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Players' fervent efforts can't salvage tedious score

By comparison with his Renaissance Concerto for flute and orchestra, heard last week at the New World Symphony, Lukas Foss' Tashi for piano, clarinet and string quartet seemed on the tedious, even dreary, side at Wednesday night's ``May in Miami'' Festival program at Florida International University.

Vallenato festival: People playing music for the love of it
A healing ritual of art, not commerce

VALLEDUPAR, Colombia -- After my third year in a row visiting the Festival de la Leyenda Vallenata, it has dawned on me that it has become a sort of personal cleansing ritual.

FOR WEEKEND THE CURE: Cult band does something different and succeeds.

GEORGE MICHAEL: Shows signs of maturity on his new label. SPIN DOCTORS: No masterpiece, but a solid comeback effort. SWV: A couple of songs percolate through the mediocrity. THE CURE

A new Cure? . . Doctors are in. . . moody Michael . . .ho-hum SWV

THE CURE Wild Mood Swings Elektra/Fiction It is a different decade, another lineup and the first studio album from The Cure in four years, so singer/songwriter Robert Smith goes for broke -- and succeeds. Not only does he concern himself with something and someone outside himself (surprise) but he zigs and zags away from The Cure's familiar, goth synth-pop flashing Indian sitars and string quartets, calypso grooves and jazz. He sets off with the lush, densely layered Want; there is even a moment for tenderness in Treasure, then he vamps his way, brass section in tow, through the vaguely Caribbean The 13th, (did someone say David Byrne?) swings (OK, almost swings) in the jazzy Gone, and goes downright silly with joy in Mint Car. And, of course, there is the requisite touch of gloom and despair (Numb) and cries about being ``sick of it all'' (Trap). It will be interesting to see how hard-core fans react, but it looks like Wild Mood Swings might solidify The Cure's status as an oxymoron: a popular cult band.

THE PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Come November, the presidential candidates will vie for the kind of popularity these alt-rockers have. Two million music fans so far have voted with their pocketbooks for The Presidents of the United States of America. The Seattle-based group's self-titled CD is double-platinum, MTV is all over the (silly) video for Peaches, and Lump was a No. 1 Modern Rock hit.

UPCOMING AT THE EDGE

The club opens at 9 p.m. Thursday-Saturday at 200 W. Broward Blvd., Fort Lauderdale. Call (954) 525-9333. Concerts can be any day of the week; cover varies. Here's some of what you can look forward to:

THE OTHER GUYS

Here are other South Florida clubs that play alternative tunes: Cameo: Live pop/rock/rap shows and classic disco on Sundays -- an alternative lifestyle all its own; 1445 Washington Ave., Miami Beach; (305) 532-0922.

Classical Net

National Academy of
Recording Arts
& Sciences

MTV Music Television

Progressive Rock

House of Blues

RAGANET