Reviews (page 3 of 7)
I find it difficult to assess if albums like this are good or not. From my own westernised tastes I can say it was an enjoyable album to listen to but as I’m not from or immersed in the culture from which it comes, I’ve no idea if it’s a good or bad album. Yes an enjoyable album to listen to once but the concept of the album is so alien to my own tastes I will not listen again unless it or albums of the same ilk randomly come along again. 3/5 18/3/26
Favorite songs: Yer Bounda Fara, Beto, Savane
Never had heard his music but knew he was a good guitar player cause I must have read his name at a top guitar players in the world or maybe an interview where Clapton mentioned him. Anyway had never heard a song much less an album amd I can say this dude is a shredder on the guitar. This are like blues with African music incorporated perfectly. When I signed up for this 1001 albums to listen to before I die this is what I was expecting for every single album, some random dude from somewhere in the other part of the world playing something fresh, creative and new for me. This is it. Maybe gets repetitive after a while but easy listening
Wonderful shows the strong connection between African music and the Blues
This was a fairly calming album. I used it as background noise as I cooked and cleaned.
Nich meins.
good.
excellent
The first time I heard this type of music, I was fascinated and entranced (it was Boubacar Traore). I haven't found lasting appeal, though. It was a nice listen, but I can't quite grant four stars.
Stunning. The blues connection is undeniable — not influence, but origin. Touré's guitar touch is so light and precise it almost shouldn't hit as hard as it does. Familiar and completely foreign at the same time. Essential listening for anyone who loves the blues - its like listening to music genesis.
Zuhause, Gerstetten, Deutschland. Boring ohne Ende.
This is a groove. Blues shapes and vocals throughout (though I've no idea what is being said) make the sound recognisable but different enough to keep you interested. This is an album about feel. Best Tracks: Savane; Soya; Penda Yoro
Desert Blues.
Rhythmic
I understand that this is an “important” album, but the droning aspect of the music is just really herd for me to get into.
This is the kind of thing I was hoping to experience when I started doing this project. This album was a really cool change of pace. It's sound is both familiar and novel at the same time. I wouldn't have envisioned the mixture of American blues and African music to be so complementary. 4⭐️
Loved it
12 - Ali Farka Toure - Savane - Rating = 1 Have never heard of this guy or this record. The start of the first song and the mash of fiddle and acoustic guitar and the African-like chanting coming in sort of noodling… harmonica… almost a tune-up song. This is not grabbing me. Softer but the Indian/African chanting is a no for me. The music behind is inoffensive enough… but the vocal… Guitar noodle to start… sax? There’s the chanting coming in… the title track is slow… not interesting. Overall this is just too weird for me to like it. This is just a sound/album I would never listen to or consider… I mean I’m listening because I want to play the game… but this is just not for me.
It's ok. 3.
A rather relaxing and chill Afrobeat, World album, it is something I enjoy listening to in the background.
good guitar, i enjoyed this
This one didn't connect with me, mostly because I couldn't understand the languages (I believe I heard French in the title track). His vocals are decent but subdued behind music that often sounds like the blues with African instruments. It was good as background sounds on a commute.
Listening to this album makes me feel like I'm watching a documentary about the pioneers from an alternate universe where African pilgrims colonized America. Highlights: Yer Bounda Fara, Savane, Soya, Penda Yoro, Soko Yhinka
Pretty fun but nothing all that memorable
Really enjoyed this. Very pleasant soundtrack for a sunny Tuesday afternoon. Especially liked Soko Yhinka. Glad this came up as never heard of him before. Also nice to have a bit of world music appear on this list.
Interesting - I did like the African mixed with blues vibe
I enjoyed this debut solo album from Touré! This is not music I generally listen to but I dug the African/desert blues vibes of this album and it was pleasant to listen to. Overall, I would listen to this again and recommend it to others!
Very chill, krunbin inspirational
Not something I’d listen to again but cool that it’s on this list
Not my kinda music
Álbum com sonoridade africana, belíssimo e que flerta muito bem com o blues.
I can appreciate this music, but it’s just not something I’d personally put on.
Good.
The rhythms are mesmerizing. Takes you to a foreign land. Delta blues meets world music! This is unlike anything I’ve heard. Quite interesting. Guitar playing is also remarkable.
Not for me. But an interesting album in the list, solely because it's African
Not my thing, i guess
Ali Farka Touré returns, this time with an atmospheric African blues album recorded shortly before he passed away. Not totally enthralling for me, but it's pleasant enough.
64/100. Nothing is rushed, nothing is forced. The album just takes its time, in a good way. It may not be the most dynamic record in the world, but when you are in the right mood, it connects in a way flashier albums just cannot. There is some really good blues on here.
Dobro da nisu dali da slušamo pećinske ljude kako udaraju kamen o kamen. Ovu listu albuma je očigledno pravila osoba koja niti ima ukusa niti sluha. Kako te nije sramota da radiš ovo ljudima. Odslušao sam po 10 sekundi od svake pesme i samo nisam mogao više od toga. Možda upravo zato nisam shvatio viziju i prosvetljeničku moć ovog albuma. Staviću nulu kao ocenu za ovaj album. Aaaalii umesto ovog sam slušao goatmare & the hellspades i to je već 5/5
Interesting swath of genres for an international album. Made it more accessible than typical world music.
Blues from Mali.
Savane
I got the blues. I got the blues. I got the I don't know what this guy is singing but I dig what he's playing blues. Blues translates in many languages apparently.
Like a lot of desert blues, it’s too twangy and does not have enough variation or build in the songs.
Music is cool, singing is a little whiny.
Ehhh. Nah, can't do this one. I mentioned before, but I just have a really hard time connecting with music where I can't understand the lyrics. That's a me thing, but it's just how it is. But even that aside, I didn't find the music particularly mind-blowing, pretty basic blue-ish progressions with a pretty minimal sound. Oh well. Not for me.
Nice discovery that I wouldn't have found on my own. Favorite song: Savane
This is dope, love it.
Lovely guitar work, which sounds quite bluesy and countryish at times. And, of course, the vocals are incredibly sweet and rich. It's a tiny bit same-y and not super exciting, but it was a very nice way to spend an hour or so on the way to play football (spoiler, it didn't massively fire me up and we lost quite heavily).
