Music in Exile

Solid album. Good mix of African rhythms and American southern rock/pop.

I liked the sound and feel of it- I wish I would have had more time to look into the actual meanings of the songs. Overall, pretty nice to listen to.

Liked it. It was fun to listen to. Lots of heart and character. More than just a blues album because of where it comes from. Wish I knew what they were saying. My only gripe is that the guitar solos are kind of basic, nothing revolutionary. It’s also very repetitive. It is really cool to hear a style that emerged out of slave/black culture in the United States through the lense of African culture. Very unique. B teir.

This is a really solid album. Sometimes I’m more likely to skip the world music picks but I would advise against it for this one.

Nice bit of variety, but hasn't really stayed with me after a couple listens. 3.5 🌟

sick honestly. probably won’t listen again but not bad at all

Great grooves

A solid album with excellent blues playing. I was starting to connect with it after the 2nd listen and feel like it’s one that would grow on you as you get past the non-English vocals. Probably an ignorant comparison, but this reminds me of Buena Vista Social Club in a way, the expert musicianship mixed with a new age air and international grooves. A good effort.

Not to my taste but recognise the quality of the music

It was a vibe, "dudes just being dudes."

the first song sounds like ford truck month. the rest is pretty cool

ok

Nice Malian guitars, very reminiscent of Tinariwen. Enjoyable.

Nothing special to me, but I enjoy the unique grooves and instrumental parts. It’s nice to hear different styles of music as well.

This was alright but wouldn't be something I'd revisit. Decent quality for what it is though

The music is cool, but a bit repetitive.

The music was great.

I liked this enough while listening but probably won’t return to it.

Pre listen: Don’t know these guys, but if they’re like Tinariwen, I suspect I will like them. After listening: it’s definitely the same genre, but I don’t get the same excitement from it. Gonna be a 3.

It's okay

It really didn't catch my ear

3.5★ What a banging album. There’s one value in listmaking and it’s to discover material that you otherwise wouldn’t have come across or given a spin, which is very much the case with me and this album. Not sure how much the lyrics have to do with the titular theme but I do feel that understanding them would probably help the resonance, as opposed to the songs sounding like similar variations of the same thing. Nonetheless I really liked it. Favorites: tracks 1-5 (Soubour, Iraganda, Al Hassidi Terei, Sekuo Oumarou, Nick) + Wayei + Petit Metier (this plus the opener probably being the favorites among the favorites). No obvious skips on the first few listens, though the last two tracks are notably weaker.

3.5/5

Okay

That's not my taste in musik. But ok.

Yea, pretty nice

Smooth blues! 3/5

Really interesting mix of a traditional blues sound on guitar, chanting, and almost a dancy percussion section. Little redundant at times but still solid.

Blues is not my thing, but I like it's roots and fruits. Most of this I could get on with. I liked Sekou Oumaro, Wayei and Ai Tchere Bele (fast 6/8) especially. Nice sunny day driving music.

Really enjoyed this…

Pretty good

Enjoyed this one - wouldn't have been an album I'd just pick up on my own. Well played, albeit a bit same-y with tempos, etc.

Echt wel nice!

Decent but too repetitive for my taste

Uplifting desert blues

This album was good. I think the story adds some emotion to the music but the reserved African sound doesn't add to the emotions. It's a band of political refugees forced to uproot their lives and somehow it feels very little of it comes through the multiple vocal layers. The guitar instrumentation is tremendous, these guys are talented and the guitarist especially was very powerful and perfectly done. You can hear the inspirations, Hendrix'esq guitar and a real commitment to 60s and 70s rhythm & blues that you don't see as much anymore. Favorite Song Irganada. Note: This album reminded me of one of my favorite albums, Inteiro Metade by Tagua Tagua. It's a bit groovier and synthetic but I recommend if you liked this album and

Always interesting to see which causes are highlighted and which ones are not.

This was completely new to me in terms of genre, language, and overall tone. It took me a few tracks to get into it, but then I found myself grooving with it. Maybe I'll put this on the backburner in case I need to prove to someone how deep my taste in music is.

I liked the rhythm and the melody, but I didn't connect with lyrics as I don't understand the language. Lyrics are important to me and these might be great lyrics, but they are lost on me. My loss. Anyway, it sounds like it could be a great album, but it won't make it into my rotation.

A blues rock album from a different world. Interesting.

Mali blues I love it

The Fabulous Thunderbirds kind of blues if sang in Songhai and recorded with Mali sensibilities.

