Amadou & Mariam Merge Tradition with Innovation
Malian blues duo Amadou & Mariam just dropped a greatest hits album while noting how they’re intrigued by the sounds of Billie Eilish.
Tishoumaren
Mdou Moctar Holds Nothing Back on Extraordinary ‘Funeral for Justice’
Even by Mdou Moctar’s high standards, Funeral for Justice is extraordinary. Its music and lyrics are searing, and the messages are essential in 2024.
Tinariwen Take an Intriguing Outlaw Country Turn on ‘Amatssou’
Tinariwen link Nashville and North Africa on Amatssou in ways well suited to a definition of outlaw country that includes their rebellious rock.
Liberation Blues: Tinariwen Invoke the Sahel’s Complex History on ‘Amatssou’
Connections with Jack White and Daniel Lanois are great, but West African blues collective Tinariwen had to navigate Covid and political unrest to deliver their surprisingly exuberant new LP.