her signature "disco pants." I also loved the stories she told about her songs and inspiration. 

I took some video of one of my favorite songs, "Falta de Respeto."  

Carla Morrison performing "Falta de Respeto" live at The National Musuem of Mexican Art's Mexican Indie Music Soundcase Saturday, October 5th in Chicago, Illinois. Find out what I thought about her performance here: LINK HERE

I hope you give Carla a listen and fall in love with her music as I have.  Wanna learn more about Carla? Here's her website.

geek on,
michelle

Short + Sweet: The Killers Cover "Is This It"

Check it! One of my favorite bands covering one of my favorite bands. Sigh. Love when this happens.

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/benazadi05 TWITTER: https://twitter.com/SlickChrome_Ben Instagram Username: SlickChrome_Ben Music Blog: www.biggerthansound.com

geek on,
michelle

Geeking over: Vocals-only "Under Pressure"

Many, many years ago in my youth I was desperate to find out if I had a good singing voice. How would I every truly find out? The way I sounded in recorded homevideos was not the way I sounded in my head. Well, I came up with a fun solution.

I would wear my Walkman, listen to my favorite cassette tape and sing all the while recording myself on one of these.

I'd then play back my "vocals-only" recording to unfortunately discover that I was not gifted with the best singing voice. :( Don't feel too bad for me, it hasn't ever kept me from crooning to my car dashboard, or belting out "Total Eclipse of the Heart" at karaoke.

Anyhow, check out the isolated vocals from Queen and David Bowie’s classic hit “Under Pressure." I love videos like this and this song is one of my faves. :)

The song Under Pressure of Queen A-Capella Realized in 1981 from album "Hot Space"

geek on,
michelle

Fotos y Recuerdos: Selena

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This exact poster is still hanging in my childhood bedroom.​

This wouldn't be a proper latina-centric blog if I didn't acknowledge the devastating day that March 31, 1995 was for me. I heard about Selena's tragic death on the radio in the car on the way to the mall with my mom. I was 11 years old and I will never forget the flurry of emotions that followed. Confusion, denial, then just pure grief. The only thing that helped was that I knew I wasn't alone. It was a comfort to know hundreds and thousands of fans just like me were mourning her too.

I grew up listening and dancing along to her music. I owned her cassette tapes and cherished them. Her lyrics were poetry to me, songs about heart break and love I pretended to know about. I admired her happy spirit and community involvement. I got bangs so I could look like her (Pro-tip: naturally curly haired bangs are not a good idea.) I was thisclose to going to her concert in Chicago in March 1995 but I didn't have enough money saved up for a ticket. I promised myself I'd go next time she came into town. She died 12 days later.

It's been 18 years since she died. I still tear up when I hear her songs and bawl when I see the Selena movie. I could go on and on about how much I loved her and was heartbroken that she was killed but for now I will leave you with one of my favorite Selena songs of all time.

geek on,
michelle

Official music video by Selena performing La Llamada (Live). Music found on the "La Leyenda" Album. (P)C) 2010 Capitol Latin, LLC. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction is a violation of applicable laws. Manufactured by Capitol Latin, LLC , 404 Washington Ave. #700 Miami Beach, FL 33139