Reviews (page 4 of 6)
Get some WES vibes from this. Never heard of the two, feels like an arbitrary addition to this list. Nice to hear though
Pleasant
Foreign different from the normal stuff. Glad i listened to it
It's not my vibe but I can definitely respect the artistry. Seems to be very good unassuming music to just have on in the background. Extremely chill. I don't think I'll go out of my way to revisit these songs. However, I'm glad to have heard them once. It's performed well, and really easy to just hit play and let it fill out the room. Hard for me to really get into it, but it's good music 3.0/5
Nice listen
*Cool variety to the African sounds
Not my thing but was really pretty good and loved the guitar playing by Ry Cooder!
I often feel shallow during these reviews for my lack of appreciation to the intricacy and skill that I’m sure many of these albums employ. But ultimately, I’m simple. This music was inoffensive, but not something I got a lot out of. Can imagine it being played in a cafe, but nothing I’d seek out on my own or note above my conversation.
Joah, an sich interessant, aber war dann auch froh, als ich es hinter mir hatte. 3 Sterne sind denke ich gut genug, eine interessante Erfahrung, musikalisch auch nicht all zu verkehrt. für mehr reicht es dann aber auch nicht.
Ich weiß nicht so wirklich, was ich davon halten soll. Das ist alles keineswegs schlecht, stellenweise gibt mir das auch durchaus was. Das Problem besteht jedoch hauptsächlich darin, dass die Songs nach der Hälfte ihrer Spielzeit bereits auserzählt sind.
Das wäre wohl besser wäre es etwas kompakter und mehr auf den Punkt, aber das ist vermutlich auch nur meine westliche Ansicht auf die Musik, die mit westlichen klassischen Songstrukturen aufgewachsen ist
Another one that I can appreciate, saved a couple songs off of, but probably won't be adding to the regular rotation.
I mean, it’s definitely kind of interesting. Did I need to hear it before I die? Probably not, but I guess that’s the case for a lot of these albums. For me personally, I already like desert blues but this is very acoustic and sort of old school. I suppose it’s foundational to that genre and Touré is the king of African guitarists. Still, it’s just a bit bland.
This was decent, maybe not fully my thing but I did appreciate a lot of it, at points I did start feeling like I was in a Simon Reeve documentary, and he really annoys me. 3.0/5.0 Best Song: Amandrai
1001e album, ENFIN! Urgh, le chemin de croix que ça a été, mais je suis finalement délivré de mon calvaire auditif journalier! Fini le proto-punk/punk/post-punk et autres albums fillers que je suis persuadé que Dimery avait même pas écouté pis il lui manquait 400 spots pour se rendre à 1001. Mais enfin bref! À moi les margaritas parmi les grands qui on finit cette liste. Ciao, losers! 🖕😏🖕 EDIT DE GENRE MAINTENANT: COMMENT ÇA IL EN RESTE 88??!! ROOOOBEEEEEEERT!!!!
Love the instrumentals on this but I'm just not sure if it's something I'd go back to frequently
Initially this felt like an ambient listen - high quality production, but not enough variety. Towards the end, there was a bit more going on.
Loved the instrumentation (with the exception of track 4), really spoke to the tap dancer in me. First two tracks were really beautiful. Loses me a little with the length of each track. I am not familiar with much world music. Favorite track: Lasidan; least fav: Sega.
Sounds like I’m in a video game but nice background music
Different but pleasant.
Excellent world music
Smooth and enjoyable.
- didn’t know what to expect, but I was not disappointed - sooo groovy, un bon album à écouter l’été
I liked this album but it wasn't one of the better African guitar albums I've heard. Not much to say, it was playing in the background and I feel like that's kind of where it belongs. Great playing but it didn't exactly hold my attention. 3/5
A very welcome change to all the Brit Pop and David Bowie on this list. Good background music but slightly too repetitive to really focus on.
Enjoyable, though seemed designed to appeal to western ears
The perfect music to listen to riding the train late at night. Really great mood to this entire record, and such soul while also feeling so calm and mellow at the same time. Best Track: Soukora
This was an enjoyable listen. Like african jazz it had a good beat, some beautiful polyrhythms and the top lines were fun. The sense of unfamiliarity with the African sounds made this sound fresh and interesting which was welcome 800 albums in. It lacked something imperative to take it up a notch and can slip by without making an impression if you dont engage, but if i wanted to pretend i was having an afternoon drink of a terrace of a jazz bar in africa then i'd put this on
Good Jams...Not my style... 3 stars
The next time I wanna have a day where I’m making brunch and I wanna do a technology free activity this is exactly the album I’m listening to
A bit repetitious but was nice to listen to.
Easy listening, will return to this.
At its best, a nicely hypnotic album with enough grit and crunchy stuff. Sometimes a bit smooth and bright for my taste (I'll blame Cooder).
Pretty cool sound throughout. I think it would be a little better if it wasn't so long. Once the Spotify shuffle played the next song I thought it was still going and I literally only got it to stop because I had to check something and change it.
ugodno iznenađenje! ovo je na popisu samo da bude nešto iz maloga, kao raznovrsno, multikulti štaliveć, što je maloumno. bitno da nema NIČEG iz hrvatske, što bi zapadnjačkim slušateljima bilo stoput bliže (i bolje) od ovog. al nema razloga da zbog toga serem po ovom kad je glazba dobra :)
I was not previously familiar with the artist or album, although I am familiar with Ry Cooder. This album is a pretty good listen. It showcases Malian folk in a Western context, and it works surprisingly well. The instrumentation is great, albeit pretty stripped down on most tracks. I don't understand the lyrics, but I don't need to in order to enjoy this. I would listen again.
