Pandarosa Blog

Border-lands Fundraiser CD: Lakesigns on Compilation with Calexico, Sweet Honey in the Rock, more…

I would not characterize Pandarosa Records as a “political” label. Still, it has been argued that music itself is political. Plato’s Republic states that “musical innovation is full of danger to the whole state”, for “when modes of music change, the fundamental laws of the state always change with them” (Bloom tr. Republic 255). Our artists want to improve the world, and we try to make musical innovations in order to contribute to its beauty. However some of our music also criticizes its ugliness, and the song ”Sunset Limited” from 2011’s Imboden Hoxie (PAN009) by Lakesigns does just that. Written as a sort of modern “protest” song, “Sunset Limited” is about life along the U.S.-Mexico border and the hard realities of U.S. border control. Will Gosner, acoustic-guitarist, singer, songwriter, and lyricist for Lakesigns, comes from the border-town of Tucson, Az and wrote the lyrics for “Sunset Limited” with a personal perspective of the events and conditions near his hometown. While I have fewer personal ties to the U.S.-Mexico border, my mother is an immigrant, as is Pandarosa co-founder Joseph Thompson’s wife- my sister-in-law (and member of inactive Pandarosa band Me You Speaky). While these important women in my life didn’t traverse the southern border, they have dealt with the idiosyncratic complexities of immigration law.

Lakesigns has been asked to contribute their song “Sunset Limited” to a new compilation of music about the borderlands. An organization called  No More Deaths  / No Más Muertes is putting together the CD, featuring artist such as Calexico, Sweet Honey in the Rock, Michael Franti, Tom Russell, Joel Rafael, Eliza Gilkyson, Scott Ainslie, Dúo Guardabarranco, Lilo Gonzalez, Margaret Randall (poet), Mario Bencastro (Salvadoran poet), Denise Chávez, and others. The money from CD sales will go toward services for many communities on both sides of the border, which you can read about on their website. However, CD’s themselves cost money to make and before any of the money from CD sales can go to help border communities, the CD’s have to be produced. If you would like to donate to the production of those CD’s, details are below.

Here’s hoping that this CD, along with the efforts of organizations like No More Deaths, can help bring clarity and peace to our borders and shores.

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From the No More Deaths press release:

In response to the urgent situation on our border and within our country, we [No More Deaths] have recorded an album of border songs and spoken word. 

100% of the proceeds from this CD will go to “No More Deaths / No más Muertes,” a humanitarian group that provides water, food, and medical care to migrants in the desert and to others on the Mexican side of the border who need help after being deported.

All artists are donating their work and the producers are volunteering their time.  We need to fundraise around $7000 to have the CDs pressed and to print the accompanying book.

No More Deaths has created a special account to hold donations made for this project.You can write a check to:
UUCT-No More Deaths (memo line: CD FUNDRAISER)

and mail to
No More Deaths / CD Fundraiser
Unitarian Universalist Church of Tucson
P.O. Box 40782
Tucson, AZ 85717

If you prefer to donate on line, follow this link:
https://npo.networkforgood.org/Donate/Donate.aspx?npoSubscriptionId=3976

 PLEASE WRITE IN THE DEDICATION LINE “On behalf of CD fundraiser.” That way the funds won’t get mixed in with the regular No More Deaths donations.  Regular No More Deaths donations are great too, but between the CD, concert and associated activities, we hope to triple or quadruple your donation and to create some good vibes in the process.

All donations are tax deductible