Rating:
Genre:
World
Release Date: 10/12/2004
Tinariwen strip
rock down to its basic building blocks of rhythm, guitars, and voice. On their second CD there are no fancy studio tricks or multiple overdubs. They stick to what they've shown they do well -- keep the music raw and emotional. While there are similarities to the desert
blues of Mali, these Tuareg nomads from the Western Sahara are as much as
rock band as the
Stones at their best, capable of conjuring up magic with a guitar riff or lick. Oftentimes, the music has the same bluesy, undulating, hypnotic rhythm of a camel crossing the sand, as on
"Aldhechen Manin." But they can also crank the amps and unleash something to tingle the spine and feet, which they do on
"Oualahila Ar Tesninam," as frantic and primal a piece of
rock & roll as you're likely to find. There's even a touch of
rap on
"Arawan." But there's a complexity in their basic approach, the interlocking layers of electric guitars and the plaintive, defiant voices. To listen to
Tinariwen is to believe once more in
rock and its power. This is angry and passionate; it's dangerous music in the very best sense. Western bands might have forgotten how to
rock as if their lives depended on it;
Tinariwen can teach them.
~Chris Nickson, All Music Guide
Listen
