Michael Flores' pulsing brand of Spanish rock thrives on complex, unpredictable arrangements. Wailing guitar licks, heartfelt vocals, crashing drums and a dash of flamenco intermingle for an edgy, alt-rock sound. Despite the innovative mix, the heart of Flores' sound is steeped in tradition. Flores, who has spent his career singing and recording in English, released his first Spanish-language disc, Sangre del Tigre (Blood of the Tiger), in late 2005. He considers it his first "official" album, and he dedicated it to his grandparents.
Despite the innovative mix, the heart of Flores' sound is steeped in tradition.
Flores, who has spent his career singing and recording in English, released his first Spanish-language disc, Sangre del Tigre (Blood of the Tiger), in late 2005. He considers it his first "official" album, and he dedicated it to his grandparents.
"Of course, being from a Spanish background, that part already makes sense, but my main motivation was really the relationship I had with my grandmother and grandfather," Flores says.
The elderly couple, who moved to Midland from northern Mexico, raised Flores for a large portion of his childhood.
"I always had their (my grandparents') support, but they would always make comments like, 'We really want you to do something that we can really relate to, especially lyrically,' " Flores says.
Abuelo and abuela have heard the album and gave it their blessing. Flores even included some of the lyrics on his Web site, michaelfloresmusic.com, especially for his grandparents.
"My grandmother loved the romantic side of it (the album), too. She would always tease me that I'm going to grow up and be a big romantic. She liked knowing that she was right about that."
Love songs abound throughout Sangre del Tigre, which opens with the atmospheric, instrumental title track. Es En Tus Ojos weaves a spiritual tale of torturous love, while Es Tu Amor overflows with rapturous passion. Fotografias is the disc's most commercial-sounding moment and is accented with claps.
Lead guitarist Chris Garcia does some fine work here, and Flores, who once toured as part of nationally-known Christian-rock band Three Crosses, riffs expertly during standout track Dulce Ni?a. Sangre del Tigre avoids the pitfalls (dated arrangements, unpolished vocals) that plague so many Spanish-rock bands.
That may be why Flores is able to showcase his Spanish sound at some unlikely venues around town. He has been featured at the Sidecar Pub and has a weekly gig at Sherlock's Pub on West Gray..
"I've decided that I wasn't gong to necessarily change what I was doing, in terms of the clubs I was trying to get into. We've actually only done one Spanish show. That was opening for the Tejano band La Fiebre. It was pretty interesting, because they're such a traditional sound," Flores says.
"Playing in these English-language venues has actually been quite surprising. There's a large group of music listeners out there that have no idea what I'm saying, but they are so drawn by the culture, the energy, the vibe that it brings and the sincerity that comes from the music."
The visibility has increased demand for an English-language disc, which Flores has already completed. It should be available in late March.
Flores has set quite a pace for himself, but it simply seems to be a natural extension of who he has always been. He discovered music in his early teens after his mother told him that his biological father, who he didn't know, was a guitarist who had toured with Tex-Mex giant Freddy Fender.
"I'd always loved music and kind of, sort of, ran to music for security. I kind of grew up in a protective home and didn't really get out a whole lot," Flores says. "I would stay cooped up in my room, just listening to CDs and tapes. I soaked in as much music as I possibly could."
-Joey Guerra, for the Houston Chronicle