WTF is it about guitar players from Mali named Touré? Ok, I couldn't resist and looked it up about four tracks in. I didn't even realize that was a thing until just now. A lot of blues influence here. I wonder how the cultural appropriation police would feel about this? I like the playing and the sounds but the tunes aren't that interesting to me.

I've never heard of them before, but it's really nice to hear a band in this collection that's (a) not from North America or Europe and (b) doesn't sound like a sort of genericized world-music band (at least for much of the album). And they've got a great (and also tough) backstory both for the title of the album and their journey from the Timbuktu region to the capital of Mali (and beyond). (A bit of a bummer that so many Malians (and apparently many West Africans) have the same last name Touré, as it's hard to know what sort of connections the band members had to each other, although interesting to know that Garba Touré is "the son of Ali Farka Touré's long-time percussionist".) I'm not sure I've ever heard "[Sahara] desert blues" before, but I like their version of it, and most of the songs have great guitar and rhythm work to them; it's also amazing to read that Malian blues long (long long) predates American blues. Admittedly, I have no idea what the song titles or lyrics mean, so I can't really judge whether their songs are more formulaic or story-driven, but I like the energy and sound nonetheless.

Fun and interesting afro blues blend. Personally feels a little repetitive but I think that's part of the genre - maybe in a different mood I'd appreciate that aspect more. Some delightful melodies and exciting, unusual rhythms.

I enjoyed that. It started better than it finished.

cool dudes. first song was fantastic and a bit whatevs from there. im sure theyre saying some important shit.

"Music in Exile" no podía ser un título más apropiado para un disco de los Songhoy Blues. Integrantes de la tribu songhoy, los componentes del grupo tuvieron que huir cuando en 2012 el norte de su país, Mali, cayó en manos de Ansar Dire. Con su sonido del desierto entregan una maravillosa mezcla de rock 'n' roll americano tradicional, blues y melodías tradicionales songhoy. Lo que tambien es, en la más pura tradición del rock, expresión de identidad, compromiso y protesta. Difícil destacar un tema sobre los demás, pero citaré la primera canción, "Soubou", el épico arranque de "Al Hassidi Terei" y la muy rockera "Nick".

Vond het niet zoveel aan. Startte heel goed maar daarna steeds hetzelfde

Best lekker gebrabbel, lekker in de ochtend met n zonnetje

Surprised me and is very entertaining.

Good album, strong guitar work. I'm not sure it adds anything new or interesting to the desert blues genre, but it's a good listen regardless.

I did not know what to expect and I'm not certain I understand this style well enough to rate it.

A very unique twist on blues rock, being much more up-beat and dance oriented. Very enjoyable listen, although again to my untrained ear the album did start to blend together towards the end. But you can hear the fun and passion behind each sing. Top tracks: Soubour, Al Hassidi Terei, Petit Metier

i liked it but realistically i am not going to revisit this album

African blues is not what I expected to hear today, nonetheless I enjoyed it. They have much to offer.

Not my style, Definitely respect this.

Enjoyable, good vibe. Quite samey

Well, I kind of like this style of music. And some of the songs here are really beautiful. But there are quite some artists / records from the genre that I hold in higher esteem. This one for me is somewhat too much on the mellow and conventional side. Still a good record, but it is missing some edge and some of the guitar playing would have been better off played with the Kora, as it feels too close to that instrument as one could call it inspired by. Concerning message or meaning, I cannot judge, but from what it is said, there is no hidden evil lurking. On a secondary note: don't go for the deluxe edition. The three additional covers don't go well with the album.

Unique (and enjoyable) guitar parts and a couple of songs to my taste, especially “Petit Metier”, but something about it wasn’t really my thing. I do understand the appeal, though — Songhoy Blues have really got something going for them.

Mali, african desert bues, blues rock, OK

Very unusual, really enjoyed it

Beautiful music.

African blues music, I prefer more dance in this genre but I don't mind it.

Ugandan blues wasn’t for me but definitely a head turner

Didn’t understand a word but that didn’t stop me from enjoying the instrumentals.