This was fine. Didn't hate it but also thought it was not particularly interesting. Nothing really caught my attention.
Excellent desert blues. Really reminded me of John Lee Hooker.
I'm glad I listened to it. I will say it's not really my thing.
Started off feeling like this was just pretty standard blues, but as it went on I felt like it was standing out a bit more. My favorite bits are when he and his backing singers do call and response, which tends to be pretty typical for me, honestly.
No review for this album because of work :/
Very chill, but unfortunately it will never be as cool of an album as the cover suggests
I don't hate this album by any means, but I just didn't have any standout moments with this album.
I share much of the same objection to Savane as I did Talking Timbuktu. It's good and impressive, but it gets repetitive at time and I am not very getting much emotion from it, but I get why somebody would love this
Annoying.
This is exactly the kind of release that I want to discover with this project. I've been aware of Ali Farka Touré for a while, but never really dug deeper into his music -- a bit like with Tinariwen, who I always found wildly fascinating, but only after seeing them live at a festival in Denmark, really made me fall for their driving desert rock sound. 'Savane' though is less rock and more jazz -- or 'blues', as the cover suggests. There's a few great highlights here, like 'Machengoidi', 'Beto' and the title track. It's groovy, yet reeks with a heaviness, a mixture that's not easily done in western music.
African blues huh. I like the tunes. I wish i understood the words
No suena nada mal. Cuando empezaron a conocerse estos músicos de África fuera de sus países fue un poco una revelación. Creo que ya se ha pasado ese efecto, pero a mi este tipo de músico me resulta interesante. No me he guardado ninguna canción en concreto, aunque volveré a escucharlo.
Totally rules. This one’s a bit gnarlier than some other Touré at times, which does a lot for me. One of the greats. 🎸🎸🎸
I love this music
Absolutely beautiful desert blues. Ali Farka Touré is a legend. He was once offered some big huge tour around the world but said he's just a farmer, and so declined. Dude is doing this as a hobby on the side and making absolute gems. The riffs are incredible
Happy to be exposed to sounds outside of my comfort zone. Not an album I’ll return to, but worth a listen and worth a place on this list. Still not my thing and im finding it hard to rate. Going with a line ball 3/5 for being interesting.
Not so good
Afrikkalaista bluesia. Ihan mielenkiintoinen kokemus, mutta kyllä jenkit sen vielä paremmin taitaa. Tässäkin se afrikkalaisuus tulee vahvasti läpi. Vähän ehkä vaisua ja kappaleet toistaa itseään liikaa. Parhaat: Erdi, N'jarou
Just an overall really enjoyable album
Er African Blues min greie? Jøss!
This was nice, but I didn't love it. Three stars.
Music that I only listen to because Robert Dimery has a list aimed at my head Gets pretty repetitive and boring since it's the Blues, but there's still an okay amount of variability between songs and some instrumentation novelty on display instead of just mind-go-numb rambling guitar with harmonica interjections at scheduled intervals. It's still a late-era Blues album, though, so it's not great, but it has things to offer Judging by the Wikipedia page this album is more overglazed than a donut in a wheat shortage but good for you if you find that much value here
BLUES and WORLD MUSIC is so frickin cool. Yes the scales and licks are overplayed as hell everywhere but Iove hearing it through different interpretations, combined with traditional music. Do I understand the words I'm hearing? not even a little, but I enjoyed it none the less. It does get repetitive and you really feel it in the back half. Definitely worth a listen at least.
Normally I’m all about this kind of stuff but this one just didn’t hit for some reason. Maybe it was too bluesy? A lot of it sounded the same too
This isn’t for me. Too mellow. I respect that it made waves though.
Dope
3.6 Actually quite nice to have on in the background whilst doing other stuff. Quite chilled, really nice vibe, not my usual sort of thing but enjoyable to discover.
Couldn’t understand a word, but nice vibe
Hadn't heard this before, found it very different from things I normally listen to, and very interesting, as well as pleasant/hypnotic. Intriguing trying to work out what I was hearing, so I read Wikipedia etc. I recommend the review at https://www.theguardian.com/music/2006/jul/14/worldmusic.shopping to help appreciate the album in context. Significant that the album combines traditional aspects and more varied aspects, also that Ali Farka Touré considered it his best. Interesting comments in that article about the lyrics - I had a quick try but no success finding lyrics for songs other than Savane. Fortunately the music works for me even when I don't understand the words. Rating was tricky, I decided it's 9/10 Quite Wonderful (regardless that it functions rather differently from other albums I've put at that level).
WTF? I need English please.
Think I enjoyed this more since it’s sunny for the first time this year while I listen. Bet it sucks in winter
Enjoyed as background music but probably wouldn’t listen to often
Fun album, not what I would typically listen to but not un-enjoyable. Felt like Spike Spiegel floating through space a bit. Good instrumentals and chill vibes. N’Jarou favorite track! 3*
Interesting blend of sounds and languages. Makes for great background noise
Nice change from all the US and UK type stuff. More Africa and other region representation is needed!
I got my wish - when Ali Farka Touré's album with Ry Cooder popped up on here, I said I'd like to hear him without Ry, and here we are. He's super-cool I think, and so interesting. I found the rhythms and repeated riffs really hypnotic. Loved the blend of instruments and the moods he creates.
Interesting, not for me though.
This album fucking slaps. What a vibe this icy cold winter morning. Warmed me right up!
nice but not my jam today
I found the album very refreshing and interesting.
Chill vibes to listen to while puttering away during a PD day at work, but not memorable in my mind. 3/5 stars.
Earthy and hypnotic
Yes it was different but there lacked a certain luster to this album.
This is more like it. Something different and cool, undefinable and eclectic. Bluesy Afro-jazz? Hang out and listen to this just as Toure does on the cover. Is that a sitar?
1/5 Was so close to being great, but I just didn’t really vibe with the singing.
Gorgeous! 4 stars!
if someone told me something along the lines of like... if you like Ali Farka Touré too much you should marry him... lets just say SAVE THE DATE 16/05/2026
Hadde liksom trua fra start, men det ble fort kjedelig.
