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Artist
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. "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, instrume