Take Two translates the day’s headlines for Southern California, making sense of the news and cultural events that affect our lives. Produced by Southern California Public Radio and broadcast from October 2012 – June 2021. Hosted by A Martinez.
Every week we'll hear fresh new music that you should know about. This week, Billboard's Justino Aguila stopped by with his selections.
Natalia Lafourcade
Danza de Gardenias
Album: Musas (Un Homenaje al Folclore Latinoamericano en Manos de Los Macorinos
Natalia Lafourcade, the Mexican pop-rock singer and songwriter who's been a force in the pop rock scene in Latin America, is back with volume 2 of her Musas album, which earned her two 2017 Latin Grammy awards for Best Folk Album and Best Long Form Music Video.
Her new album, like the first, features Los Macorinos, a veteran duo of legendary guitarists.
The upcoming volume includes 13 tracks, and it’s the kind of work that will be one of Lafourcade's biggest achievements in her career.
Cuco
Song: “Sunnyside”
At 19, local singer/songwriter Cuco has nearly 70,000 followers on Twitter. From Hawthorne, Calif., Cuco is making connections, one fan at a time.
I made this portrait of you and now I transferred it on to a sweater :”) be on the look out for this at your concert in Brooklyn
— cait (@caitcmc)
@Icryduringsex I made this portrait of you and now I transferred it on to a sweater :”) be on the look out for this at your concert in Brooklyn pic.twitter.com/AatKoGQa1G
— cait♡ (@caitcmc) January 23, 2018
damn who would’ve thought i would meet my twin
— hardy (@losersabbath)
damn who would’ve thought i would meet my twin @Icryduringsex pic.twitter.com/2zALNW4c8I
— hardy (@888rucho) January 29, 2018
new single came out .... and I’m ..... speechless ....
— Luna Lovegood (@lillycat05)
@Icryduringsex new single came out .... and I’m ..... speechless .... pic.twitter.com/giv7QVClf2
— ❀ lilly (@lillycat05) January 26, 2018
He describes himself as a “Chicano solo artist,” and there’s music, merchandise and more yearning for this young Southern California guy who is making music that’s romantic, pop and a bit of a throwback to those oldies but goodies days.
Think new generation Chicano meets Ritchie Valens. And he's poised to get even bigger as he was one of the new acts announced for this year's Coachella music festival.
Various, including Carla Morrison, Lila Downs and Andres Calamaro
Album: Un Mundo Rare: Las Canciones de Jose Alfredo Jimenez
Songs: "En El Ultimo Trago” (In the Last Drink) with Lila Downs and Andres Calamaro .... and "Un Mundo Raro" with Carla Morrison
Jose Alfredo Jimenez, a Mexican singer-songwriter of rancheras, was considered an integral part of Mexico's musical heritage. He died in 1973, but his music has stayed popular all these years.
He had a way of writing about unrequited love and in a way that has empowered people to continue singing his music all these years. This tribute album, which includes everyone from Julieta Venegas to Lila Downs, is beautifully done with some of his classic songs.