As of recently, Mexican tranny dive bars have been converting into hip hangouts all over Los Angeles.  One of these bars is the 5 star bar in downtown LA.  Located just around the corner from the underground all ages venue known as The Smell, the 5 star bar has been hosting its very own array of gigs.  With the help of Crista (aka the girl with the big hair), last Friday (Dec. 4) night showcased an up and coming Austin, Tx band with the catchy name of Woven Bones.

Read more: Woven Bones live @ the 5 Star Bar

Even though this chick is totally unheard of on this side of town, del otro lado del charco MPHO está armando una revolución, one song at a time. MPHO (pronounced Mmm-poh) was born in South Africa, spent her first b-day in jail, migrated to the UK and decided to put her gift to work by becoming a singer/ songwriter… note that her name -and that is her real name- means “gift” in SeSotho (one of the 11 primary languages spoken in South Africa). MPHO makes a fantabulous debut with “Pop Art”, a pop/ alternative/ new wave extravaganza que te dejará el ojo cuadrado. This genre defying album will make a fresh and fierce addition to your fall music catalogue… cuenta con rolas movidas, una que otra balada, and jams that’ll make your “hips go pop”.

Read more: MPHO: “Pop Art”

And the imports keep coming our way… British musicians seem to be the gift that keeps on giving. The latest Brit import is none other than singer/ songwriter AND actress Victoria Louise Lott, who goes by the name of Pixie Lott. So what should you expect from this eighteen-year-old songster? A bubbly concoction of pop, soul, R&B, and electro deliciously blended to perfection.  “Turn It Up” is Pixie’s debut album, and what a debut. La neta es que esta chavita entra al mundo de la música con el pie derecho… demostrando que no todo lo que es pop es prefabricado (even if she has a track produced by RedOne). Her girl-next-door looks are as adorable as her voice is powerful… which comes as a surprise.

Read more: Pixie Lott- “Turn It Up”

En pocas palabras, the Brit singer Paloma Faith can be described as Amy Winehouse- minus the booze, the drugs, and the crazy. Paloma’s debut album “Do You Want the Truth or Something Beautiful?” stands out from the rest in an era where almost every new artist is hyped as “the next big thing”. That’s not the case with Paloma Faith… she’s genuinely talented, badass, y porqué no, a bit excentric. Her voice is fresh, soulful, inspiring, y lo major de todo- she’s chose the right kind of music to accompany it. That her style is similar to Amy Winehouse’s does not guarantee a ticket to stardom ya que desde que Winehouse lanzó “Back to Black”, there have been tons of emerging artist chasing a little of Amy’s limelight, algunos la hacen, y la mayoría nomás no… fortunately Paloma Faith falls under the first category as she is one of the best Brit acts post-Amy Winehouse.

Read more: Paloma Faith- “Do You Want the Truth or Something Beautiful?”