Had a better time with this than I expected. Ali Farka Touré seemed like a really chill dude and that ended up colouring his playing. A nice duet album with Ry Cooder that gave the songs some extra oomph. Good stuff.
Sohoboys ish. Jeg har det nu ret fedt med sådan et album her. Men finder den ikke frem af mig selv.
Helt ok
tendi nada. mt foda
álgum é ótimo. a composição musical é legal (muito interessante e complexa!), a mistura de estilos é bastante peculiar. pra mim, seria um 3.5 única e exclusivamente pelo fato de que eu não ouviria com frequência.
i love the instruments. only thing negative about it is the fact that it has almost no lyrics.
Some parts were really good. Others not so much.
I feel like I would enjoy this more without the Western Blues influence f Cooder, but perhaps a good intro to the work of Ali Farka Touré. Enjoyed this and will investigate further.
Another joyful listen
A good album, but only good; pleasant, not mind-blowing. Did Ali Farka Touré need to be in this list twice? It might have been nice to hear from some more desert blues artists instead of the same one twice. Another strange choice from the editors.
Interesting sounds! I'm treating this as pretty much an instrumental album, as there are no vocals in english Which is a shame, as it feels this album could have been absolutely huge if Ry Cooder had shared some of the vocal work
Unusual album. One that’s been in my collection for many years. It’s a interesting collaboration that never really fulfils its promise
Love Ry Cooder’s guitar. Did get monotonous even though I love world music
This is cool, with a sound palette that is expertly crafted. The hooks are at times great and overall it does sound impressive, and the vibes are great. Soukora in particular is very gorgeous. Overall though, the songs are often too long, and it does at a point get a bit repetitive as an album to be truly spectacular.
interesting blues album, even though I didn't think it would be
I'm glad there's albums like this one on the list, it's cool that music from different cultures is getting some representation. It sounds quite cool, I like that laid back, chill guitar tones and mellowed out rhythms. Gomni sounds like a perfect weed song and the standout to me. Super entrancing. Soukora was another standout, just very feel good vibes coming from it. After that the album gets a bit weaker, the melodies get kind of repetitive, the e-guitar parts fell a bit lazy. There's no bad songs and the vibes are good all the way through but not that much stands out except for a few songs. Glad I listened to it tho.
I like that there are different sorts of music included. With the first song I was slightly sceptical but rather enjoyed the rest of the album.
Lost me a bit at points, but breezy and nice in others.
Last song really slaps. I'm unsure of the context of this album. It's a great vibe.
Very pleasant traditional African music. Not fantastic but hardly bad at all. I liked it. 7/10
Very nice, an album from Mali. Definitely got that slow rhythmic African vibe. It’s got a traditional sound with some slide guitar mixed throughout for a unique sound
Highlights: Lasidan
Kjedelig i lengda
C'est bon... Mais est-ce que c'est meilleur que Ali tout seul? Non.
I thought I would not like this album at all but it was actually the right relaxing music for this unfit guy to listen to at the gym helping me get through the pain of the running machine!
Talking Timbuktu is a really solid record — fluid, earthy, and easy to get lost in. It’s full of subtle interplay and atmosphere, the kind of thing that works beautifully as background music for working or just letting your mind drift. That said, it doesn’t fully grab me the way some other records do, so while I’d call it a 3.5 in spirit, I’m landing on a 3 here for clarity. A cool collaboration and a great listen, but not something I’ll return to often.
Solid album. A juxtaposition of different guitar techniques
Another album that I'm completely unaware of. A very nice, calm-and-soothing vibe. Not bad, but not terribly captivating either.
Cool album, nice guitar playing
I'm a pretty big sucker for any and all blues guitar I can get lately. So those portions of the album really struck me. I'm guessing that was Ry Cooders contribution. I really enjoyed some of the singing melodies, but there were long stretches that all got sort of washed out. I'd revisit it and maybe on a fresh listen it would grab me a bit more. 3.5/5
Something a little different! Was hoping this would be a bit more of a fusion between the two artists but still decent.
Interesting blend of African music mixed with some traditional blues. Good guitar work. I liked this one. 3.5 if possible.
the usual fare from this very talented individual. Ry Cooder puts a slightly different slant on proceedings
Black and blues.
and that's a Timbukthree
Unique
Makes nice background music. The voices are an instrument when you don't know the language used.
Feels tropical
Yeah, it's alright for a touch of mildly exotic music but it's a bit too clinical sounding for my liking. At times, the repetitiveness makes the band sound like they are almost sleepwalking. I prefer the more organic, rich, exciting sounding records by the likes of Cymande and John Berberian etc.
Slightly dull, perfectly acceptable in the background. I wanted to like this more than I did.
Pleasant enough mid nineties World Music. Ry Colder doing his thing, before the Buena Vista Social Club collaboration. Ali Farka Toure plays lovely guitar, but two guitars, a little bit of singing and a drum wasn't enough for a whole album for me..
Awesome to have been introduced to Malian guitar work.