If the black keys knew how to hold a groove and let it simmer

Music in Exile by Songhoy Blues is a captivating album that seamlessly merges the American guitar sound with the vibrant rhythms of Mali. Throughout the record, the band showcases their impressive harmonies and infectious grooves, making it a enjoyable listen from start to finish. While Julian Casablancas didn't collaborate directly with the band on the album, his support in promoting their music in the US undoubtedly helped bring their unique sound to a broader audience. The album's production quality is superb, allowing each instrument to shine while highlighting the band's tight musical chemistry. Tracks like Soubour and Al Hassidi Terei stand out with their irresistible energy and soulful melodies. Overall, Music in Exile is a testament to the band's passion and authenticity, showcasing the power of music to bridge cultural divides and unite listeners worldwide. NUMBER OF BANGERS - 3 STAND OUT TRACK - Soubour

Very bouncy and eclectic! Draws from so many genres and references, very cool find!

What starts off as a fun and danceable new fusion of sounds turns into the same old same old by the end of the album. I feel like they came out blasting with the best riffs and vocal hooks at the start and the rest of the tracks were kinda just jams. Good jams though. The last track is sombre and sweet and I appreciate them ending on that note given the bands history. I wish they just kept reinventing but it's easier said than done.

It was a change, but nothing more.

The guitar and rhythm of this album really carry you along, providing some great blues energy. Many songs have a certain bounce to them that is reminiscent of an Irish jig while still having the weight of a blues rock jam, which I enjoyed.

I was pleasantly surprised by this selection. Am I gonna throw this album into my rotation? Probably not. Did I groove out while listening to this? Hell yeah! I wish I knew what they were saying, but those cats were cookin. Light 3 (it feels racist going any lower) Fav songs: Irganda, Nick, Jolie

I couldn’t understand the words but I could understand what they were saying if you know what I mean?? Had me dancing around the apartment for some songs! Fave Song: Irganda (translates to “our environment”)

I couldn't understand a single word of the lyrics but I enjoyed it musically and it was refreshing to get something different than the usual fare. 3.5/5

I would probably rate higher if I could understand the lyrics. Fairly enjoyable, though. It has a nice classic rock feel to it. Made me think of ZZ top.

First time hearing this- enjoyed it, some awesome blues guitar. 🎸🌵 Favorite Track: Soubour

Soubour- I like the clapping beat. I saved it! Al Hassidi Terei- I like the call-and-response parts I added Petit Metier. I think they are speaking some French?! I don’t really like some of the rock influences

To discover stuff like this is why I am going through this list. These boys shred. Felt the energy, but couldn't really connect to the music, probably because of the language barrier.

Like the vibe but a lil too noisy for me. Like tinariwen but noisier

Malian desert blues rock. Cool albeit repetitive for my ears.

Very cool

Meh

It's good stuff. It's very rhythmic and that appeals to my base musical wants. The kind of music that I'm always pleased to hear ... though not necessarily near the top of my 'things I choose to listen too' pile.

It's okay. I liked the sounds but somthing I wouldn't listen to in a daily basis

Was decent 6/10

Great musicianship and sound to this one. Enjoyed hearing something from another culture.

Obviously not music I listen to but I can appreciate the depth of the album.

Not bad

это интересно конечно, но надо намного больше тренировать ухо чтобы южные/восточные вокальные стили воспринимать

Desert blues.... band from Mali.... 3-4 stars

Each song was great at the start but the beats never went anywhere. Something this beat heavy can't be so monotonous.

This was my first time listening to this album, and it exceeded my expectations. There is some really good guitar work and production choices throughout, however the language barrier prevents me from enjoying it to it's fullest extent.

Interessante und kurzweilige afrikanische Rhythmen aus Gitarren, Folk Elementen und einem angenehmen Tempo. Man versteht kein Wort des Textes der in fast jedem Lied „Wambo Wambo“ enthält. Man fühlt sich wie an einen schwülen Sommer Abend am offenen Feuer in der Steppe von Mali und plötzlich erklingt es „Should I stay, or should I go“ 😊

World music always fascinates me and fills me with questions of what the scenes did/do look like, who were these bands influenced by, etc. This album starts off musically closer to something in a modern blues-rock groove than what I'd expect from an African band. I really only knew of Ladysmith black mambazo and this is pretty far from that. Did their blues and rock follow a similar evolution as what we saw stateside? Whatever the story is, the fact is the first half of this definitely rocks. The second half seems to lose some of the powerful guitar sounds and gets more traditional to almost more have a sound I more associate with the middle east. That style shift plus me being unable to really understand the story or lyrics ( my fault, not fair I know) holds this album back a bit, but happy to have heard it and will throw a couple tracks on a playlist. Favorite track "Soubour" - but really could be any of the first 4-5 3/5

C'est très bien essayé de la part de Robert d'essayer de nous faire croire qu'il s'y connaît en blues malien mais personne n'est dupe.