Merke knapt forskjell på låten.
Hørt på jobb. Noen låter der som er fin å ha i bakgrunnen, men ellers ikke noe for meg.
Fine saker, men det treffer meg ikke (kan ikke fransk).
The exact music you want smoking some African tobacco on a late-August backyard patio.
Love it
Big fan.
I don't think I could tell one song from the other. Good background stuff, calm, easy listening
Pretty cool and chill album Standout songs: Yer Bounda Fera Ledi Coumbe
52/1089 2.2440* I respect the ability and creativity of the artist. African blues is the genre and it sounds just like you'd expect. This is an interesting album based on the delta blues. It reminds me of what would be played in a movie as people dance in the middle of a swamp trying to conjure a voodoo spirit in the bayou in the darkest hours of night. If you like the blues then you'll like this album!
I'd give it a 3, but then I recognized the desert influence on my favourite albums. Not all tracks slap. But they're okay to listen to. Imagine saying "oh yeah this is gonna be my best album yet".
One of the best guitarists of all time and never talked about enough.
It’s hard to fault an album so deeply engrossed in a rich culture. Especially when it’s a culture I know so little about. There is a familiarity in the music itself. It mimics American blues, but does so with unique instrumentation. It’s nice to listen to music in a foreign language, as it allows the listener to focus on aspects of the music itself that are often muted. This may grow with time, but for now I can say I actually liked it.
Man, Mali has produced some cool fellas. Tinariwen on the run for being too rock n roll for example. Ali's the OG though
I can hear the musicality but not one for me, a little bored to be honest
I really liked this one, very cool and diverse sound, and it was very fun to listen to a language I don't understand.
It is difficult to review an album that I know little of the genre or artist. I knew nothing yesterday morning of Ali Karka Touré. In 24 hours, I've listened to an amazing album I've never heard of before, and did as much research as my free time permitted (very little). I learned he is from Mali. My extent of experience in Northern African music, from the desert regions there has not extended farther than the 'Music From Saharan Cellphones' compilation, or some Sahel Sounds mixes. I've seen Mdou Moctar a handful of times, but he is a Toureg musician. It would be lazy to lump Touré in too deep of comparisons (although he has been influenced by playing alongside many Toureg and other Northern and Western African musicians). Given the music and Touré's biography, it is more thickly and apparent that 'Savane' is an album of fusions and blending, rather than a mere (yet prodigious) brick in some perceived-from-Western-eyes monolith of Saharan music. Instrumentation is myriad on this album. Ali Farka brings guests on saxophone, violin, harmonica, organ, and bass, as well as a rich variety of percussion. These players augment and add depth to a Touré on guitar, as well as a base a trio of ngoni (a Northern african stringed instrument of wide use and many forms, and predecessor to the banjo). The clearest (for me) and most interesting (for me, again, subjective) influence that really blew my mind here was Ali Farka Touré's association and respect for John Lee Hooker. Farka intuitively recognizes American Blues' lineage from African music, and clearly folds American forms and licks back into his music, to a point where neither tradition begin nor end prior to the other. This is music that is boiling and alive, pan-Atlantic, and spanning time. Some of the most thrilling moments on 'Savane' come in the form of uncannily rapid and complex ngoni licks, that breath Blues (or have given Blues breath?) jump tastefully in and out of the repetitive bed of rhythmic guitar and ngoni peals. There is clear masterful listening happening within the ensemble, and the call and response that effuse throughout every song feels uncanny to listen to. Listening to this album, having no prior knowledge of the artist or album, fulfills essential points in this '1001' Albums project: discovery and enrichment. My ranking of four stars, rather than five, is solely based on my subjective likelihood to listen to this album again very soon. It is amazing and it is a mood. The experience is still fresh, and I need some time to sit with it. I recently re-ranked Jorge Ben's 'Afrika Brasil' from four to five stars, after time and re-listening. I feel that would happen similarly here.
Not many songs here that I wouldn't enjoy more if they were purely instrumental instead. Decent overall still.
2000s world blues. Mali artist was dying while making this album. Excellent guitar playing.
A very laid back, bluesy album with solid rhythm
I love the desert rock sound. Only 4 stars because a lot of the vocals aren’t my thing here.
Very good Blues album made by a very good artist.
Lidt random album men jeg kan altid godt lide at lytte til Ali fra Mali. Jeg ville nok have valgt noget ældre
Det her er sådan en genre jeg tit bruger som arbejdsmusik så var faktisk lidt overrasket over hvor *lidt* den her plade virkede for mig. Mistænker at det ikke er Ali Farka Tourés bedste arbejde der er kommet med i bogen.
I like the weird guitar playing.
Mali guitarist. Enjoyable groove. Good for work listening.
Surprised myself by how much I enjoyed this one. Love the blues and this is such a cool version of it.
West African Blues very own Cincinnatus.
You can bet your bottom dollar that I've never heard of this album or artist before. What genre of album is anyone's guess, though I think I can very safely predict that it'll be in the ball park of Fela/Femi Kuti. What genre is that again? Afrobeat? "African Blues" apparently, though I don't understand the distinction. Blues was already started by Black people, innit? Anyways, I'm not a blueser, though I certainly am a bruiser and am fully prepared to fight the curators of this list IRL for having the gall to include such a boring album. I can see the merit. A blues album from the 2000s is a novel inclusion, especially since it's coming from a time where the instruments don't sound like complete ass. Some of the guitar sections are pretty decent, and I can see the appeal in the humbling, communal vocal sections. It didn't actively sound bad to me, though the music never went beyond being background noise Book time. Added to the 2008 edition. Finished weeks before Touré's death. Achieved worldwide recognition. The rest of the entry is kind of complete wank, I won't lie. Wikipedia says absolutely nothing - stub article. The critic ratings are pretty solid, however. I mean, my bar is definitely lower when it comes to world music. This wouldn't make it in under normal circumstances, but I can appreciate a good niche album every now and then. I cosign this inclusion.
