Reviews (page 5 of 7)
rye cooter
Negative
Ali Farka Toure was a West African guitarist that was often described as the African John Lee Hooker. He found some - but limited - success with his solo albums in the 80s. Talking Timbuktu was a 90s collaboration with Ry Cooder, which helped Toure gather international recognition, including the Grammy for Best World Music Album. Toure's music is an example of Malian folk, and is often grouped in an indistinct net of "world music." On some tracks, Toure's guitar playing sounds like that of Delta Blues, supporting the repeated comparisons to John Lee Hooker. On most songs, Toure plays in faster rhythms - at the pace of bluegrass - in uplifting, danceable songs.
Nice and soulful, can't believe this is from 94... this is my 1089 album revealed. I'm still pending 3 albums to rate but I left those for the end. I'm really closing in now.
African beats, African jams and African rhythm to sooth the soul.
I liked it more than the previous album. It was something I had never listened to before or that much of. It was a nice change. I liked how the music focused more on the instruments than the singing. 4/5
I’m sad that for pretty much all of my youth I was lead to believe discussions about the greatest guitarists had to be limited to who I heard on classic rock stations. Because of that, I’m only hearing this for the first time now.
Pleasant groove, but you’ve heard the entire song’s sound after the first 20 seconds - merely repeating for another 5 minutes.
This was an enjoyable listen. I'll likely come back and give it another listen.
Good if you like your African Blues fusion!…enjoyed some tracks but not all of them.
Interesting!
Ihan kuin olisin kuullut kaikki biisit ennenkin, mutta oli sentään viuluyllätys välissä. Periaatteessa pidän, mutta olisin kaivannut lisää vaihtuvuutta, siitä miinustähti (olen ehkä ankarampi kuin tarvitsisi).
Ali ja Ry toivovat, että jamit riittävät. Tiettyyn pisteeseen ehkä riittävätkin, mutta toista kuuntelukertaa on vaikea kuvitella muussa kuin akateemisessa mielessä. Matala 2.
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!
7/10
Tribal
Wonderful music. Great instrumentation
Pure perfect vibes, chilling all day with two guitar geniuses just blissed out and jamming. It goes a bit long but it’s a great background album.
off the charts peaceful vibes. love the place a lot of these songs just sit in
Leuk album, doet me denken aan de hedendaagse Sahel sound bands. Vraagje, waarom moet er altijd bij Afrikaanse muziek een witte guy bij zitten voor het in het westen wordt erkend?
Ok, but didn’t connect with it
I didnt like it becau4e it wasnt the type of music i like
I rate bonde a 1 star because its not for me and it really dosnt sound good but the bongos sound good. I rate ai du a 1 because ts not for me and it really dosnt sound good but the geutire sounds good. I rate sega a 1 star because its not for me and it really dosnt sound good but the bongos sound good.
Song: bonde this song is weird I don't know what it is saying but I think other people like it just not me Song: ai du this song at the start sounds good and normal but again I still don't know what there sing this song would have been good if It was in English Song: Sega this song is kind of weird
this song is ok because it has some cool sounds. I would recommend this song. This song is okay because the start is good. I would recommend this song. This song is okay because the start is low, but it gets better in the beginning. I would recommend this song.
I dont like this music because it reminds me of saint Patrick's day. I like the music in the back but I don't like the singers voice. I don't like the way that each song has a different vibe. I wouldn't reccomnend this album.
I'm not a huge fan of this album because its honestly kinda boring
Do you want to listen to some music that has some Bongo drums? Well in blonde De Ali you can! I rate this song a ⭐⭐⭐⭐. I recommend this song. Do you want to listen to some music that has a nice drum beat? Well In Ai Du you can! I rate this song a ⭐⭐⭐⭐. I recommend this song. Do you want to listen to some music that has a really good beat? Well in Sega you can! I rate this song a ⭐⭐⭐. I kind of recommend this song.