Un excellent recueil d'africanaiserie, on s'en régale

It's okay, but repetitive

Cool. Appreciate being exposed to music outside the normal critics choices. I like it cause I’m a sucker for basic rock chords and melody, the traditional aspects and rhythms are beautiful. As a stand alone record, without knowing the bands history, there’s nothing really new or groundbreaking here.

These guys can JAM, even if I have no Idea what they're saying...

bom abubiblues

Gear: Moondrop Variations Mix: modern und hochwertig. Gitarre spielt frei und überall. Basslauf "Sekou Oumarou" und Drums in "Al Tchere Bele" Highlights Musik: Blues mit nem afrikanischen Twist. Vertraut aber auch frisch. Wertung: 3-4

It’s world music.

African Blues. I found myself moving along with some songs and less affected by others. A second listen to the first two songs was worth it, but most of the remaining songs lost that energy.

Who would've thought that Malinese blues music would be my thing?

It was fine. The instrumentation and composition was not interesting, so without understanding the lyrics there was nothing to hold me.

I enjoyed this blues album immensely. Great grooves.

Pretty good blues album

Interesting, but not really for me

Good music, but I just don't want to listen to the foreign language.

not bad at all, just not my type of music

Album surprised me. Very relaxing

Traditional African style beats mixed with some rock and roll crested an enjoyable listen ...

Really liked this, very pretty and sometimes rocking tunes. Will have to look more into this group.

a fun a cute record that gets the basics right!

Buenas canciones y ritmos interesantes.

Good musicianship, nice groove. I just have a problem with songs I can’t sing along with or know what they are saying.

Pleasant background 6 music fodder

First few songs are good, but gets a bit annoying-background-noisey after that

I enjoyed the music on this album. Unfortunately, this album is in another language so any impact the lyrics would have provided were lost on me. I am not sure I would listen again however I am glad I did listen to it.

Good

Like any blues album, this has a lot of the same chord progressions from song to song. But done by an African band, it treats the blues with its own brand of rhythms and vocals. At times hypnotic, but ultimately kind of boring.

2.6 - The music is pretty good. The rest, not as much.

I liked it enough. Appreciate having new stuff show up on this list. Won't join the rotation but was a good 1 listen. Will I listen to again: 5%

3+

It is a kind of very original blues mix witu a bit of african music, but they compose and play it very well.

Good blend of different styles with some interesting guitar work and nice polyrhythms going on. A good listen, but I was hoping for a bit more variety, and it felt a little repetitive in places.

3.5 This album made me really want half stars. I thought Mothership Connection could have been a 4.5 but was fine putting it at 4. Now this deserves to be somewhere between Made in Japan and that. I’ve made the formal decision to round halves down and mentally move Mothership Connection to 4.5 retroactively) As for an actual review, I am an uncultured swine and sorry I can’t understand the lyrics. Very interesting groove to the whole thing and I really love their voices. The second half (Wayei and on) made me want to bother with that whole half star thing.

Blues isn't my jam usually but Music in Exile is something fresh. I find the production a little bit elaborate but the 11 songs on the album are all interesting enough to keep me engaged.

This certainly has a bluesy, southern rock twang to it that I enjoy. I also enjoy that it's not in English, because I barely pay attention to the lyrics anyway. Pretty middle of the road album though. Nick was a standout. Reading the story of this band is pretty enlightening, but it's not influencing my rating on the album too much. Apparently they were influenced by Ali Farka Toure who we just listened to recently.

Africa music with good desert blues sound

3.5 I appreciate the context of the album. I wanted it to be a bit more groovy.

Got off to a slow start, but really enjoyed it by the end of the album.

Groovy, wish I knew what they were saying.

Music from Timbuktu - wow! This was catchy and hypnotic. I love the seemingly simple, but engaging rhythms. I had to listen to it in dribs and drabs because I was always being pulled off in a different directions. But a couple of tunes were so flat out good. Others meandered a bit for me. But they are definitely worth a revisit. It’s a 3.5 really.

Overall good stuff. Not sure I'd return to this, though a couple of these songs were flat-out bangers. It's more like a 3.5, but not feeling like going up to a 4.

Very enjoyable post Christmas during puzzling time. I mean that literally…I worked on my Christmas puzzle and jammed to this foreign vibe.

reminds me of etra de lair/mdou moctar. Basically cool electric guitar fused blues with african music. WITCH I think too is similar to that style. Tinariwin too? I appreciate a world music album on here since I haven't seen any since I've tried this site. It is well produced, the songs are catchy and it is a straightforward sound. Not my favorite/not all of the songs hit but it's a solid record.