It’s always cool to listen to music from different cultures and regions, and this West African album was no exception. The instrumentals were very pleasant, showcasing guitar, drums, and a consistent beat that was easy to follow. I’m probably not going to listen to this album again, but there are a few songs that I added to some instrumental playlists.
This is pretty cool! I wasn't expecting Desert Blues on this list. One of my favorite albums in Elwan by Tinariwen, and I'm super interested in hearing more from this genre. While this doesn't quite live up to Tinariwen, I thoroughly enjoyed this, and am glad it ended up on the list. More people need to listen to this type of music! I'm honestly on the edge of a five. Favorite Track: Soyo Yhinka
Id never have heard this if it wasn’t for this challenge, but would I have missed out on it? Not sure. It was unique, fun take on blues.
Nothing stood out, but I appreciated the sound.
This is great world music, emphasis on music... the term has gotten so polluted with anything that isn't Western that it's hard to parse when it's being applied correctly. All too often world music feels like it's being included to broaden horizons, not because it's great. This is pretty great.
7/10
Didn’t even miss this English language— this dude’s guitar playing speaks volumes.
Something different. Well worth the listen.
Similar to the other one we had by this artist. A little goes a long way, but still pretty decent.
Fun listen
King of the desert african blues Soya Hanana
Chill, but like most world music, difficult to rate. I have literally zero context. It sounds good, and I’m glad for the exposure to build some context, but it’s hard to say if I’d ever be in the mood to throw this on again.
Zo interessant. Veel verschillende geluiden het kan een beetje overstimmulating zijn maar ook wel weer cool. Heel bluesy maar ook heel afrikaans. Ik had eerst niet verwacht dat ik het leuk zou vinden maar het klinkt zo anders dan andere dingen die ik heb geluisterd dus ik kan gwn niet stoppen.
Very well recorded. I’m glad I was introduced to this.
Savane is a really nice title track. in general a solid, enjoyable album but it doesn’t really do much for me atm. i feel like i may need to listen again, but it’s quite long.
Musically fantastic. No idea what he was signing about but the vibe was still clear. One of the better listens in this cluster of an experience.
No va
Found this really boring
not as good as the other album of his but still such a cool guy.
Second album by Toure that I've listened to and I do enjoy the delta blues vibe of the artist.
Thought I would like it way more than I did.
I've heard Mali music and African blues before, so this wasn't a new sound to me, though the album was new to me. It is a great example of the style, and I did like it. I felt it was too long, but it was solid, and I probably would go back to this album, as a very well-produced and refined version of the genre.
I just don't like the sounds
This was an amazing introduction to an entire genre that I've never heard of. Take the time to listen even though you don't know a word being said.
I ‘kind of’ like it
Nothing but love & respect for this unearthed legend.
Not for me.
This was fine but boring, most 2.5 star album ever
Pure class and very raw! As an Irishman who can only speak English, I don't understand what he is singing. But that does not matter, music is a universal language and you, you know how he feels by his voice and the music! The album is an amazing album and a very unique blues album!
Meh, very bluesy kinda thing. Enjoyed the first listen, but wont come back
Much appreciate not another white band of the same genre. Reminds me of Bombino
I don't really know about this type of music to make an assessment.
tof plaatje... begint super maar duurt misschien toch net iets te lang
I love this project because of albums/artists like Ali. This was really cool and one I could listen to again and again. It was so different, yet familiar. I love his nickname King of the desert "blues." It perfectly encompasses his sound and how he has taken his west African roots and backgrounds and mixed it with bayou blues. He shows so well how musical roots evolve and change to meet their setting and time but still stay connected to the ancestry of the musical sound. N'jarou was my favorite by far and looking it up it might translate to 'in the spring,' I don't know why exactly but that brought a tear to my eye while listening, this was his last album and last song before he died. There is so much happiness and life in this song (and album), and to realize he wanted this to be the last sounds the world heard from him makes it even more special and beautiful.
I like the vibe. The music is an interesting fusion of blues and African. Overall I like this artist and enjoy his music but this album felt like it kind of dragged a bit.
I had this album back in 2007 in an effort to expand my world music knowledge and appreciation. It doesn’t substantially upheave my life but I have always enjoyed its chill African blues vibe.
This was super chill and cool vibes. It’s not something I’d probably just throw on randomly, but I do love being exposed to world music, and hearing what sounds come out of specific countries.
- Had this guy before and it was great! Bluesy guitars, harmonicas and raw, afrobeat percussion. - Sad to read that this was released posthumously after Toure's death in 2006. - Really nice to just pop on and groove. Instrumentation is fantastic, just a shame I don't understand any of the lyrics.
To be clear to start, I didn't have the lyrics with me as I listened to this album. And that's bad form, I know, I know. Even as someone who's as "melody first" as I claim to be, I should have found 'em — and translated, too, I should say. But, I'unno, the day I got around to this album I figured I wanted to take it just on its vibes. I'd seen so much talk about it (including describing it as a Louisiana barbecue — which is a few thousand miles off point from its original, but I get it), I guess I wanted to see what I got out of it as I worked on some other stuff at the same time. And I'll tell you, on vibes alone it is certainly not a bad album. Not at all. It's a very different sort of blues than I'm used to, to begin with. I don't have any reference for what African blues should sound like, let alone why Ali is the "king of the desert blues singers," but at least going off of this I can tell you it's pretty good stuff. It's heavily focused around guitar work, to the point where I don't think there's any percussion at all. Instead, the bass and the other guitar hafta pick up the work. It's interesting; it reminds a lot of how some very early rock n' roll records wouldn't have any drums, instead relying on the slap click of the bass. It also **does** feel a lot like a barbecue, like your older relatives decided to bust out their old guitars and jam on some blues for everyone. I can see eating a nice, juicy hot dog to this music — covered in crispy burn marks and drenched with two or three lines of ketchup. Mmm. Though, with that said, it's not exactly ... terribly engaging? At least not to me. Like, I can see why I've seen it described as background music: while it **is** good, there's not a whole about it I'd say is all that gripping. Which isn't a bad thing to me, of course; I'm the first person to stand up for and argue in favor of background music. But I can tell, if I'd tried to listen to this closely I would've lost interest very fast. Perhaps even if I had pulled up the lyrics. Heck, even not giving it 100% of my attention I could very easily notice that there didn't seem to be a lot of progression in these songs. There were times, honestly, where my ears would tune back in and I'd think to myself, "Damn, this song is still going?" And I'm thinking this sort of thing about songs that're only 3 to 5 minutes long. I even accidentally skipped the seven-forty long title track, so I can only imagine how that one would feel. Which all isn't to say I didn't enjoy my time with this album. As a representative for African blues (Mali blues specifically), I can get enough of an idea why some people would be really into it. I can understand well enough why Martin Scorsese would call it the "D.N.A. of the blues." But for my own tastes, eh. I don't think I need to be dazzled by every album I listen to, but I would've appreciated a bit more of that "wow!" factor, y'know? Maybe if I'd gotten the lyrics, or followed along with the explanations in the liner notes. But as it stands, I think I'd recommend it, just to see if you'd get more out of it than I did. And I hope you do, honestly.
