September/October 2003 Issue

Reveling in Rhyme

The Lifesavas offer a welcome tonic of joyous rap.

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Hailing from Portland, Oregon, Lifesavas recalls A Tribe Called Quest at their nim-ble best. This exciting trio combines crisp, punchy beats with brisk verbal flurries, generating densely textured sounds worthy of repeated hearings. MCs Vursatyl and Jumbo are both playful and commanding, reveling in the sheer joy of rhyme even when meaning gets lost in the hubbub. Awash in conspiracy theories, the thumping “Resist” turns paranoia into a call to action. Riding a tough groove, “Livin’ Time” sports the uplifting sentiments of a self-help sermon, yet there’s nothing trite about it. Buoyant and witty, Spirit in Stone is a welcome tonic for the bling-bling weary.

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IT'S NOT THAT WE'RE SCREWED WITHOUT TRUMP:

"It's that we're screwed with or without him if we can't show the public that what we do matters for the long term," writes Mother Jones CEO Monika Bauerlein as she kicks off our drive to raise $350,000 in donations from readers by July 17.

This is a big one for us. So, as we ask you to consider supporting our team's journalism, we thought we'd slow down and check in about where Mother Jones is and where we're going after the chaotic last several years. This comparatively slow moment is also an urgent one for Mother Jones: You can read more in "Slow News Is Good News," and if you're able to, please support our team's hard-hitting journalism and help us reach our big $350,000 goal with a donation today.

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