I enjoyed this. Got repetitive for me in the way that Afro beat can. But I still enjoy it

Interesting and different, but not anything amazing.

There is a lot to like here but is still limited by being an uncomfortable fusion

It's a jam.

Not my favorite.

Given that I couldn't understand any of the lyrics, that was still a fairly enjoyable listen. Some tracks didn't work for me, but overall it was solid. 3.5.

My life is fuller knowing that this record exists. Unfortunately my inherent desire to sing along will prevent me from listening to this with any frequency.

Interesting album, I enjoyed it.

C'est bien

not my normal genre but it was interesting!! the instrumentation was really fun but i couldn’t find lyric translations so i was a bit lost the whole time. did a wikipedia dive and the random links to julian casablancas and nick zinner came out of nowhere but that’s also sick lmao

Music from Timbuktu. For African Rock it is pretty decent. Soubour has a great groove, beat and rhythm. Others like Irganda keep it going. It is a mix of African-chants with a rock and rhythm beat. This is one you have to keep listening to. I'll keep it around for sure. 3.5

I enjoyed it! Rating 3.4.

I enjoyed the album, but probably won't revisit it

It is somewhat challenging to get into something that isn't in English, but I was still vibing with a good chunk of this. I enjoyed myself!

Quite a good listen, melodic but didn't quite hold my attention throughout

Not in English, so I couldn't understand the vocals, but I really enjoyed the music the beat. The whole vibe was good

The blues instrumentation was top notch. The vocals seemed dissonant with the style of music to me but this is typical sound for desert blues.

solid, quick album. i’ll probably never revisit but it’s albums like this that i’m so glad i’m doing this project. i NEVER would have heard this

the guitar riffs are pretty cool

Bluesy. Not something I'll likely revisit though.

3-3.5 I wish there was a bit more variety between the songs, in particular with the singing and I think the guitar style as well. I love the concept of the album and I liked that I didn’t know the words, and the songs were pleasant to listen to. I just don’t quite see myself craving this album or any particular song.

Not heard of the band before, but was a fine listen. Wasn’t blown away but an easy background album to listen to.

Wel aardig

Good stuff good story

- Heard of this band before but never listened to them - Pretty good, not sure if I'd revisit it but I enjoyed listening to it

3.5

I like the jams :)

Quite interesting. Very nice instrumentation and flow.

This record was full of vibrant blues rock, and was a great blend of cultural styles. Although I did find some tracks sounded too similar as the album wore on.

I like this band a lot. It does get a bit monotonous, for my taste, but you can say that about lots of things, I suppose.

I was initially really surprised and excited - this album was really cool! It didn't ultimately have enough... variety? It did sort of feel in a couple of places like I was listening to the same song over and over. Definitely and interesting and exciting record and I would happily listen again, but it doesn't quite climb up to 4 stars for me.

Not a bad sound. Instruments sounded nice, melodies were very soothing

this is interesting to say the least

Byrjaði af krafti en breyttist svo hægt og rólega. Ég fílaði byrjunina og finnst þetta bara fínasta plata en auðgleymanleg

Lala, samt skárra en ég bjóst við.

Pretty good, a more upbeat Amadou & Mariam.

Truck spilled “a huge amount” of gas at Eugene 6th ave (1 gallon)

Tunes for sure.

Good music, but not in english

Was okay. Heard before. There was this one song that had a real groovy rock 'n' roll riff. + Soubour + Irganda + Nick + Al Tchere Bele

Cool

Akoze nerozumiem tomuto albumu… Najskor 7 nezmyslov a potom 3-4 uplne bomby 🤯

I didn't hate it, but it's not for me. 3/5

I can appreciate the story behind these musicians and this album, but overall I think the music is kind of forgettable and didn't really engage me.

Decent. Interesting mix of African rhythms and American blues. Some of it works. Some of it doesn't. I would be interested if there is more from this project.

Brani Preferiti: - "Soubour" - "Wayei" Note: Prima volta che ascolto del rock africano, interessante la varietà che questo disco offre. Onestamente un qualcosa di inaspettato ma benvenuto, permettendo di prendere una breve pausa dall'ennesima band britannica. La barriera linguistica presente è come una moneta, fa apprezzare la musica... ma ovviamente si perde ciò che la band stia dicendo.

the rhythmic music and longsome vocals remind me of other african music I've heard. there are some real jams on here though I have a hard time really resonating with it.