A different, yet enjoyable take on the blues. Solid 4 Stars.
I’m at a 3.5 that I’ll bump up to a 4. Hard to really rate this one, since I never had any lyrics in front of me & I didn’t have a really good base of comparison to work with here (similar in DNA to some of the other African albums we’ve gotten, but it just felt different), so I’m just going off of a vibe, really. I enjoyed a lot of this album; really eclectic instrumentation choices with a good variety & pace throughout. There’s good vocals throughout with some really nice harmonies, & plenty of guitar work (perhaps a little too much), with an emphasis on bass / electric guitar to substitute for the percussion on a lot of the tracks, which didn’t feel as impactful & mesmerizing as some of the other African albums we’ve gotten. Of course, that’s all just production choices, so it’s hard to fault them at all. If I can fault this album on anything, at least for my tastes, it’s just a little long, with a flatter sense of progression. I think a lot of the tracks here could’ve been trimmed down by at least a minute, since some of them just start to really settle into repetition in a way that halts the album’s momentum. When this album has that constant sense of progression, it feels really nice, though not as highly energetic as I was expecting. This is a relaxed blues album, one that’s meant more as background noise to settle into, as if you’ve shown up for a Tiny Desk Concert by accident, yet still find yourself getting really into it. Ultimately, I think that sense of repetition & the lack of a more “dazzling” energy is gonna keep this at a 3.5 bumped up to a 4 for me, as opposed to something higher. It’s still a good album, and one hell of a vibe, but it’s one that falls apart a little easier compared to its contemporaries. Surprisingly, Ali Farka Touré has another album on this list, 1994’s “Talking Timbuktu”, so hopefully that one will click even better for me. This is a recommended listen, if only for the cultural trip of sorts, and if it works for you more than it worked for me, more power to you. It’s a 3.5 I’ll bump up to a 4.
This will always speak to a certain place in my soul. My college roommate and I played Damon Albarn's Mali Music project over and over again when reading or studying, which then turned me on to Ali Farka Touré and others. Learned more about him in an African musicology class where the musically versed in the group could explain his skill and influence. Just a great story and a fascinating person. I'm still pretty much an uninformed Westerner so I can't speak to where this particular album might fit into his discography or the larger scene of Malian music, but I love the sound so much I have to give it a five.
Different but nice
Outstanding blues
I wasn’t sure what to expect, and after having listened to it I’m not sure how I feel about it. It was cool to experience music wildly different from what I’m used to, but I kept getting lost in the repetition which isn’t uncommon, yet I can usually fall back on lyrics to keep me interested. That wasn’t the case for this particular album.
Refreshing to hear something vastly different from my normal music taste, but I don't think I would revisit.
Just not for me. I couldn’t get through it.
Both the artist and album were new to me, but I quite liked this. I always enjoy the blues, but this introduced me to 'desert blues' - the meshing of African and American musical styles is interesting and works well. My standout tracks were Yer Bounda Fara which is the most bluesy offering here, and Savane is soothing soul balm.
First time listening to this kind of music. Enjoyed it.
Not blues, but not too bad for African music
Didn’t understand one word! It’s an alright Folky-Bluesy album but nothing great
Another lovely album from Mr You're, I love how he adapts such a distinctly American sound (the blues) and completely remolds it out of African scales and instrumentation.
not a fan but still kinda chill
Best Track - "Machengoidi"
Wouldn’t have ordinarily chosen to listen to this type of thing but I liked it
7/10
I'm no expert on African Blues (I literally only have other stylistically similar 1001 offerings as reference points); this felt like a good quality example of something that's so far out of my wheelhouse, it might as well be on another planet. I didn't afford this its near-hour long running time, but I can't in good conscience give it a 💩/5 as per my usual "DNF" process.
Fun bluesy album. Interesting guitar work. No idea whats being sang about but musically its solid.
Eh, more "world music" that I likely won't listen to again.
Wish I knew what they were saying, but cool sound just pretty boring.
Always a delight
3.5 Stars
3/10… desert blues / *2006
Savane by Ali Farka Touré is a beautifully crafted album, but I have to admit I found it quite boring. There’s no denying the musical quality here, it's rich, warm, and full of gorgeous interplay between guitar lines and traditional instruments. The sound is unique and undeniably atmospheric. But that atmosphere drifts into the background far too easily. Before long, the album becomes something you forget is even playing, and despite the beauty, it just never held my attention. I found myself waiting for it to end, and I can’t see myself returning to it. Favourite track: Soya is a lovely, gentle highlight. Least favourite track: The title track Savane felt particularly dull. Album artwork: A fitting cover that sets the tone for the music inside.
The more I listened the more I liked it. 4 stars or B.
6.9/10
Eh
I can appreciate this but it’s not really something I’d come back to.