Ali Farka Touré, Gitarrist und Sänger aus Mali, nahm 1993 gemeinsam mit dem US-amerikanischen Gitarristen Ry Cooder das Album Talking Timbuktu in Kalifornien auf. Die Aufnahmen entstanden überwiegend in den Ocean Way Studios in Los Angeles. Musikalisch verbindet die Platte westafrikanische Traditionen mit Blues-Strukturen, wobei Tourés repetitive Gitarrenfiguren und sein Gesang die Grundlage bilden, während Cooder mit Slide-Gitarre und akustischen Texturen ergänzt. Bekannte Stücke wie „Ai Du“, „Gomni“ oder „Soukora“ zeigen die enge Verwandtschaft zwischen malischem Wüstenblues und amerikanischem Country- und Delta-Blues. Das Zusammenspiel wirkt dabei nicht aufgesetzt, sondern organisch und dialogisch, als würden sich zwei verwandte musikalische Sprachen begegnen. Insgesamt ein ruhiges, zugleich intensives Album, das die Grenzen zwischen afrikanischer Tradition und amerikanischer Roots-Musik durchlässig macht.
The music isn't bad, but I can't view it as more than just background music.
Difficult one to read. Songs are obviously super long, probably as a cultural difference. I arrived a little to a couple tracks in the beginning of the album. Not sure I can say I disliked it so I guess I'll give it three stars.
this one has the potential to be an interesting fusion of african and western blues music but ultimately it falls a little flat for me. there are some decent moments and it is definitely an interesting concept that works, but i found a lot of it to be overly long. it's very laid back and relaxing, almost to a fault. it kind of ends up being a bit boring for my taste. can something be interesting and boring at the same time? not sure. but this sort of is.
Malian folk. I thought it had a relaxing vibe, sometimes almost dreamy.
Some reviewer: "An hour of Civ IV menu music" ...And you're saying that's a bad thing? Okay. It's not the best. But hey, I was having a good time. Many tracks are essentially chill mono-harmonic jam sessions featuring some cool instruments and solid melodies. The first time I started getting irritated was in Sega, which is thankfully the second-shortest track on the record. Four of the tracks are at least seven minutes long, and those ones better as heck be listenable. Banga is another one with an aggressively un-groovy beat and annoying melody, but (again like Sega) is very short relative to the others. The monstrous 9-minute Amandrai is one of the grooviest jams here – almost reminding me of some early Led Zeppelin improv sessions – but it's just a few minutes too long to make it to my upper echelon. Ai Du achieves the same goal with less runtime and a great viola-esque instrument punctuating it at all the best moments. (I can definitely understand Ai Du's relative popularity.) Both Ai Du and the closer, Diaraby, make use of the same extremely simple i-V chord progression – and (yet?) both are pretty good. Sometimes tried-and-true methods are the best ones. Although I would've loved to hear them get more musically adventurous. 3/5 Key tracks: Soukora, Ai Du
Easy to listen. Good one, but repetitive.
Interesting. Would revisit.
Worldly, festive, funky. You can sense that the musicians playing are having a really good time with what they're creating. Some vocals throughout that carry the music with genuine impression, but it's mostly guitars and some soft drums that carry this record. This is a fun one.
Was this list written in English??
Wish I could give this 4 because I sure did like it. But it’s tough competition out here.
Will definitely return to this on days that require a lot of chores around the house. Really enjoyed it.
Smooth, almost understated but technically impressive guitar in a mix of West African and more traditional blues influences. Good, easy listening
Aight
3.25
One and done.
3 stars. Yes very interesting, I like the drums , the singing, and the guitard. Can get repetitive? maybe. but a good listen 2.8/5.
This is the second Ali Farka Touré album I’ve listened to from this project and I liked this one better. Felt like there was more to grasp onto from a western lens. I could hear the blues influence especially. Really nice.
Tof album om op de achtergrond te zetten op een warme zomeravond. Voor de rest vrees ik dat ik te conservatief ben in m'n muzieksmaak. 2.7
Good reminder of how important Ry Cooder was in expanding our musical boundaries
This is fine. Cabana music I guess. Easily ignored.
I'm not super into this african music, but this was good. I specially liked Gomni. I'd say this is a 3.5, not giving it a 4 because I don't think I'll listen to it again.
Fine ambient music with blues infusions towards the end.
A very relaxing listen. Very good instrumentation and melodies. Language barrier is what it is, but I enjoyed this. A lot of blues influence in a lot of the songs. 3.5/5
Super chill and easy to listen to. However, no real draw and not a lot to say about this one.
Some bops for sure
Pretty alright, though mostly for the groove.
This is not bad but wonder if there are albums by the musician with out Cooder that are maybe just as interesting.
1994. Hard to rank these albums of African origin. This is West African blues guitarist that made a comeback to music after farming for years and won international album of the year.
Not too bad for a world album, I enjoyed some of the instrumentation.
I mean. It’s nice?
This was actually fairly pleasant and an interesting listen at the very least. I thought the instrumentation was broadly interesting and pleasant and quite liked the vocals. However, I do believe it runs long and I probably would’ve gotten a higher appreciation for it if I’d understood any of the 5 or so languages used in this album
not really my thing but I understand why this speaks out.
A very fun listen!
Okay but not for me
Not unpleasant, but like, before I die?
lovely record
A pleasant listen but I'm not sure I'd really go back to it again.
Different, which is nice. However, it played in the background when I was doing work around the house. I couldn’t distinguish one song from the next. Quite ‘samey’.