The song is okay I like the beat but I would like to understand what they are saying . The second song is good but the same thing I would like to understand the words. the third one is good to I like the beat . I recommend this album because of the beat
I don't really like this because there is no lyrics and I don't like how the instruments sound. I would not recommend this album to someone else because I don't think a lot of people like music with no lyrics. I would probably give this album a solid 2 stars out of 5.
the first one i did not really like becuase its just not my type of style of music the second one i dont really like ethier i dont like the backround music the third one i dont like rthier because it has no lyrics
i liked it it was ok i guesss but the last sound was better then the others
the first song started off okay but like there's no lyrics and I enjoy songs with lyrics oh wait nvm there is lyrics but I don't understand it but the voice of the guy I think is lowkey bad. the next song sounds uhm ight but I like the the background music the voice goes well with how slow the song is and everything sounds in tune
I don't like this album because its not my style of music I also don't like it because I feel like it would make me fall asleep I reccomend if you like calming music but I don't reccomend If you don't like calming music
Why are they in pajamas? I thought "Bonde" was pretty good. I like the drums and the instrumentation in general. I would like the singing. It was really good. "Ai Du" was really interesting. The lyrics didn't make sense. I liked the instrumentation and the sound of the singer's voice. I liked "Sega" the beginning was really good. I liked the instruments. I liked the lack of lyrics. I would recommend this album.
the first song is okay I don't like the way the words sound they might be in a different language though, I also don't really like the sounds of the instruments. the next song is the same not much difference more talking but still in a different language I like the guitar though. the last song is way different it starts off really weird and stays like that.
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.
When young Ali was growing up in a small village in a remote region of Mali he earned the nickname Farka, which means donkey, because of his stubbornness. He wasn’t allowed to play music for cultural reasons, but he went ahead and made himself an improvised one string guitar from a tin can and a bit of string anyway. He quickly picked up the distinctive sound of the region and earned a reputation as a guitarist of note, learning how to sing in seven different languages too. Some time in the 60s he heard the music of John Lee Hooker for the first time and wondered how this American musician was playing tunes that sounded like the ones he’d grown up with. He quickly realised that the blues must have been an evolution of the much older traditions that he knew. The instruments and languages may have changed, but the feelings were still the same. I remember hearing this music on the radio sometime in the 80s on a late night show and was charmed by it, even if I couldn’t understand the words. The American musician Ry Cooder was similarly enchanted and tracked down Touré to make an album with him, bringing the best of both worlds together. Apparently Touré wasn’t happy with his time in America, calling it a ‘spiritual car park’, and some of that sadness and longing for home can be felt here. It’s still a good place to start listening though and will hopefully lead on to people listening to other albums from this truly remarkable musician. When I was a child Timbuktu was always a mythical place, as far away from home as it’s possible to be. Perhaps we’ve always had it wrong, and it’s Timbuktu that’s home and we are the ones who are lost?
First of all, this is pretty refreshing every time we get something that is not from the UK, the US or the Western world in general. Well, this is a collaboration, but it clearly is out of the global trend of this list and that's a first reason to enjoy it. Apart from that, this is actually pretty good. The guy is a really good guitar player, skillful, and he plays with his soul.
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.
Beautiful, complex, moving, juicy music. The artists are masters, fully in command of the sound and their audience. I could listen to this all day! A 5.
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
A seemingly fun album at first. Then it drags on the phrases which if you don’t speak the language turns into insanity as he just keeps repeating himself in songs that last about 8 times longer than they should. Great guitarmenship but really brought down by repetitiveness and length of songs. 4/10
Really cool music. Great recording
Great sounds, great for working
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).
Nice background ambience.
Liked it. Easy to listen to. Pretty chill and bluesy Standout songs: Soukora Ai Du
Album 710 of 1001 Ali Farka Touré w/ Ry Cooder - Talking Timbuktu (1994) Rating : 2.5 / 5 Often called "desert blues", the album blends Malian folk traditions with the soulful essence of American blues. I enjoyed it for the experiencing of hearing something I wouldn't normally listen to, though not likely to come back to it.
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
Coffee on the deck tunes - can't wait to water my tomatoes to this all summer. Pure vibes.
Excellent
Great african rythym forward guitar music with Ry Cooder
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.
I've come to discover that I really hate this kind of music. It's so repetitive, dull, and for whatever reason every album is thirty minutes longer than it should be. I'm assuming there is a culture barrier keeping me away from appreciating this, as it is solid instrumentally, and nothing is obviously "bad," but there are very few things I'd rather not do than listen to this or Ali Farka Touré's other 1001 Album again.
Interesting
Too experimental to get into World music.
A stunning track 2 and a bunch of tracks that I find pleasant.