Bon, on ne va pas se mentir, quand on a passé la fin des années 90 à classer des imports de Godflesh et à débattre de la meilleure face B de Joy Division derrière le comptoir d'un disquaire indépendant, la section "Musiques du Monde" (cette appellation fourre-tout un peu dégueulasse qu'on utilisait par facilité) n'était pas forcément ma destination première. Et pourtant, le projet "1001 Albums" est là pour ça : me sortir la tête de mon ampli Sunn O))) pour aller voir si l'herbe est plus verte ailleurs. Aujourd'hui, on atterrit au Mali, avec un monument : Ali Farka Touré et son album posthume, "Savane", sorti en 2006. Pour situer le bonhomme, si vous avez vécu dans une grotte (ou si vous n'écoutiez que du gabber dans les années 90), Ali Farka Touré est souvent surnommé le "John Lee Hooker africain". C'est un raccourci journalistique un peu facile, mais ça a le mérite de poser le décor : on est ici à la racine du blues. Pas le blues électrique de Chicago, pas le blues rock qui tache, mais ce blues primal, celui qui semble remonter le fleuve Niger avant d'avoir été déporté dans le delta du Mississippi. Ry Cooder, grand pote d'Ali et architecte du fameux "Talking Timbuktu", a qualifié "Savane" d'album "absolument parfait". Rien que ça... Quand un type qui a joué avec Captain Beefheart et les Rolling Stones sort un adjectif pareil, on tend l'oreille, même si on est un vieux cynique biberonné au post-punk. Ry Cooder pèse ses mots, mais est-ce que je vais peser les miens ? Spoiler : Ry s'emballe un peu, mais il n'a pas totalement tort. Il faut savoir que "Savane" est le testament d'Ali Farka Touré. L'album a été enregistré alors qu'il se savait condamné par un cancer des os (il est mort quelques semaines avant la sortie). C'est un disque d'urgence sereine, si tant est que ce concept existe. Il a été enregistré à Bamako, à l'hôtel Mandé, avec une vue imprenable sur le fleuve. Et bordel, ça s'entend, la production est d'une chaleur incroyable. On est loin des studios aseptisés ou des productions lo-fi que j'affectionne d'habitude chez mes groupes indie. Ici, le son est plein, organique, vivant. Ce qui frappe d'entrée, c'est la guitare. Ali Farka Touré avait ce toucher unique, ce jeu hypnotique qui n'appartient qu'à lui. Mais sur "Savane", il laisse énormément de place aux instruments traditionnels, notamment le ngoni (ce luth ouest-africain qui est l'ancêtre du banjo) joué ici par le virtuose Bassekou Kouyaté. Le dialogue entre la guitare électrique d'Ali et le ngoni est le cœur battant de cet album. C'est un tissage complexe, une conversation musicale d'une fluidité déconcertante. Et c'est là qu'on arrive au point de friction, celui que je vais soulever et avec lequel, beaucoup d'entre vous risque d'être d'accord. Je parle de "longueurs pour des oreilles occidentales". Je suis né en 70, j'ai grandi avec le format pop, le format rock, voire le format punk : intro, couplet, refrain, pont, refrain, fin. Ou alors, dans des délires plus expérimentaux à la John Zorn ou Godflesh, je suis habitué à la tension, à la rupture, au chaos sonore. Ici, on est dans tout autre chose, on est dans la circularité. Les morceaux de "Savane" ne cherchent pas à aller quelque part, ils sont là, ils s'installent, ils tournent. C'est une musique de transe, mais une transe douce, contemplative. Pour un occidental habitué à ce que la musique lui saute à la gorge ou lui raconte une histoire linéaire, ça peut être déstabilisant et sur certains titres, j'ai eu cette sensation de surplace. C'est magnifique, certes, techniquement irréprochable, l'émotion est palpable, mais bon sang, est-ce qu'on ne tourne pas un peu en rond au bout de la sixième minute ? Il y a ce côté "jam session" infinie qui peut lasser et c'est le piège de la virtuosité tranquille. Quand on écoute du post-rock, les morceaux font 20 minutes, mais il y a une montée, une dramaturgie, une explosion cataclysmique. Ici, la dynamique est plus plane, c'est un fleuve tranquille et parfois "trop" tranquille. Malgré ces longueurs, je ne peux pas rejeter cet album car il y a une puissance d'évocation phénoménale. Quand je ferme les yeux sur le morceau titre "Savane", je ne suis plus dans mon salon grisâtre. Je sens la poussière, je vois la lumière dorée de l'Afrique de l'Ouest. Ali Farka Touré avait cette voix... une voix de vieux sage, éraillée, profonde, qui impose le respect immédiat. Même sans comprendre un traître mot de Songhaï ou de Peul, on sent le poids des mots, la gravité du propos. Musicalement, c'est d'une richesse folle. Il y a du blues, oui, mais il y a aussi des rythmes qui flirtent avec le reggae (sans le côté "fête à neuneu"), des syncopes jazz. C'est le son d'un homme qui fait la synthèse de sa vie et de sa culture. C'est dense, c'est boisé, c'est authentique. D'ailleurs, pour revenir à mes références de vieux disquaire, il y a un lien à faire avec le drone. Si on aime Sunn O))) pour sa capacité à étirer le temps et à créer une texture sonore, on peut, avec un petit effort d'adaptation, apprécier "Savane" pour les mêmes raisons. Il faut accepter de lâcher prise, d'arrêter d'attendre le refrain, et se laisser porter par le groove hypnotique du ngoni et des percussions. C'est une musique d'état, pas une musique d'action. Alors, "absolument parfait" comme le dit Ry Cooder ? Non. Ry Cooder est un musicien, il écoute avec des oreilles de musicien, fasciné par la technique et l'âme. Moi, j'écoute avec mes oreilles de type qui a passé trop de temps à écouter des mecs hurler dans des micros sur fond de guitares saturées. Pour moi, "Savane" est un très bon album, un témoignage essentiel d'un géant de la musique. C'est un disque noble, élégant, et profondément humain. Mais c'est aussi un disque qui demande une disposition d'esprit particulière. Ce n'est pas un album que je mettrais en fond sonore pour faire la vaisselle, ni un disque pour conduire sur l'autoroute. C'est un disque qui demande de la patience. Il y a des moments où l'attention décroche, où la répétition devient lassitude plutôt que méditation. C'est le choc culturel, sans doute. Nos oreilles, formatées par des décennies de rock anglo-saxon, cherchent des repères qui ne sont pas là. Est-ce un album qu'il faut écouter avant de mourir ? Oui, sans hésitation. Parce qu'il offre une porte d'entrée royale vers une musique malienne riche et complexe. Parce que le jeu de guitare d'Ali Farka Touré est une leçon d'humilité pour tous les shredders de métal qui pensent que la vitesse fait le talent. C'est une œuvre majeure, un adieu poignant, mais qui aurait peut-être gagné à être un poil plus resserré pour être totalement digeste pour nous, pauvres occidentaux pressés. Mais après tout, c'est peut-être nous le problème, pas l'album. Note finale 4 sur 5 : Très bon album, solide, émouvant. Mais prévoyez du temps et débranchez votre besoin d'immédiateté avant d'appuyer sur lecture.
p909. 2006. 2 stars. Well done African blues-folk hybrid, but overly repetitive and missing standout songs. Didn't do anything for me.