Solid sounds. Lyrics are important to me though

Listened a bit. Kinda fun

Yeah wouldnt want to listen to it all the time but it was an uplifting sound

Sogenannter Desert Blues aus Mali. Sehr beschwingte Blues-Rock-Variante mit Gesang in Landessprache. Kann man gut nebenher hören, aber da fehlt mir das gewisse etwas.

Ok. All starts to sound a bit samey.

I enjoyed this album more than I was expecting. No idea what the songs are about but the beats, rhythms and melody were good. Particularly liked 'Al Hassidi Terei'. Getting a bit repetitive towards the end but not unpleasant.

itsaight

Interesting album, with a great story behind it. Perhaps just not my favorite genre

Bra album, riktigt mysigt

Kul med lite variation i stil och ursprung. Annars trevligt album.

Jag gillade detta albumet Vibeade sönder till Irganda

This was good, different from most other albums on this list.

Intricate guitar work. World music classic

It was a neat album.

These black dudes really got me feeling some type of way... I mean, with their music. It's kinda crazy this was released in 2015, it feels much older No idea what the lyrics are about, but surely it's a good thing this time, it would pain me to hear about their struggles with cops and drug abuse

Interesting music.. not bad at all

Really enjoyed Desert Melodie. Gives me Midwest Emo vibes

Interesting

Nice

The story behind this album is far more interesting than the album itself, but I really love hearing what other countries can do with the blues.

Although originally an American export, “the blues” is revealed, through the stylings of Mali-based Songhoy Blues, to be a uniquely global, decidedly human form of expression.

I'm quite the fan of the Mali music scene and have listened to quite a few albums over the last decades. And even though I like this album and listen to it with much pleasure, I don't think this one rises high above that of its peers. It's really quite good, but never reaches greatness

Pretty good album. It has a lot of very nice guitar riffs, but as a whole, it's far too repetitive for me. - Mason 3/5

Sound like amazing musicians and a great sound. Not for me, but a real talent here.

The songs were repetitive to an extent, but the music was great.

A welcome shift but the albun got pretty reptitive. That might be a language barrier thing.

3/5 I enjoyed it but didn’t love it. Probs cuz I can’t understand the words 💀.

Meh did not care for this, however they have a talent

Cool blues guitar styles. Lyrics not in English but enjoyable.

it's mid

it wasnt bad just not the kind of music id listen to

It was really chill. Not too sure if it will be smth I relisten to but it was pretty nice. I liked the vocals 7,5/10

Why would exile music you should bring it back

Clean sounding blues. Lots to like.

interesting international album. I enjoyed it.

Really liked it to start with but by the end the ideas had gone a bit stale.

Estuvo bien

Interesting

More contemporary take on the desert blues.

Really cool album with a very real and different back story than what you normally read about from bands on this list. It really puts an immediate context into my thoughts when listening to this album, as these guys were exiled from their home due to an invading group imposing Sharia Law (which forbids music among other things). I love how upbeat the album is despite this background. The first two songs are so damn groovy and the third one has such a fun swinging beat that starts around a half minute in that is as infectious as anything. Some songs are so good that it could be The Black Keys with a different singer (I'm thinking here of the song "Nick" that has that typical Black Keys boom-bap-boom-bap driving drumbeat). Great little record. More listens and this could creep up into a 4 for me I think.

Very interesting album

This reminds me of the sort of thing I hear people play on Desert Island Discs and wonder how they got into this sort of stuff. I enjoyed it but I must admit I find listening to music where I can't understand the lyrics a bit disconcerting. Like, how do I sing along? What if they're saying something horrible!? It's making me want to look up their other stuff though so, job done, I guess!

A bit samey but cool none the less

wish I could understand the lyrics.

A refreshing mix of African harmonies and blues.

Very different sounding to what I'm used to, definitely 1950s inspired soul and jazz in there. The bass just hits different.

A very interesting musical style that I had never heard before. Unique, and overall quite nice. I was torn between 3 and 4, but ultimately chose 3 because while the songs were fun to listen to, there was no permanent addition to any playlist.

There's a few good songs at the beginning of the record but it's too repetitive.

Good world music album.

I enjoyed the album. It had a great melodies

Not bad, but will need some more listens to appreciate.

Rather interesting sounds, combining traditional music with blues. Enjoyable listen

Un dels exemples més captivadors de la world music. No cal que t'agradin els sons d'arrels africanes per poder disfrutar d'aquest disc, que t'arrossega a un estat gairebé hipnòtic

korrek

Great hits but a bit repetitive

Good and respectable for what it is but not something that’ll stick with me for a while

Inte så tokigt alls.

