Amassakoul [IMPORT]

Tinariwen

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 12, 2004)
• Original Release Date: October 12, 2004
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: World Village USA
• ASIN: B0006213NU
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #49,468 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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  Music > World Music > Africa > Mali

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
It's a long way from the Mississippi Delta to the Sahara Desert. But somehow the snaking blues lines and hypnotic guitar figures of bluesman like John Lee Hooker resonated with the members of Tinariwen, who set aside traditional Touareg instruments two decades ago to play electric guitar. The follow-up to 2000's spellbinding Radio Tisdas, Amassakoul again features galloping rhythms, desert wails and, of course, electric guitar--up to four guitars snarl, burr and howl to create the spacious interlocking desert blues groove that is this group’s calling card. Eerie call-and-response vocals draw listeners in as well, conjuring up visions of a night around the campfire in the open desert air. This album also reveals that Tinariwen is more flexible than would be originally thought--the blues riffs are more varied and the music is augmented with more complicated arrangements and better production values. Another stunning effort, Amassakoul finds the band honing its art and spreading its wings musically to great effect. –-Tad Hendrickson

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You Will Burn in Your Fire, February 20, 2005

By	doomsdayer520 (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)

With their enthralling mix of sounds that are both exotic and familiar, Tinariwen are the world music find of the year. This band is an unlikely story in itself, at least to the Western mindset - made up of members of the Touareg people of North Africa who sing in their native tongue, Tamascheck, but have added bluesy electric guitars and bass to their traditional music. Thus we have a sound like John Lee Hooker laying it down in the Sahara. And from what I understand, Tinariwen also have a political aspect to their story, as they apparently had to flee their homeland in the nation of Mali, due to government oppression, and ended up based in Algeria and France. Thus their music has a true revolutionary wisdom that American rockers could only dream of. The songs on this disc are relentlessly unique and fascinating. "Oualahila ar Tesninam" really rocks out with swinging delta blues licks and sparse desert percussion, while the emotional "Chet Boghassa" adds airy and arid acoustic guitars. "Arawan" is highly haunting with minimalist strumming and eerily mumbled vocals, while "Aldhechen Manin" has a sinuous bass-driven groove that is distantly related to reggae, possibly by way of West Africa. A further surprise is the guitar-less "Assoul," consisting only of throat-singing cantorial vocals and creepy flute. An added bonus is the CD booklet, containing poems in English that either represent or directly translate Tinariwen's lyrics. The words accompanying the music are absolutely stirring, and one of my favorite lines is also the title of this review. Watch for Tinariwen to top a lot of "best world music" lists this year. [~doomsdayer520~]

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Mature, Mystical Music, November 23, 2004

By	D. Sean Brickell (gorgeous Virginia Beach, VA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The first time I heard Tinariwen was on AfroPop Worldwide. Immediatelty went to the world music department of my local store and got everything I could find, which wasn't much in quantity -- but oh, mama what a treasure of melody and rhythm.

This new CD is equal to everything I've heard previously. The guitar licks are a hybrid of the syncopation of The Edge and the fluid chops of Ry Cooder. Tonally, it's the guitar that carries the music for me. I can't understand a word being sung, but the meaning and honesty are unmistakable.

I'm certain this will be amongst my top CDs of 2004.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Capturing Shifting Sands of Time , June 3, 2005

By	Erika Borsos "pepper flower" (Gulf Coast of FL, USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

Tinariwen produce classical visceral guitar blues sounds that have your body swaying and head nodding in synch with the music. Their creative vocals and powerful modern guitars integrate well with the traditional percussion and chanting that often accompanies a piece. Their music expresses strong emotions and deep feelings of a nomadic tribe which has undergone many changes in modern times often to the detriment of their ancient lifestyle ... The true spirit of this desert tribe comes alive in their heartfelt vocals which have a lyrical poetic quality, as translated in the liner notes. The music is honest and gutsy ... at times reminscent of the Mississippi and Chicago blues styles but truly in a category by themselves. Anyone who loves the blues will want to own this CD. Traditional instruments often accompany the powerful gut-wrenching guitar music. The music hooks the listener's emotions creating an exotic aura that mixes with a distant familiarity. It is timeless and ethereal ... evoking an awesome sense of wonder.
Erika Borsos (erikab93)