Very similar response to Savane - I enjoyed it -but it very much passed me by as a very pleasant listen - this was perhaps a bit more mellow with the Ry Cooder noodlings. Lyrically had no idea what was going on but enjoyed the vocals. Its a high 3 which I sure could be a 4 if I had the time to listen to it on repeat.
What I like about this album is its restraint and the fact it doesn't compromise itself for western styles. Yes Ry Cooder is here, but is not trying to make a cynical and commercial play. It feels very authentic, and married to Touré's homeland, and that's borne out by a couple of traditional and Cooderless tracks, such as 'Banga'. It's also interesting that he didn't like recording Talking Timbuktu in the USA, and called it a 'spiritual car park'. That comes across a little, and the lethargic grooves can tip into torpor ('Amandrai'). The guy ended his days in his home villages spending his money on upgrading its infrastructure. The genuine article. All that said, I think Savane is the more powerful album. But enjoyed this nonetheless.
Fun album here. I wouldn't say I loved it, but this is the kind of stuff I love popping up on this list.
Fun record. I think I've heard other records that feature Ry Cooder as a collaborator where it isn't obvious that he's on every song; I like how he blends into different styles like that. This isn't a go-to genre for me, but definitely something I would enjoy listening to again. 3.4/5
Pretty vibey and atmospheric guitar-focused album. I am not familiar with Ali Farka Touré, but he certainly has a distinct playing style when it comes to the guitar, showcasing that Malian sound. A little more familiar with Ry Cooder and his earlier work, though. Both make for a somewhat interesting blend, but the album overall sort of operates on the same tone all throughout. Basically a one hour long guitar track.
Another world music album that was fine but not something I’d choose to revisit. 3/5
2.5
anything with Ry Cooder is worth 3 stars. sounded a lot alike from song to song so not worth 4 stars to me
An easy listen, I think it's great for being at the office or on a drive (especially through the desert).
I have gained nothing from listening to this it was the most meh thing ever
Extra star for Bethany
Well, this is the last album. 1089/1089. It’s hard to believe the experience is over. This was a super chill album to end it on. The guitar parts held my interest but the pace was too slow at times.
Dobar album, volim njega jako, pogotovo s albuma s Khruangbinom. Umirujuće dosta, paše mi. 3/5, 6.5/10
I enjoyed this! Malian folk, nice for a change! I'm not saving to relisten to though, so perhaps it's just the novelty.
Good background vibes, instrumental. Kevin asked who this was when I was playing it
Very gentle and soothing music. I never had the change to hear this singer before. A good peaceful listening.
I enjoyed the mellow compositions here but after a while it got boring.
An album that is more important than it is good. +1 for exposure of a talent like Ali Farka Touré. Some songs are just jams with too much space, and too long by half. Others are great. Most are saturated in the 90s obsession with chorus effects on guitar. He has better albums.
This album is fine. Big Ry fan but this is only ok
Beautiful combination of two worlds. I wish I could listen more deeply than I did, but it's a good album overall. Sometimes it sounds like a really unique blend of blues and West African music. However, the album is a bit boring sometimes; I wish I could know why... maybe it's the lack of lyrical content
-this is such a vibe honestly. felt like being in a hookah lounge in a desert. very smooth -interesting how impactful and unique Malian music is. didn’t realize so much of it was this good until i listened to Malian albums on here and from RYM -it kinda went on a little too long imo but still good. the last song is absolutely transcendent -Favorites are Soukora, Ai Du, and Diaraby
Interesting and evocative hybrid of African desert blues and American blues.
This is a very chill album perfect for a rainy Monday morning. I'm glad I was presented this because I probably would not have listened on my own. One thing is the album says it was released in 1994, but it definitly has a late 80s sound to it. 94 feels a bit late for this sound, but it just means this artist was working through the 80s before he got this album to make stamp.
I found it a pretty calm listen, very consistent and unique sound. It's a mix of folk with some blues. I found it a bit long, as it's almost an hour and the songs are pretty similar between each other. There were a couple of interesting songs, but I found that it wasn't anything to write home about, or not something I'm too likely to revisit. "Soukora" was my favourite, it found it a bit livelier and more interesting than the rest. Not bad, but definitely not a stand out for me.
Perhaps I'm just an ignorant American but it can be difficult to rate some of these "world" albums. There's nothing wrong with this album, at least I don't think there is, I just don't really feel anything willing listening to it. It's cool that this generator put it on my radar but it won't be on there for very long. Favorite track: Ai Du 2.5/5
Nice smooth blending of two obviously talented musicians for a relaxing, mellow listen. Starts off strong, but tends to get a little slow and samey after awhile. Still, this is enjoyable enough to keep my interest to the end and definitely benefits from Ry Cooder's presence, that takes this to the next level.
Cool, passed by
ok. whatever. this was fine - pleasant enough, but very long and meandering, and not sure why we needed 2 albums??? anyywayyyy
i literally had another ali farka touré album a week ago, so i don't have much to say about this one. it's all about the same. favorites: bonde, soukora, ai du
- iconic that this guy kept leaving music to focus on his rice farm - crazy beautiful voice. beautiful melody to it all - the music sounds warm
I felt like I was listening to the same song on an endless loop. It was ok, but I didn’t feel like there was much variety. Awfully repetitive.
Interesting and pleasant enough, but would I listen again? Unlikely.
