Josh Kun on Manu Chao's "Clandestino" (1998)

When Manu Chao announced he would be releasing his first solo album, fans around the world were both elated and hesitant. Manu's previous albums with his band Mano Negra were both critically and commercially successful, but the band's breakup was ugly and Manu was running around Central/South America, playing bar shows for three years before he started work on the album. 

Clandestino was initially released to little mainstream success, but eventually found its audience around the world. It tackled issues like social injustice and immigration and spoke to the displaced. It spoke truth to power.

Writer and academic Josh Kun sits down with Oliver and guest host Ernest Hardy to talk about the power of politically charged music, the nomadic production of this album, and the term "world music."

More on Clandestino

Clandestino: the story of Manu Chao's classic album (The Guardian) At 20, Manu Chao's 'Clandestino' Remains a Radical and Compassionate Work of Art (Remezcla) 

More on Josh Kun

The Autograph Book of LA Josh on KCRW's Press Play Website | Twitter

Show tracklisting (all songs from Clandestino unless otherwise indicated):

Clandestino Desaparecido Dia luna...dia pena Rosalia: Catalina Desaparecido Bongo Bong Roy Eldridge: King of the Bongo Bong Mano Negra: King of the Bongo Black Uhuru: Bull in the Pen Mario Winans: Never Really Was (Remix) Bongo Bong Je ne t'aime plus Bongo Bong El viento Afrosound: Tira al Blanco Malegria Welcome to Tijuana Por el suelo Manu Chao: Welcome to Tijuana (Live) Ana Tijoux: 1977 Stromae: tous le memes Ana Tijoux: Somos Sur Coldplay: Arabesque MIA: Hussel Negu Gorriak: Radio Rahim

Here is the Spotify playlist of as many songs as we can find on there

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