I have loved this album since I first heard it. Beautiful guitar work, flavours of Africa and blues music throughout. Absolute master class.
Can’t remember let’s say 3
Super weird but I vibed with it
Inte min bag! Tvåa
A very cool and relaxing listen. The instrumental work was fantastic and engaging. I wish I spoke the language of the lyrics to understand them, but I didn't think the language barrier was an issue. Honestly the only criticism I have is that the middle of the album started to feel samey, but it was still overall very good. Top tracks: Amandrai, Ai Du, Diaraby
Which technically good, I just couldn’t connect with this one. Some good moments, but overall I wouldn’t go back.
This jam session was not as interesting as I believe they thought it was. Probably great for whoever was there or maybe if I was stoned. Oh well, too long, not for me. 2/5
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
Just not for me.
So incredibly good. Every second of it.
Excellent
Great example of Songhai music and I'm very happy to hear an album that isn't from the UK on this list.
Calm yet passionate music, this album is certified gold all the way through, offering a warm and gentle vibe which never runs out of steam. Glad I discovered that one via the challenge!
This was really cool!!! Great to put on while working
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.
Tendrá un montón de armonías chulas pero yo sigo sin entender esta musica
I appreciate this being different than most other albums on this list, but why does he have two?
Simple and pretty
Nope! Nope, not for me. That squeaky voice, the guitar style of Ali Farkas Toure, none of it is my thing.
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
3.5
Yeah whatever it's fine but not great.
Awwwww hell yeah we are going through the steppe with this one boys! Really chill vibes, I love the drums and the singing
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
Excellent
Wow - I love it when you land on something you would never think about listening, and turns out to be a nice, special album This is one such. Really enjoyed the combo as they play well off each other!
Kinda boring 2.4
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
This was quite nice, actually. It's not a genre that I could/would listen to very often, but these are talented musicians and pleasant tracks top to bottom. A 3 for me is average, can listen to it top to bottom with moments of pleasureee, but it's also not THAT pleasant. I'm giving this a 4 because it surpasses those criteria. It's a nice listen.
I don't know how to rate world music. I don't have enough experience to know if something is 'good' or 'mid' or 'bad'. All I can ask is do I like it? Does it vibe? This vibes. But it also gets repetitive. And I'm not really sure what Cooder adds to the mix.
Well performed by all musicians involved but not a very exciting listen.
Another hard one for me to rate. Some very cool songs (“Ai Du” sounds like badass Delta Blues) but also some very repetitive tracks that probably are more Malian-influenced. To my ear there’s not a lot happening in many of the songs, but I also don’t understand the style or the words. I liked listening to this record though, even if I would have a hard time focusing on it as a listening experience.
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.
Nope
Yeah, nah.
This was fine. 2.9
I remember this LP coming out, and (being a bit of a Ry Cooder nut) I was looking forward to it. So, I bought it, and listened and ... well....I was underwhelmed. It's just wasn't what I expected...or wanted. Now, with the maturity of age, I gave it another try, and I'm captivated by it. Seems like two friends riffing off each other, but not in a cock-rock swaggering way. They each try and complement one-another. Good Stuff.
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.
Nah bruh
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.
As much as I would like, I just can't find my tastes aligning with this kind of world music. 2/5
This was cool
Relatively easy listening. Pretty repetitive though.
1.8
It was cool when it came out. Now it seems slow..
3.4.
Personal enjoyment: 4/5 Relevance to this list: 3/5
Loved it.
funky background music
tribal af
I’m partial to this kind of music. Soothing.
a little slow but great pair
It’s good, I enjoyed it overall, it’s not as much my lane but I can appreciate the playing still.
Very pleasant music, especially for background. It actually compelled me to sit back on the terrace and enjoy some late afternoon winter sunshine. I like the more bluesy numbers the most thought. It's definitely a four-star effort from two talented guitarists.
Decent. Need to look at it again i think.
As great as a meeting between two legendary musicians can get.
One Touré to rule them all, what a great record!
Touré’s greatest album until his later collaborations with the brilliant Toumani Diabaté. Talking Timbuktu is a journey through a wide variety of languages and cultures - and even though Ry Cooder probably deserves a lot of praise for this, Ali Farka Touré is the true star of this record.
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.
