November 13, 2008

Top 5: New Music

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In this edition, blippy ’80s-style electro bemoans unrequited love, swaggering rock offers brutal dishonesty, freaky beats reminisce about sugary treats, Portugal gives us the party jams, and in the biggest shocker of all, a hip-hop producer may enjoy marijuana.

1. Lo-Fi Fnk – “Want U” (from Kitsune Maison 6)
This track from the juggernaut French electro label combines a retro-rave piano line with deadpan neo-80s vocals for a sound that’s somewhere between Madonna producer Stuart Price and Cut Copy, then, halfway through, it seems to de- and re-construct itself. Sure, as the lyrics say, “you can’t make someone want you,” but you can sure make them like your crazy tune. (mp3 from Ohh! Crapp)

2. Eagles of Death Metal – “Anything ‘Cept the Truth” (from Heart On on Downtown)
These Eagles have always seemed like a junk-food dalliance compared to Josh Homme’s other project, the meat-and-potatoes (and, uh, drugs) Queens of the Stone Age. The new album is a mixed bag and often descends into eye-rolling raunch-camp, but when it gets a little serious, it takes on the strutting groove of the Rolling Stones. (Stream at Last.fm)

3. Tobacco – “Hairy Candy” (from F***ed Up Friends on Anticon)
People call this kind of music “druggy,” but to me it just seems awesome, although I’ve always said I may just be naturally stoned. Tobacco is apparently one guy, a member of Pittsburgh freaks Black Moth Super Rainbow (whose 2007 album Dandelion Gum is also great). Friends was recorded way out in rural Pennsylvania, and while its noodly synth melodies may owe something to Boards of Canada, this is gritty and organic music, a nature walk with a kooky 70s soundtrack. (mp3 from Penned Madness)

4. Buraka Som Sistema Mixtape
Angolan/Portuguese mutant musical trend kuduro is characterized by an uptempo beat and syncopated snares inspired by carnival music, and Lisbon’s Buraka Som Sistema are the current leading purveyors of its celebratory sound. For an introduction to the genre, check out this quick little 20-minute party mix that just leaves you wanting more, and also maybe booking a trip to Portugal. (mp3 via Pitchfork).

5. Madlib – “Yo Yo Affair Pts. 1 & 2” (from WLIB-AM – King of the Wigflip on Rapster)
Hmm, “You bring me up when I’m down/Take me to there to higher ground.” I’m starting to get the feeling Madlib may be smoking weed. Also, the intro tribute to “marijuana forever” kind of gives it away. If it didn’t, this woozy neo-soul backing track would make it clear: the electric piano chords wind around hypnotically as the beat seems to follow just a half-step behind. Dude, pass the Cheetos… (Listen at YouTube)

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WHO DOESN’T LOVE A POSITIVE STORY—OR TWO?

“Great journalism really does make a difference in this world: it can even save kids.”

That’s what a civil rights lawyer wrote to Julia Lurie, the day after her major investigation into a psychiatric hospital chain that uses foster children as “cash cows” published, letting her know he was using her findings that same day in a hearing to keep a child out of one of the facilities we investigated.

That’s awesome. As is the fact that Julia, who spent a full year reporting this challenging story, promptly heard from a Senate committee that will use her work in their own investigation of Universal Health Services. There’s no doubt her revelations will continue to have a big impact in the months and years to come.

Like another story about Mother Jones’ real-world impact.

This one, a multiyear investigation, published in 2021, exposed conditions in sugar work camps in the Dominican Republic owned by Central Romana—the conglomerate behind brands like C&H and Domino, whose product ends up in our Hershey bars and other sweets. A year ago, the Biden administration banned sugar imports from Central Romana. And just recently, we learned of a previously undisclosed investigation from the Department of Homeland Security, looking into working conditions at Central Romana. How big of a deal is this?

“This could be the first time a corporation would be held criminally liable for forced labor in their own supply chains,” according to a retired special agent we talked to.

Wow.

And it is only because Mother Jones is funded primarily by donations from readers that we can mount ambitious, yearlong—or more—investigations like these two stories that are making waves.

About that: It’s unfathomably hard in the news business right now, and we came up about $28,000 short during our recent fall fundraising campaign. We simply have to make that up soon to avoid falling further behind than can be made up for, or needing to somehow trim $1 million from our budget, like happened last year.

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