Jonzun Crew - Lost In Space

Jonzun Crew, "We Are The Jonzun Crew" (YSI link)

Jonzun Crew, "Space Is The Place" (YSI link)

Jonzun Crew, "Pack Jam" (YSI link)

Time for some more classic electro jams. Jonzun Crew are another of the pivotal names that helped define that glorious mid 80s period. This is more on a space-y boogie tip than say the cold machine music of a Cybotron. The group consisted of three brothers, Michael and Soni Jonzun and Maurice Starr. There were a few other members over the years, but this was the core. They got started in Boston, not a city you hear much as a site of any music, to be honest. This one album, Lost In Space, was the only one to make a huge impact, mainly off of the strentgth of these tracks. The band would keep making music into the 90s, but they never really put out anything else that got any attention. In fact, Soni Jonzun and Maurice Starr would have their greatest impact on music in the 90s as the guys who signed New Edition and New Kids On The Block.

"We Are The Jonzun Crew" opens the album and gives you a good idea of what to expect. There's lots of vocodered vocals (is there anything better in the world? besides boobs, sex and pizza), much funkier rhythms than one expects with the electro tag, great synth work. Awesome. "Space Is The Place" is even better, coming with a little darker sound. What I'm struck by is how none of this sounds dated to me; the synths definitely have that futuristic sound, but it doesn't come off as cheesy. Am I just too much of a fan to hear otherwise? Finally, "Pack Jam (Look Out For The OVC)" was my intro to the group and I'm guessing an intro for many people. It's my favorite, similar to "Space Is The Place." What more can I say? You need this in your life.

-Take this time at the end of the year to make a tax-deductible donation to the Save Darfur coalition. This situation is growing worse, as it spreads to neighboring countries. Every dollar counts for Save Darfur, even small contributions. This will all get much greater attention at this site, as I am ashamed to have said so little up til now.

-I've been meaning to mention the loathsome right wing talk radio host Dennis Prager, who attacked the first Muslim representative, Keith Ellison, with lies a few weeks ago. Others have done a good job destroying this piece of garbage bigot, but I wanted to highlight this post by M.J. Rosenberg at TPM Cafe. It turns out Prager sits on the U.S. Holcaust Memorial Council, unsurprisingly an appointee of Bush. He has no business being on that board and every day he sits there tarnishes such an important institution. Write the Museum and demand that he be removed, it's sad that it takes public outcry for this to happen. Thanks to Rosenberg for standing up on this.

-My top concerts of the year post is coming up, complete with a great live show from the #1 performer.