This is a Random Album Generator.
One album a day.
From the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

Lam Toro

Baaba Maal

1992

Lam Toro
Album Summary

Baaba Maal (born 13 June 1953) is a Senegalese singer and guitarist born in Podor, on the Senegal River. In addition to acoustic guitar, he also plays percussion. He has released several albums, both for independent and major labels. In July 2003, he was made a UNDP Youth Emissary.Maal sings primarily in Pulaar and promotes the traditions of the Pulaar-speaking people, who live on either side of the Senegal River in the ancient Senegalese kingdom of Futa Tooro.

Wikipedia

Rating

2.71

Votes

5920
Genres
World

Reviews

Like a review? Give it a thumb up to help us display relevant reviews!
Sort by: Top Date
View Author
Thu Nov 11 2021
2

There’s very cool things happening on this album, cool time signatures, cool singing and an expansive African inflected palette. But I’m constantly distracted by the dated synth effects, the synth horns, etc. simply ruins songs for me. I was eventually won over into thinking this wasn’t awful, but among the 4s and 3s there were some 1s and 2s in my track by track ratings. 2

👍
View Author
Wed Sep 15 2021
1

I'm not worldly enough in my musical listening to appreciate this the way I should. Unfortunately, I don't really listen to much of it.

👍
View Author
Sun Nov 28 2021
3

I already listened to Baaba Maal's earlier album with Mansour Seck for this list, and I dug that one. This one is less driven by acoustic guitar (which is a welcome change), and there's more of a worldbeat//fusion vibe. It's enjoyable and Maal is clearly a talent - but the whole thing has a contrived crossover feel that cheapens it. From looking online, it seems most streams and info relate to the 1993 mix of the album, which has even more of a brash, commercial and dated 1990s sound. I'm basing my rating on the 1992 mix which at least has more of an organic atmosphere. I'm glad there's some African music on the list, but it feels like the editors didn't dig very deep here. 3*

👍
View Author
Mon Dec 13 2021
3

I enjoyed listening to this and it was interesting, but lacking the language or any real cultural basis in the music, I think my ability to appreciate it is pretty limited.

👍
View Author
Thu Nov 11 2021
1

A great reminder of my chosen life philosophy to have little to no expectations for anything good so that even the slightest deviation above nothing feels like a gift from the gawd of love. This album is Baaba's gift to those expecting another monotonous dirge. How delightful to hear a couple drums now and then, and a goofy synth here and there. Even melody. And as nice as that is, I think we all can agree this is number 1002 on albums we must hear before we die. D+

👍
View Author
Wed Nov 03 2021
4

Atmospheric world music, in places etherial or upbeat. An album I very much enjoyed but I doubt I would listen to again.

👍
View Author
Sun Dec 12 2021
4

This is as funky and "rootsy" as it gets, and I am a total sucker for funk. Couldn't sit still in my seat while listening to this. Also couldn't find an English translation of the lyrics online, which is a huge shame as lyrics are a huge contributing factor for me. Either way, 4 stars for the original sound and lovely voice.

👍
View Author
Fri Dec 31 2021
5

Really something unique to listen to

👍
View Author
Mon Mar 21 2022
5

Loved it! Very different from what I usually listen, but feels very familiar in some way .

👍
View Author
Thu May 12 2022
5

Absolutely LOVE this album! From the year I was born too! Loved that last Baaba Maal album that came up and this follows, I maybe even prefer this one! Toro has such a moreish sound and the opening Yela is another major highlight. Delicious album! Can't fault it. Love that he's promoting and championing traditions of the Pulaar-speaking people.

👍
View Author
Fri Jan 27 2023
5

Another easy listen. African albums hit different.

👍
View Author
Mon Feb 13 2023
5

I have always been a fan of international music and this is a good artist to add.

👍
View Author
Wed Mar 15 2023
5

Loved it. Need to listen more to full appreciate.

👍
View Author
Thu Aug 26 2021
4

Un álbum que no solo no conocía, probablemente no hubiera topado nunca de no ser por esta lista. Nada acabó en mis playlist, pero está bueno diversificarse

👍
View Author
Sun Aug 29 2021
4

this was a lot of fun. i definitely have a weird soft spot for african rhythms, which this of course lit right up. overall, quite enjoyable.