An interesting mix of African chill and straight-forward blues. I enjoyed it, but it kind of drifted into the background. I'd probably come back to this.
In offensive world background music
Interesting, but also long and repetitive. Ultimately I found it boring. I still acknowledge the talent.
The vibes on this were immaculate but it didn't stand out to me too much. The middle part kind of faded into the distance. There were definitely good highlights on this, but I dont think I would add to my rotation.
Blind album and artist. I liked this more than some other world albums for its simple and low beats, and harmonies, and another album that im glad I tried but not for me
2.5
🎧Not bad, pleasant enough
I love the voice, the emotion and the strength in the songs. But I would say they are a little all over the place. Sometimes tropical, sometimes tribal, sometimes blues, sometimes rock. Each song individually I like and enjoy but as an overall album I am somewhat confused.
Faint reminiscence here.... Funky. Feels multi-genre'd. But it's not. Wonder if my dad played it around the house. Not going to make an impression on me.
Good vibe, but music felt the same theougout
Solid listen. Liked this
Cool but also not much variation
A little long, a little homogeneous, but when this album does shine it shines bright.
There is a whole lot of Africa to listen to without including a second Ali Farka Toure forced date of an album with roots magpie Ry Cooder doin da blooze. The record is ok but, dude. Pass the aux cable.
Refreshingly different, but you really have to be a fan of acoustic guitars and Africa, or a hipster beyond compare, to enjoy this unironically.
Very reminiscent of Paul Simons Graceland album.....faintly.
Good vibes for having on while working
Happy to listen to anything that’s not US/UK rock, I wish this list had more music from around the world. Unique sounds and arrangements, but overall an enjoyable listen. Perfect for a late Summer afternoon.
It's not bad, but I can't connect with it. 3/5
I really dig the blues influence here. It was a little same sounding but overall a good listen.
3.5
Complete
Nothing crazy to me. Hearing a western-African fusion was a little interesting.
I enjoyed this album very much. The sounds were mature and beautiful.
This is a pretty good album. Some of it can be repeative but overall an enjoyable listen. The more bluesy numbers with Ry Cooder are the standouts.
Previously rated: Savane (2/5) ********************** Chill, but repetitive African music with some blues infused in it. Better than his last one.
Some pleasant listening! A pretty wild collab tbh!
Pleasant groove, but you’ve heard the entire song’s sound after the first 20 seconds - merely repeating for another 5 minutes.
Good if you like your African Blues fusion!…enjoyed some tracks but not all of them.
Interesting!
Soukora was my favorite track. 2.5 rounded up to 3.
I remember buying Ry Cooder’s album Bob Till You Drop in 1979, touted as “the first digitally recorded major-label album in popular music, recorded on a digital 32-track machine built by 3M”. The album was decent and Ry had played on both the Stones’ Let It Bleed and Sticky Fingers LPs, so I was off to the races, eventually owning 10 or so of his albums, all decent, especially his early stuff. Vividly remember buying this when it came out, and liking it about the same as I do now — fine, but not great. Instrumental Afro-centric music is in the “a little bit goes a long way” category for me.
This was a great “listen while working” album today, and I suspect it would be a lovely “easing into Sunday morning” album too. But I can’t imagine any other times I would put it on.
Switches between giving you a real good slice of world music and being a bit like wallpaper but far from bad!
Ok, but didn’t connect with it
i liked it it was ok i guesss but the last sound was better then the others
Why is the cover in black and white? "Bonde" was pretty interesting. I like the sound, it's something new and not something basic. I think the singing is pretty good. I don't understand it but the language sounds pretty. "Ai Du" was also pretty good. The guitar sounds good and even though there isn't much singing it sounds pretty when they do. At the beging of "Sega" was the best. It sounded really cool and intersing. Although I wouldn't activly choose to listen to it, I would give it a solid 3 stars and I would reccomend it to anyone because it's so ineteresting and I think it's something everyone should try to listen to.
Starts out interesting, different, but after the first 4 or 5 songs it becomes fairly repetitive, theres only so many times you can reuse that afrobeat bassline...
Итс окэй, наверное. Послушал с женщиной утром (так бывает, мьюзик нерды, женщины существуют). Вайб и очень телесно. Лучшая песня - Ai Du.
Between a 2 and a 3. It's nice guitar playing and pleasant background music. Think I'll go 3 as I listened to it while working and it was fine for that purpose. He was clearly very talented
Some killer grooves on here. The downside is it could be a little shorter (but man do I feel like a modern idiot saying that).
Liked it. Easy to listen to. Pretty chill and bluesy Standout songs: Soukora Ai Du
Pretty cool guitar (this Cooder guy has played with a ton of big artists! Interesting Wiki read). I'd say a solid 3.
This is fresh. I like the playing
It was pretty good and interesting.
Pretty interesting
This is definetely not pop music! It's not something I'll hear every day. It needs a proper time to enjoy it, but it's definetely good music... I'm gonna leave 3 stars today.
Interesting
A stunning track 2 and a bunch of tracks that I find pleasant.
Can’t remember let’s say 3
Not sure it is a must hear,but it is pleasant and an easy listen.
Teilweise tolle Gitarrenmelodien bei, aber nichts was ich mir einfach so auf dem Weg zur Arbeit oder so anhören würde. Leider sind viele Lieder auch zu lang
I really like the mix of African traditional music and electric guitar playing. Ali Farka Touré has a truly unique style on the instrument and a beautiful tone. The only point of criticism I have is that the tracks sometimes sound very similar to one another; however, the album flows very well as a whole.