This catches the imagination in places, Ai Du being the most notable one, but ultimately it's too long and drawn out to be a really good album. It's quite an interesting combination of blues and Malian music; I definitely prefer it when it's blues front and centre, but the Malian sounds to add something different and interesting. I think it's a 2, mostly because it's so long and bloated.
Sorry, but this was a real struggle to get through. I found myself skipping the last minute or so of most tracks, which is pretty damning
Pretty cool
4.5 stars. Very Very Good stuff. Pour a bourbon and sit back.
Words just can’t describe this beauty. The man is a genius. This music feels like it has always existed. It is the root of all other music, throughout the entire history of the human species, around the globe. Everything begins and ends here.
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
Malian blues! A collaboration between Ali Farka Touré and Ry Cooder. Although I am more familiar with the call-and-response style of Wassoulou associated with the incomparable Malian vocalist, Oumou Sangaré, and tend to associate African blues with Taureg ensembles, like Etran Finatawa, it was wonderful to listen to a true cross-cultural collaboration. Bringing the blues back from the Mississippi Delta to the country of its origins. Some songs have an obvious "Highlife" influence with the chiming arpeggiated guitars.
4/10
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.
Some songs are fairly boring, while others are interesting throughout. A middle of the road album for me. The guitar tracks are certainly better than the others.
I guess this is a 5. Catchy enough for a re-listen, and transportive to me outside of boring old hometown.
Perfect for getting lost in.
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.
Can't really get through this but seems good Will I listen to again: 0%
Never heard of this, very enjoyable though. 3/5
Cool vibe!
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.
Incredibly calming music.
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
1. bonde - 1.5 2. zoukura - 1.5 3. gommi - 1 4. zega - 1.5 5. amandrai - 2 6. lazidan - 1.5 7. keito - 1 8. banga - 1 9. du - 1.5 10. diaraby - 1
I could easily listen to this again, easy to put on and get some work done
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
Almost remarkably banal.
Not much to say about this. Pretty chill but didn't need to be this long, or on the list probably.
A little twangy but good background 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.
I like the idea of this album but found it a little bland. It has the promise of North African music but without the energy and fun that makes people get up and dance.
Nicht meine Richtung
Mesmerizing African sounds, with a blues twist. Very enjoyable.
Gear: Moondrop Variations Artwork: 🎸🤣🪘😑🎸🤣 Production: 🎧😘🤌 Music: 🎸🪘🌍🎶☀️ Rating: 🪘🪘(🪘)/5
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
With Toure’s Malian sound and percussion aided by Cooder’s iconic and hypnotic slide guitar makes for an amazing album. One of my personal favorites
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
I’m sure lots of people enjoy this and I’m very happy for them. (ntm.)
Unbelievable album. Loved every track. Some amazing guitar riffs.
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.
Bluesy/jazzy, but based in African rhythms and feel. Cool combo
Groovy, but not as groovy as the other one.
Fabulous. Really enjoyed this - I like West African guitar music and Ali Farke Toure is top of the list.
Timbuktu is actually a city in Mali, but "for some people, when you say 'Timbuktu', it is like the end of the world, but that is not true. I am from Timbuktu, and I can tell you we are at right at the heart of the world." -- Ali Farka Touré, Los Angeles, 1993 The first track lured me, the second track hooked me. I was not prepared for the beautiful onslaught of the night. The night in the music, I mean, a time when love goes right, when one can contemplate the sighs of the world. What surprises me most about this album is how no two tracks sound the same. Perhaps that's due, in part, to the fact that Touré sings in at least four different languages here. The Songhai people are not some monolithic culture, and thus their music is going to be understandably diverse. They once ruled an empire that covered most of the interior of West Africa. For this album, one track will be lush and electric, another swaggering, another strained, rusty strings, and yet another bare bones held together by sparse percussion.
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.
4 sterne
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.
Listened Before? N Meh. More foreign language stuff. I did really enjoy the guitar work here but I found the whole thing sleepy overall. Good news it reminded me briefly of some Grateful Dead song and I listened to the Dead the rest of the day. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Bonde
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
This is alright but every song kind of sounds the same to be honest. Solid background music to work to, but it doesn’t really standout.
Enjoyed this one.
Soft gitarrspel men annars ganska tråkigt.