👍
View Author
Thu Sep 09 2021
4

Like a holiday in Africa with extra everything.

👍
View Author
Fri Nov 05 2021
4

Powerful stuff from the legendary Baaba Maal. Really enjoyable.

👍
View Author
Mon Jan 17 2022
4

Refreshingly different to other albums so far.

👍
View Author
Mon Apr 18 2022
4

Loved the flecks of classic rock in this

👍
View Author
Thu May 12 2022
4

I really liked this, it had a really good vibe.

👍
View Author
Thu May 12 2022
4

I thought this was beautiful, uplifting and interesting. Will definitely listen to some songs again.

👍
View Author
Thu Jun 16 2022
4

Really enjoyed this. Hard not to imagine you’re somewhere sunny and having a great time when this plays. Not sure id sit and actively listen to it but as music to have in the background - winner

👍
View Author
Thu Jul 07 2022
4

The melody on "Lem Gi" is surprisingly moving and vibrant! That one and "Ndelorel" sounded funnily like N64 music, which is fitting considering the year this was released :U Very cool!

👍
View Author
Thu Sep 01 2022
4

Great Afro beats and voice. I really enjoyed listening to this album

👍
View Author
Wed Oct 05 2022
4

Traditional african, unecpected and reminds me of Black Panther, but I Like!

👍
View Author
Wed Nov 02 2022
4

Wonderful - not one I would have ever found without this project, but I'm glad I did!

👍
View Author
Thu Nov 03 2022
4

This was a fun suprise, it was very well spunding and had some very interesting and great tunes

👍
View Author
Thu Nov 17 2022
4

I really enjoyed this! It felt very experimental and exploratory throughout!

👍
View Author
Fri Dec 23 2022
4

7/10. Good stuff. I should listen to this sort of stuff more.

👍
View Author
Fri Dec 23 2022
4

8/10 a few boring tracks , but overall a really enjoyable and unique album.

👍
View Author
Sun Jan 08 2023
4

I enjoyed just about every minute of this wonderful album Not sure I could fully embrace the nasaly nature of Baaba Maal's vocals but the music is wonderful. Rhythmically complex yet accessible, the incorporation of western melodies and production enhances that accessibility but still allows the authenticity of the music to come through. 4 stars

👍
View Author
Thu Feb 16 2023
4

Dispersate musical styles made to work well, with impressive vocals. Could do without the 80s synths though, which I usually like but sound out of place here. Best song, Toro

👍
View Author
Sun Mar 05 2023
4

Funky, groovy, and generally a pleasure even if I have no idea what we're singing about.

👍
View Author
Thu Mar 16 2023
4

Hmmm, I liked the bulk of this, but every now and then it veers into more conventional sounding euro pop, and that kinda dampens my enthusiasm. Probably woulda gone to 5 if it had been less crossover. Fave track - "Yela" is a lovely opener. "Miniut" has some gorgeous moments, even if parts of it are a little-too-conventional ballad sounding...

👍
View Author
Sun Apr 02 2023
4

I've always enjoyed a spot of Baaba Maal. I just love that voice and those Afrobeat rhythms. There are some really lovely chilled songs on this album. Nice.

👍
View Author
Thu Apr 06 2023
4

Leuke Afrikaanse muziek met enkele rock-invloeden

👍
View Author
Wed Apr 12 2023
4

My favorite type of album - a slice of music I never would’ve found on my own.

👍
View Author
Tue Aug 17 2021
3

Not bad at all, but probably won't be getting back to it.

👍
View Author
Thu Aug 26 2021
3

Me gustó, pero así como una gran canción larga. Puede ser que no haya escuchado tanta música africana como quisiera, pero de lo que he escuchado, sí pienso que hay quizá cosas más emocionantes, más variadas. De todas formas, fue agradable, quizá sólo esperaba que de pronto hubiera algo más. No tengo canciones fav. 7/10

👍
View Author
Thu Aug 26 2021
3

Es un buen disco, tal vez un poco largo, la producción luego no le juega a favor en algunas canciones.

👍
View Author
Sun Sep 12 2021
3

Nice senegalese sounds mixed with other influences

👍
View Author
Sun Sep 12 2021
3

Good world music album. Love hte arrangement, though it didn't knock my socks off

👍
View Author
Wed Sep 15 2021
3

Wasn't sure what to expect. It was enjoyable in that the music was creative, with a very diverse set of instruments and rhythms. As it was senegalese, i didn't understand anything and the vocals were quite forward, i think detracting a bit for me.

