By Olive Panter, 18, reporting from Brooklyn, New York, on the excellent new AIDS-fighting album Dark Was the Night
Dark Was The Night is the newest and incredibly awesome compilation CD from the Red Hot Organization, an AIDS non-profit I had the pleasure of working for during the better half of a year before college. Curated by Bryce and Aaron Dessner of indie darlings The National, this compilation is a must-have for anyone who is at all in touch with music—or cares about the fight against AIDS.
From a wail and syncopated bass drum-fueled collaboration between David Byrne and the Dirty Projectors to an earnest but arresting call to arms from Iron and Wine, this record is filled with gems, as Red Hot is tops when it comes to creating records that, while reflecting a moment in musical history, are ultimately timeless.
In an age where almost everyone downloads illegally (and yeah, I definitely fall into that category), if you're going to buy one record this year, make it DWTN. Upwards of 30 songs for under 20 bucks is worth it. Plus, just think (and this comes from a pretty cynical Brooklynite), you may be changing the world. — Olive Panter