I appreciate this being different than most other albums on this list, but why does he have two?
This is an interesting album. The mix of American blues with West African folk is something I wish more artists explored. I love when cultures mix to make a unique experience. While I can appreciate this album, it's not something I would listen to regularly nor did it move me to feeling big emotions. Best Songs: Soukora, Ai Du Worst Songs: Sega
i don't really know how to rate world music but i really enjoyed the instrumentals of a couple of tracks, some very cool sounds in this one
I don't know.... As an active listen this is probably a no. Each song is a groove thing that gets very repetitive very quickly. As a passive background listen it's kind of relaxing and chill though I could be listening to a later track and still think it's an earlier track, there's a lot of sameyness. 2.75/5
Best Song: Bonde. I liked the quicker tempo and the overlapping vocals here. Worst Song: Amandrai. Truly just far too long of a singular groove to maintain interest. Overall: I'm not a big enough fan of the blues to feel like I've really grasped the heart of this. For me, it's just okay, and a bit overlong.
This was fine. 2.9
This wasn’t bad. I liked the playing better than the singing. But all in all this was pretty cool.
Fine background music. Not something I would actively seek out.
Malian guitarist and singer, Ali Farka Toure, collaborates with Ry Cooder on this very listenable album. Certain moments stand out, especially when Cooder’s slide guitar seamlessly blends with Toure’s melodic drones and repetitive patterns. However, the album does become 'samey' after a while, and a shorter runtime of 40 minutes might have enhanced its overall impact. Nevertheless, this album sparked passionate debates about the origins of the blues, with the pair fueling these discussions on the track “Amandrai.” The driving motive on which this song is built could be have been lifted straight from the John Lee Hooker or Muddy Waters songbooks.
Chill. Good while working.
It was cool when it came out. Now it seems slow..
3.4.
I’m partial to this kind of music. Soothing.
It’s good, I enjoyed it overall, it’s not as much my lane but I can appreciate the playing still.
Decent. Need to look at it again i think.
3/5. A pretty chill, mostly instrumental album, with repeated phrases and lines in some songs. I do enjoy the slide guitar as much as the next person but I think it overstayed it's welcome here. I enjoy the more bluesy style of the last album I heard from him. This one seemed more like a jam session which can be good but there was not enough diversity for the jam. I still enjoyed the album but it wasn't great, just good. Best Song: Ai Du, Soukora, Amandrai
Talking Timbuktu offers some really strong bluesy grooves, I really enjoyed Amandrai and Ai Du in a solid effort that didn't always grab me, but earned my attention when a few really well-done tracks turned up. Does go on a bit too long, both within each song and overall, vocals are more miss than hit but it gets a 3 because it's an indulgent listen from the music alone.
Pretty cool
Overall: 6/10 This is my 100th album! I found it to be a pleasant listen. There are times the solos get bluesy which is probably my favourite part, and Ali has a nice voice. I likely won't ever sit down and think "I wanna listen to Talking Timbuktu" but some stuff here might end up on a work/chill playlist. Fav Song: Diaraby Least Fav Song: Sega
I'm grateful for the World Music exposure from this project, but wish there was more info to go along with it on Wikipedia. Very interesting to hear specific Malian music and learn more about its international representative and guitar great.
December 24, 2024 It's been 800 albums and over two years since the last Toure- yet I put on Savane earlier this year so I don't need much to refresh my memory. Hark! Thou cursed generator, why dost thou punish me with summer music before the feast of St. Nicholas 🎄 There was a day last summer that I recharged in the shade, and I swear my soul left my body for a minute (I missed the show I was walking to see for that reason). Listening to Talking Timbuktu feels a little like that: woozy, not sure how long it’s been since you sat down/pressed play. Good guitar tho 👍 HL: “Soukoura”, “Banga”, “Diaraby”
Enjoyable folk album from Mali, Africa - admittedly I don't know much about music from this country but I found this pleasant and it is always good to listen to something different from the rest of the (mostly very) England/North American-oriented albums.
Never heard of this, very enjoyable though. 3/5
It's fine but I need to be on a desert highway or someplace warm rather than icy cold Canada near Christmas with snow flying overhead to listen to this.
I'm not sure what specific factors of this album merit inclusion on the list, especially considering how thin the Wikipedia article is. However, I really liked this album. Really easy to listen to, and I enjoyed the African take on American blues in Amandrai
It's solidly alright. The first couple of tracks are really interesting, and then the rest of it is fine. Some songs go on for a little too long, and others just don't do enough interesting things to keep me engaged. Nothing particularly wrong with it, but not something that I want to really dig into. Favorite Song(s): Soukora
Some nice music
This was fine but wouldn't say it's a must listen before you die. 2.5 stars.
Es un solido 3.5, no es algo que escucharía normalmente, así que definitivamente me sorprendió y tuvo canciones que me gustaron 👍
I remember this when it came out. Ty coder had done his Cuban album, then shifted to Northern Africa for this collab. I do like the playing here, but it gets repetitive quickly. I like later, more orchestrated AfroPop that integrates elements of this guitar style into a bigger soundscape.