Cool guitar work

I knew them already, a great sound but a bit repetitive

Ehhhhh. I tried to like this but it's just not to my taste. Great musicianship and even the singing was decent but I really struggled to get into an album where the genre isn't my thing and I can't understand the lyrics. Background music at best for me.

So I have never heard of them or this album, so this is completely new to me. I generally like African music (I know painting with a broad brush here) and this is no exception. It is a very pleasant listen, even if I doubt it will stick with me long term. I don't know if I have a whole lot to add to that other than the instrumentation and singing are both quality. One that I'll definitely make a point to revisit when I'm in the mood for some Malian music.

I had this one on my personal list that I started about a year ago. I gave it a 3 at the time, and I think I will probably keep that rating. I enjoyed this a lot and I love listening to music written in languages other than English, but I haven't been able to connect with it yet. Maybe I'll need to do some research on the band and listen a few more times.

I have no idea what to expect here. A straight-up blues album, well I never! It occasionally slips into a more African / Tribal beat with accompanying chants, but this is the blues and I like it. The guitar playing is particularly excellent. As with other albums from lands far away, I've no idea what they are singing about, but the melodies are catchy, and the harmonies are excellent. 3 / 5 stars.

Ok

Good world music. Great instrumentals.

Fijn maar ook wat te lang hetzelfde

I got strong Black Keys vibes from the music and then French/Arabic/African language-lyrics. Trippy!

afrikka bändi heh...ranska heh... anti muslimi...propsit. hyvää bluessia malin pojilta The language barrier is detrimental unfortunately. It’s not their fault. sanest anglomaanikko review...ei voi lyriikoita etsiä... internetistä petit metier

Okay blues, nothing too fancy or interesting for me though

When it goes all polyrhythmic it's dead exciting, when it's more trad, it's dry as hell. It's a mixed bag, but glad I heard it

Nice

Enjoyed

A fun take on rock music as filtered through an african sound. I especially liked the songs that featured more unusual rhythms. Will be exploring this band further

It was blues album in the sense that the music was bluesy. It was not in English so I couldn't really understand the lyrics. It wasn't bad.

was cool cant remember too much though sorry guys!

Overall, I liked this album, it was definitely a vibe. I liked the bluesy, guitar-driven direction it was going through with many of the songs.

Pleasant background music, I guess. Not really my genre of music (I feel bad for not being more passionate about this, it's a fine album).

So cool and interesting to hear blues rock sounds mixed with african music. The git Riffs could sometimes have been heavier or could have varied a bit more. But the vocal lines and Rhythms are superb. And the git solos are lit.

It's like shoegaze in that I cannot understand the words.

Pretty cool instrumentally. Wish I could understand any of the words though.

groovy baby

Indebted to John Lee Hooker, but paying dues to classic rock and punk with an African vibe. Pleasant, quite light. Good electric guitar picking.

Ford commercial music, but good

Tego jeszcze nie grali, bo pustynnego bluesowania jeszcze nie bylo na liscie, a wlasnie taka muzyke graja songhoy blues, ktory tworzy trzech lub czterech artystow w zaleznosci od info, bo ciezko o rzetelne informacje o bandzie z Mali, czyli jednym z krajow objetych niekonczaca sie wojna, z wojujacym islamem w roli glownej, stad tez geneza tytulu owego albumu, bo czlonkowie bandy zmuszeni byli ewakuowac sie z timbuku na poludnie kraju, po tym jak zbanowali zabawe na polnocy, no i dodatkowo jest to dosc swiezy material, bo music in exile zostal wydany w 2k15, a wojna jak trwala tak trwa nadal, ciezko napisac cos sensownego na temat kontentu tego 40 minutowego krazka, bo jest to blend zachodniego szarpania gitarowego i tradycyjnego spiewania afrykanskiego, wiec wszystko w jednym z malijskich jezykow, z mocnym chorkowaniem i typowym powtarzaniem zwrotow, co daje zludzenie dosc oszczednej liryki, ale moze jest inaczej, tylko dla bialych uszu wszystko brzmi zbyt podobnie, ale jesli chodzi o instrumentale, to czuc z nich czlowieka ktory sie nimi posluguje, dobry balans pomiedzy elektrykami i akustykami jesli chodzi o gitary, gruby basior i wyjatkowo neutralne drumowanie, ktore zazwyczaj w afrykanskiej muzyce wychodzi na pierwszy plan, a ten album jest przedstawieniem w ktorym pierwsza role odgrywa gitara lub gitary w zaleznosci od traka, nie brakuje takze mniejszych instrumentali, ktore naleza raczej do tradycyjnych malijskich wynalazkow, pomimo calkowitego niezrozumienia czesci liryczej i tak dobrze sie sluchalo, bo czuc z tych kawalkow cos prawdziwego, co ciezko zdefiniowac jednoznacznie

Afro-blues-rock. Se me ha hecho un poco pesado... Ni fu ni fa.

