Tinariwen

“Amassakoul”

www.worldvillagemusic.com

www.triban-union.com

This CD is chock-full of powerhouse performances, from mid-tempo, one-chord trances to guitar and percussion funk fests.  Tinariwen are a group made up of Tuaregs, nomadic desert dwellers in the South Sahara desert.  Warring tensions have been high in this region for many years, and many members of the band serve in the military as part of the rebellions.  This is what they sing about: war and peace and the conflict with the wave of future and the traditions of the past.  Their songs are not just talk; it is their way of life.

The main tool of their expression is the electric guitar, many guitars.  And they’re raw and raunchy ala John Lee Hooker.  The traditional percussion mixing with the guitars creates a very interesting timbre that just doesn’t wear out!  Lots of choral singing featuring women answering the lead vocal.  On the CD song length is kept on a leash but not to the point of prematurely cutting the groove.

For a view into another world (English translations are provided in the CD Booklet – very insightful) make Tinariwen your next musical purchase. 

By P.R. Brimstone