Reminds me a lot of blues music. Just thorough a different filter.
Jännittävästi muistuttaa osa biiseistä eurooppalaisesta kansanmusiikista. joku enemmän musiikista tietävä vois varmaan kertoa miksi. 4/5
I enjoyed this one a lot. It was a fun listen. I had it on at work and got annoyed when someone swung by or called. Good album. I have listened to it a few times since then and I enjoy it. It's been added to my full time rotation.
Excellent desert blues. A known and good quantity
Liked it. Barely a 4. Would change if another album of his is better.
Enjoyed. Bluesy. Chanting. Rhythmic.
Pretty good, but a little repetitive and I couldn’t understand it. Nice sound though and sick album cover. High 3.
Interesting mix of west African sounds and fairly traditional blues. Sounds blend well.
great guitar playing. I do wish I understood the lyrics but this was cool.
"Latin jazz" feels like an odd classification from apple music. I enjoyed this, different from most stuff on this list.
Interesting story behind this album.
Nice
Didn’t know what to think going into this one and ended up blown away. You can feel that man’s soul in every pluck of the string
Beautiful
Weird, but interesting. Didn’t understand any words still better then everything but the girl.
Not my thing.
Pretty good, nice to hear something outside of my usual choices. I'll listen to this again sometime.
Blues, grit, Afrikaans influence
It's interesting to hear the similarities and differences in this and "US" blues. Can hear the influence on Songhoy Blues as well.
2
Not unpleasant. Bit samey
Glad I listened to this but I doubt I’ll listen again
An interesting fusion style I've never heard before.
Interesting for awhile, but then repetitive. I liked the putamayo african blues album more in the past.
Nice
No
I liked the overall vibe of this and I’m guessing the repetition is part of the style. It did get a bit samey though. Could have done with a shorter run time
I do not normally like posthumous albums, however I had no knowledge of the artist or their work beforehand. This will show my lack of information on African artisits but I can see similarities in the rhythms to bands like Mdou Moctar and Witch. Standout tracks: Savane (duh)
4.0 (58:37 13 tracks - released posthumously - 3rd and last album) Second West African (Mali) group on the list and I liked both.
i don’t think that one has any right to ‘rate’ ethnic music as it is the cultural heritage and its impossible to properly comprehend it without knowing the cultural context, so i’ll give all of the similar albums a 5, even if it wasn’t much of my liking, though i’ll still write my opinion on the musical part this one was were calming and enjoyable. it was interesting to experience different side of African music from what I heard before. will definitely relisten
beguiling, swaying, deeply groovy desert blues
Not my kind of music.
Det e fint, på den måten kor typisk Riddu-musikk føles kjent men fremmed, det e sånn musikk skal høres ut sjøl om æ aldri har hørt akkurat det her før. Alt vel alt vel.
Not my thing
Deeply rooted and rhythmic. The blues DNA is undeniable, and the title track especially hits that perfect groove — timeless, soulful, and sun-baked in the best way.
This list got me into this artist.. it’s the second album of theirs on here. I really like it. Not quite as great as Talking Timbuktu, but still a beautifully recorded and enjoyable album
A difficult record for me to sit and focus on but quite enjoyable to have on and shift attention to here and there. I enjoy the bluesy/folksy guitar but the vocals are why I need to shift in and out.
I guess if you're looking for a mid 2000's blues album sung in a language you don't speak...
A couple of the blues stuff was interesting, but overall I did not enjoy listening to this album.
Full of talent, with some excellent guitar work and great bluesy moments, but as a whole it doesn’t quite tickle my eardrums the way I prefer.
This is an interesting change for this list. I don't really know how to feel about it. It's definitely different, I like it, but I am confused as to what it is exactly. But a cool thing to listen to.
Some really cool sounds, I recognise patterns from irish and northern greek music. I can't say I particularly loved the album but certainly was an interesting listen. 3.2
Dicen que si hay un bluesman africano, ese es Touré. Este es su álbum póstumo y que recién acabado el propio Touré catalogó como lo mejor de su carrera. Yo, que ya reniego del blues clásico, solo me falta que su equivalente africano esté relleno de sonidos tribales, asonancias y vocales rudos amelódicos. Podria marcarme un 10 erudito pero estoy más por puntuar por nivel de disfrute, y este ha sido insuficiente.
It was really good. I loved savan
Enjoyed the change of music I usually listen to. Thanks
Interesting! I usually prefer lyrics that I can understand, maybe sing along to, but the instrumentation was so good that I kept listening to the end. I'm really glad I did!
It was entertaining to listen to but I’m not really sure I like blues music.
I'm not too knowledgeable about Malian music but every track sounds very similar to me. might just be unfamiliarity.
This was disappointing. His voice is great and the instrumentals are good, but almost every song is just one 5 to 7 second idea repeated ad nauseam, and the album is too long. 2.0/5.0: Disappointing
this is a tough one to rate. on one hand every song is genuinely enjoyable; great singing and great playing. on the other hand, youve heard 90% of the song in the first 20 seconds. he establishes the motif immediately then that ostinato repeats for the remainder of the track, with what little development there is coming from additional instruments slowly layered in. from what ive been able to find it seems that is typical of african blues, potentially due to alis influence. i think if you removed the vocals and sold this to me as an ambient album i wouldve received it much better.