Quite fun, sounds like something from 70s/80s

Nice grooves but seems a little bit slack. Like, I can play Jolene but the finger picking is a tricky rhythm, I reckon my dodgy version is still tighter than this? Once I noticed, everything seems a bit sloppy. Good grooves though.

Interesting story, rhythms were mostly straight up blues rock but the beat was often more interesting and the vocals kept it fresh. Well worth a listen.

Quite enjoyed that, something different. I definitely recognised one or two of the songs, no idea why or where from.

Found it to be quite an interesting album that I ultimately liked. Not understanding the lyrics didn't take away my enjoyment of the album. I think the first half of the album is the stronger side. Highlights for me were "Nick" and "Soubour".

I know the opening track but not sure where I would've heard it.... Probably radio 6. I liked the sound of some the album, the language barrier was always going to make it slightly tricky to really like it I guess. I lost interest as it went on

gesjeslsig

.... nice, I guess. Just didn't pull me in. But very nice. 3/5

Really good just wish I knew what the lyrics meant

Best Song: Irganda. Pleasant upbeat dance rhythm. Worst Song: Jolie. Don't know why. Not significantly worse than the others, but the melody didn't hold my interest much. Overall: Really nice stripped down blues. I don't understand the lyrics, but the musicality is sufficient to communicate emotion and tone. My inability to understand it also makes it good for having in the background while working. Music for driving at sunrise/sunset.

Had never heard of this album, and I enjoyed it.

Had never heard of Songhoy Blues, but I'm very familiar with the modern Taureg guitar based music coming out of Niger, and this shares a lot of the same guitar driven similarities. Ultimately, it's a little bit one noted but very enjoyable and very moving.

Not really into non English music to be honest but the guitar on this record is great

I preferred the more African beat tracks and overall it's good but not outstanding. Sort of World music with a Blues/Rock slant. Reading the Wiki I'm in support of these guys and their struggles. Well produced and professionally played.

It's fine, maybe would be more interesting to me if I could understand the lyrics. Interesting Wikipedia read though, nice guitar work.

It's alright, a little bland. Didn't really have any moments that grabbed me

Some really nice riffs in this album. I enjoyed the entire album.

Not my style

A nice surprise in this list, maybe need more listens but enjoyable.

Instrumentalisch und stimmungstechnisch sehr stark. Auch wenn ich leider die Sprache nicht verstehe...

Love their sound! Never heard of these guys, but it’s not bad. The language barrier makes it less interesting. Still it’s a good album and I enjoyed listening to it Favourite song: - Soubour

This album was interesting, it was the combination of two very different sounds and cultures but it came together quite nicely. I always love hearing the vocal melodies of other cultures and how they fit them into contemporary music.

This is why I like this project--I would probably never have listened to this album otherwise. World music isn't usually my thing, but I loved this record. The guitar work is so interesting and filled with what sounds like super eclectic influences. "Soubour" is just awesome. This also helped me remedy some of my ignorance around what Mali has endured in the last decade, as I went down a pretty deep Wikipedia wormhole reading about Timbuktu and Ansar Dine and desert blues. Gotta love militant extremist religious groups who literally BAN MUSIC and force musicians into exile. Apparently there is a documentary film called "They Will Have To Kill Us First" that Songhoy Blues feature prominently in which I'm sure is well worth watching. This album deserves at least a 4, but since we agreed on giving ratings based on our own personal tastes I am reluctantly giving it a 3.

Dang what an interesting one. In a lot of ways it's pretty standard blues music but these guys fuse it with their native sounds and tones to create something super duper unique.

It was aight.

I was intrigued by the Western guitar + previously unheard to me Mali vocals

I liked the rhythms and guitar tones. Favorite: Irganda

Nie n clue wat hulle oor sing nie maar die tunes is aan die brand

Pretty good stuff, prolly come back to this one

muito bom, pena que não entendo essa lingua