Not my normal genre for enjoyment- obviously talented musicians but sorry could not get into it
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
nice enough album with some excellent playing but I think Ry Cooder is a bit superfluous in that he just plays his own style and doesn't really engage with the album style. Cannot really engage with me since the style is in a totally different culture and most of the tracks are songs in an unknown language so with no meaning to me. In fact I often moved on to the next track after the first verse since there was little if any change in the musical accompaniment, the story is told by the lyrics that I don't understand. Some nice music though.
I was really excited to see that this album included Ry Cooder. I liked the blend of "African Blues" with Ry's type of blues. It really was well done, well mixed and produced. This was a great find.
It was so amazing. I am definitely going to listen to this album a lot. It is groovy and has bluesy and African elements which I just love.
A pretty chill hour of West African tunes with blues flourishes.
Loved it
soothing music that really touches on ethnic instrumentality and structure while still maintaining a sense of familiarity that makes it easily consumable.
fun and flutey.
..... YES!!
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.
Currently one of my top 3 genres, I have enjoyed a great many "World" albums through this site. Unfortunately this is not one of them. Even as background music it was uninteresting, overly long, and so grating I couldn't even appreciate the guitar. I suppose it is a fairly broad genre, but this didn't grab me at all.
now this is my shit: i love desert blues, i love the guitar tone, i love how hypnotic and groovy and by turns lively and relaxing it is
Very soulful and great musically. Enjoyed this listen!
I just don't get on with African (world) music. I still liked the intro to the first track, a beautifully played acoustic guitar. But when the vocals started, it became too strange for me. The 2nd piece was ok, but I wasn't particularly interested. I only listened to two other pieces and then stopped the whole thing. 2/5
They were truly talking Timbuktu in this one. Somehow really interesting and excruciatingly boring at the same time - a true enigma. Appreciate some world music once in a while, but I can't really say I enjoyed this one.
These two musicians complement each other well and give each other space to excel
legends
Very interesting. It kind of gets repetitive and lengthy. 3-4 stars. I've been rounding these up, so it gets a 4.
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.
Bring on the good albums!!
Inoffensive, but not as exotic as I was expecting.
I don't know it's alright.
An hour of Civ IV menu music. Was decent for the first 5 minutes but fell flat pretty quick
Nothing to it
Each song is 2 mins too long. Anyone who gave this a 5 either speaks this language or is lying to themselves
Really enjoyable.
Enjoyed this a lot more than expected!
Relentlessly mellow, perfect in style & execution. My first African album, so to speak, and it still sounds like I’m hearing it for the first time, even after hundreds of listens.
This was some great guitar driven music. What is preventing it from being a 5 star from me is that the songs are a little too long. If they were cut down by 1-2 minutes each they've be even better.
Really enjoyed this one, most songs settle into a groove and noodle around but the layers that the two guitarists bring in really make it quite nice. Offers something for those looking to play some music for chill background vibes while simultaneously offers pretty complex depth for those that want to put on headphones and really give it full attention.
2 star
I didn't know glasgow had a desert
Bit of a dry dirgy album - wouldn’t re visit
Started off ok, but drags on a bit after a while.
Relaxing enough sounds but nothing if actively choose to listen to again.
I like the guitar sound, can’t stand the vocal tone. Seemed like a very long hour. Ali Farka Touré is on the list twice. Blondie once. Annie Lennox once. This list is mental.
Very pleasant
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
Although not my style, this was great. The musicianship is top notch. My only gripe is that it tends to be a little repetitive.
Me ha aburrido la verdad :(
Pretty good. We quite enjoyed it - good rhythm and general upbeat vibes.
Impressive musicianship, I really enjoyed the playing on this record. The songs wore on a little long though, and there wasn't a ton that kept my attention. But solid.
Was alright
Groovy at times
Mhm kind of interesting but nothing very memorable
Nostalgic soundtrack from exotic holidays
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.
Husker d så vidt
This is #day42 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... you just made me sit through and listen to a whole hour of Malian folk. Because no matter the music, I try to listen to all the albums on this list. What can I say? Well, my facial expression would convey more than my mouth. I'm sure I could do without this album before I die. I don't mind world music interpolations in post-punk or new wave (think Dead Can Dance, Talking Heads, or even Sting on, say, Brand New Day), but I'd never choose to listen to it in such a bare form. Most of the songs drag on way too long. Separating the wheat from the chaff, I preferred those with a bluesy edge. Still, this is a 1 out of 5, aka never again. Looking forward to #day43, which I was looking forward to yesterday because I messed up the numbers again.