An interesting album more than a great one to me. It has some really good guitar playing but I feel like it never goes anywhere far enough. It just continues on with the same playing and rhythms throughout the song so it doesn't lead anywhere. It feels almost like a more modern song without a drop. Something is missing for the songs to make me want to listen again. That said I'm happy Its on this list and that I got to play through it since this is exactly what I was hoping for when I started this list.
Não é pra mim, respeito o som, acho legal, mas não é pra mim. Dentro do gênero merece 3 estrelas
Great
Am I... better than everyone else? He really owns the title of one of the best guitarist in the world. Great vibes, don't know if my type of music but definitely an impressive album in its style.
Not for me. 1/5
Not my jam.
This was fine to have on in the background. I could not tell what language he was using, sometimes it sounded French, other times, maybe Arabic? It sounded like deep south blues mixed with African beats. Because I could not understand the lyrics, I am reviewing based on vibe/sound alone.
If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times: you give me a tight West African groove for an hour every now and then and I will be happy to zone out to it every time.
I guess it’s fine. It’s not really my thing
This was lovely background music and I enjoyed it more than a lot of the albums so far. What this is all about.
Love this gentleman. Always will.
Not my vibe, but still interesting. 2/5.
I enjoy well done, world music, a little monotone for a full album though
Interesting music.
Some good instrumental but wtf was he saying
Voto do Pedro.
Interesting stuff...never listened to anything like it before. Pretty repetitive to my ears, but technically cool.
meh
Very nice music.
Vibey. Would make good background music.
Its pretty nice and all, good representation yadi yada, but doesnt really excite me. 3.2/5
This feels like a love letter written by Touré to his craft, recorded in his final days and released after his death. Many of these tracks feel adjacent to meditations - repeated riffs and motifs over narrowly varying instrumentation, but seems to be such intentionally. Ali's droning vocal delivery might be an acquired taste, but sonically contracts to the polished, steady suite of guitar and percussion in the background. I enjoyed this listen, and not for any of the reasons I thought I would. Favourite track: title track 7.5/10
The African John Lee Hooker is a really funny term for describing this guy and I don't know why. I see it though. No idea what I'm listening to, but I really enjoy the guitarwork and vocals on this thing. This is what I like with World music, not just some cunt screaming to bongos. Anyways, I was repairing a phone screen while I was listening to this so I was extremely stressed and on edge listening to this. Does that mean I didn't enjoy it? Fuck no, this thing is awesome. Fav: Yer Bounds Fara
I find it very difficult to properly appreciate music from different language groups. Anything with a mutual root with English, my brain makes enough of an intelligible link for the song to catch in my brain, but when it’s something like Arabic, Mandarin, or in this case Malian, the base isn’t there for the little ‘catchy tune’ centre of my brain to put the hooks in so I remember it. It’s a shame too, because instrumentally this album is sublime, and the vocals strongly complement, but I really struggle to point out any specific track to recall, and not for lack of trying. This is the type of album I’m very glad to be allocated by this list, as it’s not something I think I’d ever discover organically.
For the most part, this was a great intersection of African music and Blues. It’s an album with no frills or gimmicks to try and make itself stand out. It took me a while to warm up to this on a first listen. A great background listen with a couple of standout tracks.
This album creates a very specific ambience. It's sound is both familiar and novel at the same time. The blend of African, French and American is striking. It's a lovely farewell from a very talented musician. Loved it
I enjoyed this a lot. What a talent.
Vibes after vibes - it’s a good combo of blues and cool world type beats. Sad to hear it’s his last album - has so much passion in it.
Not every album on the list has to be the greatest thing ever, but albums like this add so much life to the book. Sets a nice atmosphere, and the apparent local influences are pretty cool. This being his last album sets him off very well.
nice enough
This was a fun and enjoyable album. It’s pretty much African folk mixed with blues. Once you get a little ways into it, it definitely draws you in with its meditative and trance like atmosphere. Turns out Ali Farka Touré had been battling cancer, and during that battle he managed to create this album, but unfortunately, he passed away just a few months before it was released.
No matter the language, that’s some damn fine guitar playing!
African blues is appealing, despite the language barrier, because of the instruments used and the rhythm. I don’t know if I like this album more or less than others of its genre, but it kept me interested. 3.5
I like this quite a bit, even though I have no idea what the lyrics mean. Great background music. 3.5* rounding up because I would like to come back to it
Gillade blues och österländska influenserna
Was not familiar with this artist, much less with African Blues, I really liked Savane and Hanana, the rest were good as well, but not something I'd listen to, every day.
Listened but it didn't really engage me, nor offend me. Some cool riffs here and there.
some nice guitar work, but not my cup of tea overall
I've always enjoyed Ali Farka Toure since I discovered him on his albums with Ry Cooder, and it was great to hear an album I was not familiar with.
Nice sound
Soya was listenable. The rest of the album I didn’t care for. Every song felt like forever, it was incredibly repetitive.
Wonderful! I've also really enjoyed the music of Vieux Farka Touré, Ali's son. In fact I saw him live at The Chapel, a music venue around the corner from my house. If you're reading this, also check out Mdou Moctar.
Fun to listen to, new to me
Meh
There was a repetitive slightly off beat in a lot of these songs I really liked, sort of a math rock blues thing. Most of the album flew by. Was a bit too long though and there were a few songs that didn't land for me, and I wish I understood the lyrics to give it all a bit more context. Overall it was good and I'd happily listen again but I've got a feeling I might not go back.
Good enough background. Never really found it hard to listen to - but never jumped out at me. Could be any of many.
Didn't mind this in the background, nice blues sound at times, but didn't really grab me.... Again, hard when you don't understand the language. Felt like it created a certain ambience though. 2.5, won't be rushing back
2.0 - Weak
Good blues, well made. I probably won’t revisit it
First Malian music I've ever heard. Sort of like a new blues. Really liked it, great vibes.
Good vibes. Another day, another 4. This was excellent chill background
This was cool, and a pretty good blues album. You can feel the soul coming through even if you don't speak Malian, and the instruments work is well done. I feel like I'd love to hear this music in a movie.
Okay, nice instrumental vibes.
This is a fine album but it really isn't music I would listen to.
Not sure I understand why it is on the list