👍
View Author
Thu Sep 16 2021
3

I don't speak the language. So it makes it a bit harder to judge but honestly, it sounds pretty dang rad.

👍
View Author
Wed Oct 20 2021
3

Czego jak czego, ale kolejnego albumu z senegalu od tego samego artysty sie zem nie spodziewal, sporo wiecej niz podczas sluchania ostatniej plyty pana Baaby Maala sie nie dowiem, bo informacje o tym materiale praktycznie nie istnieja, a recek na amazunie nie ma co czytac, ale z skrapow lirykowych ktore udalo mi sie odszyfrowac muzyka nadal traktuje o pieknie afrykanskiej ziemi, w szczegolnosci senegalu, bo to rodzinna ziemia Baaby, ponoc wiekszosc liryki jest spiewana w Fulbe, ale nie jestem w stanie tego zweryfikowac wlasnymi uszami, wiec nadal jest to folk o pozytywnym upbeatowym brzmieniu, ale zdecydowanie wiecej jest tutaj elementow z muzyki elektronicznej, slychac takze eksperymenty z klimatami reggae, czy nawet funkowego rocka jak na hamady boiro, gdzie najbardziej slychac mocne samplowanie i zabawe z synthami, zabraklo mi tutaj gitarki pana Secka z pierwszej pozycji, no ale nowy material to nowe pomysly, wydaje mi sie, ze moze byc on nawet bardziej przystepny niz debiutancki material poprzez wykorzystanie bardziej standarowych instrumentow jak elektrykowych gitar czy klawiszy, ale przez to material traci na afrykanskim uroku, plyta to prawie godzina na 11 trakach, ale nawet pomimo tego nie czuje sie zeby album sie dluzyl, jak ostatni pik i tuskowy material, wiec moze nie tak murzynski jak pierwszy album pana Baaby, to jednak nadal insteresujacy na swoj sposob, na plejke dodam lowe songa zatytulowanego daande lenol

👍
View Author
Wed Oct 27 2021
3

Seems like another token album for the list good music but I wonder how this differs from the rest of the catalog of the seemly quite prolific artist

👍
View Author
Fri Oct 29 2021
3

doesnt sound that special to me besides the fact that its from a different african originated language

👍
View Author
Sun Oct 31 2021
3

Didn't appreciate the preset drums and horns

👍
View Author
Thu Dec 02 2021
3

76. Lam Toro - Baaba Maal 11 tracks. There are bits of this that remind me of Traditional Irish "diddly-diddly" music, (in a good way), but with African vocals. It really grew on me. 3/5

👍
View Author
Fri Dec 03 2021
3

Kriegt mich erst beim dritten Track, Daande Lenol, ein wenig. Hypnotisch und glimmend erscheint es da und wärmt meinen Klischee-Ofen. Bleibt mir trotzdem relativ fremd - zumal beim Gang durch die nächtlich nasskaltgraue Dezemberstadt.

👍
View Author
Fri Dec 03 2021
3

Erster Eindruck: bunter Abend im JUZ. Dann aber doch recht Sehnsüchten und tiefer als die gut gelaunten Polyrhythmen vorgeben. Etwas zu vokalig für meinen Geschmack (wieder das Ziegen-hafte der Stimme). Bei „Olel“ blickt Paul Simon spitzbübisch um die Ecke. Schön 3.4

👍
View Author
Sun Dec 12 2021
3

World music with Baaba Maal's touch of African soul. 'Lam Toro' carries with it a weight of meaning that can't be fully uncovered without understanding the language, yet it invokes emotions of longing and hope. Polished for the most part, with a cultural backdrop style that can be enjoyable.

👍
View Author
Thu Jan 20 2022
3

Great album, wonderful to listen to as background music

👍
View Author
Mon Feb 07 2022
3

Nice rhythms, but probably needs a second listen before I get even vaguely hooked

👍
View Author
Wed Feb 23 2022
3

pretty boring but its alright

👍
View Author
Fri Feb 25 2022
3

Senegalese music mixed with reggea and disco. Certainly refreshing for in between. (5/10) FT: Yela

👍
View Author
Sun Apr 03 2022
3

Two Baaba Maal albums in three days. The album overall was okay. The enjoyed hte album more as it went along. Maal has some interesting percussion and beats. "Hamady Boiro" and "Olel" were my favorite tracks. Maal is talented, but I can't quite round up to 4 stars.