5/5
Sonically I can appreciate this recording, just didn’t resonate with me as something I’d like to sit and listen to
It’s fine but all kind of blends together
Mellow, relaxing, upbeat. The perfect accompaniment to just about anything.
I love this challenge for discovering albums like this. Never would've listened to it and would be missing out. I've heard of Ry Cooder but Ali Farka Toure is completely new to me. The man can play the blues though; there's a general grooviness and great vibes throughout. And unlike a lot of blues albums, it feels full of joy and colour. In its best moments, it reminded me of Graceland, which is an absolutely massive compliment.
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.
Talk to me Ali!
This was like world music/blues and I thought it was actually very good. Rating: 4
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
Decent background music for me, but not much else I take away from this.
Albumi #43, 09.09.2024 Ali Farka Touré oli malilainen laulaja ja multi-instrumentalisti. Talking Timbuktu on yhteistyö kitaristi/tuottaja Ry Cooderin kanssa.
Very nice beats and riffs
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.
Ein eine-Welt-Musik-Album in aller bester Güte mit vielen kleinen liebevollen Zutaten. Ein akustisches Wimmelbuch sozusagen. Eine wunderbare Produktion.
Never heard any Malian music before. Rather enjoyed it, particularly the bluesy number. The blues is the blues no matter the language.
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.
Truthfully, I need to listen to this more and in a different setting. It just didn't hit me for my mood. It started of ok. And I thought I'd get African/western fusion. Graceland came to mind. But this seems to me to be an album of African folk music and I wasn't in the mood. 2.4
Ok...semi sterile but decent for background music. 2.5/5
pleasant listen
I've listened to a couple of west african albums before and I enjoyed them, this one was a mix bag for me. Some of the songs I loved and others I felt nothing for. Guess that means no matter the culture or language barriers, some music will jive for ya and some won't.
I like it but it's difficult to rate against other African musicians though?
love this album - i first heard it in the 1990's - got the cd from library!
Really nice Malian music. There may be better out there, and there is (Tinariwen are definitely worth a listen) but they're not on this list, and this is. Strongly associated forever in my mind with a very middle-class holiday, staying in a Tuscan villa; didn't have much music downloaded to my phone, but did have this album, so we listened to it while driving from hill town to hill town in our Mercedes. Nice.
This makes me want to sit outside in the warm sun and just be. It's so smooth and relaxing and makes me want to just sleep on a beach. Soukora and Gomni are great, but I think I give the edge to Gomni for the the great jam on its backhalf. Love the communal drums and guitar throughout by Ry Cooder. Good listen.
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.
Nice. Never would have heard this without this list. I find foreign language music very hit and miss, with a heavy skew towards miss. This was some great music where the vocals acted as another instrument almost, coming in and out of the foreground, which made it extremely enjoyable. Would listen to again.
This was a fun listen. Anytime Ry Cooder is involved with a World Music project is a blast. Ali Farka Toure is one talented musician.
Still a nice Ali Farka Toure album, it is perhaps a bit too long for me.
In general, I quite like the sound of this kind of music, and Ry Cooder's guitar contributions on this album work quite well. It did feel a little too repetitive on the first listen, but my mind was calmer when I played it for a second time and I found it perfectly relaxing.
Enchanting repetitive melodies, a pleasure to listen to.
Enjoyed this, reminded me a lot of Tinariwen / Imarhan. African blues / rock. A bit folky at times towards the end too / in fact Ai Du reminded me a lot of a Warsaw Village Band song, shows music can be truly global. Like Tinariwen and Imarhan, I imagine Ali Farka Toure has something else live - this reminds me of their records which are very good, but live theyre just something else. Either way, enjoyed it and will be back
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
The very distinctive style of Ali Farka Touré - magical stuff. I especually liked "Gomni", plus the bluesy "Amandrai" and "Ai Du".
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
Just o.k. Easy listening.
Starts good but the trails off
Very chill, enjoyed this one a lot
Liked this less than the other Ali Farka Touré album on the list but it was still enjoyable.
This was pretty snoozy (respectfully) mostly