If this album has given me one thing, it’s helped me realize world music is just not for me. I’ve heard over half a dozen different records at this point, and I don’t know if I can continue to hold out hope I’ll find something I really enjoy. They have all either been okay at best and borderline unenjoyable at worst. This album falls into the former category. What piqued my interest about this in particular was the presence of Ry Cooder. A name I did not recognize, whose music I was already familiar with. Being apart of Buena Vista Social Club and the Captain Beefheart band means he is no stranger to potentially foreign instrumentation. It reminds me of those Fela Kuti live performances with Ginger Baker. The amount of contributions he actually made to this is quite impressive, with a wide variety of unusual instruments that create the records unique sound. I cannot speak on Ali Farka Touré, but from what I read, he was one of Africa’s most respected musicians. This album blends different genres to make a very warm and chilled out acoustic blues sound. Because of the language barrier, I don’t feel much of a connection with the lyricism, but I don’t hold that against him. I feel this album simply overstays its welcome, with many songs that are probably longer than necessary. This is mostly caused by the instrumentals generally meandering around the same ideas, and not being all that varied. This means the music ends up turning into background noise for me, where I’m not very focused on what I’m hearing. Which is maybe what it’s best for in small samples. But as a full album experience, it’s a little lackluster. Rating: 5/10
Collaboration between Malian guitarist Ali Farka Toure and American guitarist Ry Cooder Cool album, interesting sounds. A bit boring overall
Cool brand of African blues, very chill and nice
Beau et mélodieux dans son assurance tranquille.
This was definitely an interesting album. I loved the groove. I don't know that it's something I would actively listen to, but as background music while I work it was perfect. The vocals fit well with the instruments, and though I didn't understand them, they worked their way into the melody perfectly
Each song sounds like it's own jam session. Similar to ones I would have with my band where we keep the same rhythm and just allow each person to have a solo. I guess when it's described that way and the more I listen to it, it's very blues influenced, and I can hear. Which to me is strange but cool at the same time, I like when artists blend all their influences into their own sound. It's an interesting album and I enjoyed my time with it. 3/5
herrat osaa repskt 3 star
Great album, I really enjoyed listening to it. Never heard it before and I'm not very familiar with west African music so I don't have a lot of experience but the beats are great and it has a nice chill vibe. I would listen to this again at work or as a chilled out background.
Really enjoyable. Nice and calming, many of the songs were almost straight up blues. 3.5 stars.
A nice, chill atmosphere, but not a lot of substance to grab onto
Solid album start to finish.
We’ve had a few albums of desert blues (West African folk + blues) on this list which has been a surprise but certainly a welcome one. This is a fairly calm take on the style. The guitar rhythms almost feel meditative in the way they loop and repeat. Those looping rhythms lay the groundwork for some excellent riffing on top. You get both African folk guitar soloing along with blues guitar solos. Great hybrid album, very enjoyable and relaxing.
Cool African guitar-driven jam music. I dig it! Something that I like about this African sound is that it uses a lot of major tonalities; like they are really prominent throughout not only this album but through other African / guitar music as well. We see it a lot in Mdou Moctar who is one of the bigger African popular acts right now. I wonder if they share similar simplified sentiments towards tonalities that we do, like "major = happy, minor = sad"? I find it funny to think about how I could be bopping along to one of these songs and not realize that the song isn't happy at all, it's intended to be a sad one but cultural connections to broad concepts in music make me initially perceive it as the opposite. Almost like how we Americans sing about a cold snowy scene on Christmas day while Australians are sweating in t-shirts while opening gifts from Santa Claus. Nice 3/5 and an album cover that does a good job at reflecting the music.
Pretty. Not super interesting though.
Now I do hear the grooves. I hear them for too long in most places.
10 songs, 1 hr of music. Not bad, but if you're completely unfamiliar with it and don't speak the language then it might be more than what you're ready to take on in one sitting these days. Nice that you can drop in at just about any song and have the vibe feel right and true. This record is solidly itself throughout.
Teilweise tolle Gitarrenmelodien bei, aber nichts was ich mir einfach so auf dem Weg zur Arbeit oder so anhören würde. Leider sind viele Lieder auch zu lang
Enjoyed this one.
I had so much good will towards this and I usually love African rhythms but this kinda bored me. They should have either gone more African or more Cooder style guitar-tastic. Felt like they compromised and it ended up a bit bland
A pretty chill hour of West African tunes with blues flourishes.
fun and flutey.
Only got about 66% of the album in. Very interesting album- a big mix of styles. Very good music for exploring a city. 3.5/5, not quite a 4
It was okay.
Lacks evolution of sound, it does the folksy, mellow, hopeful sound well. However, it fails to venture into anything deeper. Enjoyable, but only on a song by song basis.
An interesting album
I’ve never heard of this album or artist before, but I’ve heard of Ry Cooder before, although I wouldn’t say that I’m familiar with his music. I’ve had mixed reactions to a lot of the world music on this list, but I tend to favor African music, so I’m excited to see what this album is all about. I really enjoyed listening to this. The musical sound was in line with what I expected, and I thought the guitar playing was great. Even with what felt like minimal instruments, the songs on this album were pretty varied and unique, and even with some longer songs and a longer runtime, I never felt bored by this. I enjoyed that these songs used really accessible melodies, but with an overall structure that was freer and more open. Overall, this was a really good album and a fun and unique experience.
Started off ok. Some nice laid back vibes. Seemed to get too laid back as the album went on and started to border on dull. Perhaps a bit too long and repetitive.
Inoffensive, but not as exotic as I was expecting.