👍
View Author
Fri Apr 08 2022
3

Ritmos africanos. Un poco rollo. Pero venga, ni fu ni fa por salirse de los estilos trillados.

👍
View Author
Sun Apr 17 2022
3

Whenever this list has picked a world music album, you can generally guess what it sounds like. Chorus pedal guitars, horn synths, funky bass lines etc. It's all good but... well... y'know. Best Tracks: Toro; Hamady Boiro; Ndelorel

👍
View Author
Wed Apr 20 2022
3

Interesting. Not sure I'd listen to it again, but I'm glad I listened to it once! 3 stars.

👍
View Author
Mon Apr 25 2022
3

This is the sort of thing I like to get thrown my way. Totally out of my wheel house, and I've never heard of him before.

👍
View Author
Wed May 04 2022
3

Was aware of the name but none of the music before this. It all sounded good and I enjoyed it, but nothing particularly jumped out at me. The title track was possibly my least favourite. Probably need (and hope) to give it another listen at some point and try to take it all in in a bit more detail.

👍
View Author
Fri May 06 2022
3

Interesting sound, also quite modern. Some I liked a bit more, some a bit less, nothing really stood out.

👍
View Author
Thu May 12 2022
3

I think I preferred this to the last Baaba Maal, I like how upbeat and optimistic sounding it is. Its not my fave but I appreciated it

👍
View Author
Thu Jun 02 2022
3

ma mère aurait mis 5 pour sur je vais lui offrir pour son anniv

👍
View Author
Thu Jun 09 2022
3

Not huge into this style of music but nothing was offensive, cool that he sings in Pulsaar to promote the language.

👍
View Author
Thu Jun 09 2022
3

I enjoyed it, but I'm left wondering, with only so much West African music on this list, why this artist, why this album? Seems like he has albums that were more successful, this one doesn't even have a Wikipedia page - what the heck? So, why not Firin' in Fouta? Those questions aside, I enjoyed listening to it.

👍
View Author
Fri Jun 10 2022
3

Enjoyable, but I’d rather not listen to a whole album at once. I like the music/instruments, but his voice starts to grate after a bit.

👍
View Author
Thu Jun 23 2022
3

It was pleasant listen but a one and done for me.

👍
View Author
Mon Jul 25 2022
3

Its all a bit alien. Amazing voice and terrific rhythms. All sang in some Senegal language. The synth brass is cheap sounding and irritating after a while. The Bryan May type solo on the last track is a bit strange. Interesting but I'm sure I wouldn't play this again.

👍
View Author
Thu Jul 28 2022
3

It's not a bad album, but there's so much better music from Senegal than this specific album.

👍
View Author
Mon Aug 15 2022
3

Great fun listen. Doubt i'd go back though

👍
View Author
Fri Sep 02 2022
3

Fav song - Daande lenol (dahndey lenyol) - Super cool instrument called the “Kora” Least Fav - Olel - Basically did the same groove for 7 minutes

👍
View Author
Sun Sep 04 2022
3

Very good world music that embraces the 90s

👍
View Author
Wed Sep 07 2022
3

A guy singing his heart out in a language I’ll never understand. A drum kit and a keyboard were also there. And a flute?

👍
View Author
Fri Sep 16 2022
3

Some good percussion in there but wasn't super into it

👍
View Author
Fri Sep 16 2022
3

This is a pleasant enough listen, although more subtle and less dynamic than other West African music I've heard. Not super memorable as an album. Fave Songs: Daniibe, Sy Sawande, Gidelam, Olel, Hamady Boiro

👍
View Author
Thu Sep 22 2022
3

Feels very 90s. Maybe too many world music albums this week to give this its proper consideration.

👍
View Author
Fri Sep 30 2022
3

Parts of this are the smoothest and most hypnotic Afro Beat I have encountered on this list. However other parts attempt a similar sound to Youssou N'Dour but don't teach the same heights

👍
Load more reviews