There are some very hot tracks on this album. "Oualihila ar Tesninam" finds the band in a full rocking, guitar jam mode. With no drum kit, and with surprisingly economical guitar riffs, Tinariwen conjure a mood of unbridled, ecstatic abandon. The song's title translates "Oh my God, you're unhappy," making this song a cousin of the blues not only in its brooding, edgy sound but in its capacity for emotional transcendence. Also in that vein, "Chet Boghassa" works around a boogie riff right out of a Memphis blues bar. This song, written years ago, celebrates the women of a town the singer has left behind to go and fight in the war.

These songs are full of references to the years of the Tuareg rebellion, when Tinariwen was formed. (For more on that, see our interview with Abdallah.) They are also full of reflections on nostalgia and separation, facts of nomadic life in the Sahara. Among the most affecting of the more subdued pieces here is "Ténéré Daféd Nikchan (I'm in a Desert with a Wood Fire)." Ibrahim's edgy guitar and craggy voice cast a deep spell, and the words need no translation.

There are some unusual tracks here. "Arawan," Abdallah's stab at rap is an interesting curiosity, an effort to reach out to the youth who make up the majority of Tuareg music fans. "Alkhar Dessouf" reflects on the shock and worry of nostalgia in beautiful, subdued tones, adorned by a rich-sounding wooden flute. An even deeper flute appears in the album's final track, "Assoul," a droning tone poem that captures the stillness of a windless, desert night. This is a wonderfully evocative album from one of Mali's most promising new acts--new at least to Americans. As it appears on the market here, Tinariwen begin their first U.S. tour, and we suspect, the first of many.

Contributed by: Banning Eyre for www.afropop.org