Nothing to it
Really enjoyable.
Enjoyed this a lot more than expected!
I love Malian music and I've enjoyed Toure before. This was relaxing and enjoyable as the rest of it, but I fail to understand why Ry Cooder is needed (ever). He seems to be one of those dudes that only Boomer music critics and record store owners like and they all fawn over him. I would have been happy for him to have produced this, but don't need to hear his schmoopsy poopsy guitar tone added to this otherwise beautiful music. That said, this is the most I've knowingly enjoyed anything from Ry Cooder, yet I'm not sure why Toure needs two albums on this list when there are countless other musicians from Mali that fit the bill. It's good and I like his music, but, at least to my ear, his albums are all quite similar to each other, so we get the point after the first one.
Just circled back to it - Ali F. Toure is a talented player.....
Decent, if not a bit too monntone and lowkey
Groovy at times
Mhm kind of interesting but nothing very memorable
Warabeee chiri so corasaaa! Having one riff for the entire song gets a bit repetitive, but I like the mood.
Western African music was different, but a nice change of pace. Ali is a great guitarist. Ai Du is an awesome track.
It’s fine but all kind of blends together
Now that's interesting - quite the mix of styles and genres. Enjoyed this as a whole piece - not sure it hit me as individual songs though.
Kinda fun.
Feels like Ry Cooder has filed off some of the more interesting edges
Interesting, but, so smooth it is easy to ignore.
Mixed feelings. Great instruments, so-so vocals
3. Individual songs are good but a whole album is a bit much for my tastes.
Nice background music
It's Ali Farka Touré, nothing offensive here. And get Ry Cooder to sing my eulogy.
I understand the need to get more world music in this book and this is certainly different from the other music I have been listening to on here. I am a music and lyrics type of person, so not knowing exactly what Ali Farka Toure is singing does inhibit my connection to the music. Nice album and I am trying to determine when exactly I would listen to this. The songs, especially Amandrai had a very interesting bluesey feel to them. Probably not something I expected coming into hearing the album. As background music, this isn't a bad listen. I'm not sure if that is a compliment but it is intended to be.
I had to listen to this a second time, it didn't really stick with me in the one listen. The guitar work was pretty good, but I honestly did not care for the vocals. That kinda put me out of it. Top tracks: "Amandrai," "Bonde"
It's pleasant and all, with some cool African sounds and the hint of Cooder's slide guitar (sometimes you can really hear it, sometimes barely at all). It's a solid 3 but it all kind of blended together for me. For example, Bonde and Ai Du had the same opening guitar plucking, even though the latter was one of my favorite songs overall from this album. Sega and Banga also sounded very similar. Soukora was perhaps my favorite song on the album. Amandrai stood out too. Easy listening, just not enough that stood out on its own.
Very interesting. Worth a listen through but not one I’ll return to in all likelyhood. It’s like a different take on music with a focus on driving and repetitive refrains over really lively rhythm sections. It’s entrancing.
I like it but it's difficult to rate against other African musicians though?
Ok but nothing special, not really mby thing Background music, nothing more
Never listened to African music before so wasnt sure what to expect. Not what I would normally listen to but thats the beauty of this project. Listening to things you havent heard before. This was really nice to listen to when working. Just had it on in the background and went through it in no time. Probably wouldnt listen to it again but really enjoyed it.
Still a nice Ali Farka Toure album, it is perhaps a bit too long for me.
Not bad to have on in the background, an interesting combination of sound from the two guitarists. Never really turned it up a notch though, would have been better with some tracks with higher energy. Would listen again but I probably won't.
I noticed that Ry Cooder helped out with this record - his work with the Buena Vista Social Club is exceptional, and I can't wait for that album to appear on this list. But to this one - seems like Ry has a penchant for supporting relatively niche folk/regional music and translating it for a larger audience. This is a really, really decent album. Lasidan was my favourite track, but they do blend together somewhat, and it is a bit of a long album. I have a soft spot for world music.
Wasn't sold at the start but it kinda grew on me. Quite bluesy sounding in parts with the Malian influence making it more interesting. Likely won't be back but yeah not bad
It's very pleasant for the most part, with some nice technical guitar.
There’s a song on here called Sega and he didn’t mention Altered Beast even ONCE
Starts good but the trails off
Liked this less than the other Ali Farka Touré album on the list but it was still enjoyable.
This was pretty relaxing music to work to. Would I listen again? Probably not. Was it exciting? No. Did I enjoy it? Yeah, I guess so.
Thoughts before listening: Guitar led African folk music is what I believe this will be. I know Ry Cooder was behind the Buena Vista Social Club album so I'd assume this is a similar concept of a modern recording for very traditional styled music. Review: This has a very cool, chill vibe with lots of interesting guitar work in these long jammed out songs. While there are certainly rhythms native to Africa this is very much blues based music with Ali Farka Toure singing in native languages. This makes for great background music, but it can get a little boring and repetitive. 3-stars
A nice little listen
Get Ry Cooder to sing my eulogy
***easy listening instrumental
#305. While most of the music on this list is from the US or Europe, it probably goes without saying that there's surely good and even great music from other parts of the world that are not being represented despite being as good or better than a lot of the stuff that did make the list. That being said, who the fuck am I to judge something when I have no idea the relevance or context of it. I'm sure someone else could tell you why this is or isn't great, but I cannot. 3/5: acceptable