Talking Timbuktu

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

Unbelievable album. Loved every track. Some amazing guitar riffs.

Groovy, but not as groovy as the other one.

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.

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

These two musicians complement each other well and give each other space to excel

Just circled back to it - Ali F. Toure is a talented player.....

Ok...semi sterile but decent for background music. 2.5/5

It's very pleasant for the most part, with some nice technical guitar.

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.

Couldn’t get this one on my streaming service.

When this album came up my first reactions was this is going to be terrible! Then after playing the first track I knew I was right and in for a rough ride with this one!

Not a fan at all

Very solid album, probably 5 stars but gotta listen to it more for that.

Good guitar album, not one I’ll rush back to though.

Een echte mijmerplaat. Dus ik mijmer maar een eind op los. Voor en nadeel daarvan is dat mijmeren nergens naar toe hoeft te gaan. Ik mijmer over de zaken die verdwenen zijn. Waar is Rolf Wouters, waar zijn die Peruanen voor mijn winkelcentrum, waar zijn de strepen op de provinciale wegen? Ik mis het allemaal niet, ik merk alleen de afwezigheid op. Ik mijmer over de gelijkenissen tussen Zuid-Amerikaanse en Afrikaanse klanken. Of komt dat gewoon door de taalbarrière? Ik mijmer over de taal die ze in Mali spreken. En of mij dat voldoende uitmaakt om het te googlen. Tot ik ineens wordt opgeschrikt door een soort panfluit. Weet ik in ieder geval waar die Peruaanse geluiden naar toe zijn. De zang klinkt vaak ook net zo als voor de supermarkt, al is het nu vast in het Bambara. Weet ik ook weer dat het interessant genoeg was om op te zoeken. Ik mijmer verder op het rustige gitaartje. Het wordt nu een soort blues. En ik mijmer verder en ik mijmer verder en niets in mij heeft zin om hier een oordeel over te vellen. De straatmuziek irriteert mij wat en nodig mij tegelijk uit om lekker weg te dromen. Het is gewoon muziek waar je helemaal niets van moet vinden. Gewoon de aanwezigheid constateren is voldoende. De sterren hieronder mijn tekstvak zijn dwingender. Die eisen toch om beroerd te worden. Laat ik het maar in het midden laten.

Wonderful and varied, with influences from all sorts of places. Ry Cooder being involved was not something I expected, but was good.

Talking Timbuktu is a fine album for what it is. The melodies worked in a majority of the songs and even thought they didn't work well in some of the others, those ones were the shorter ones. It does feel like another elevator album but i do think its better than the other ones (how many times am i gonna keep saying this?). It is a decent album that is worth listening to
Best Song: Lasidan
Worst Song: Banga
(Side note: I don't know why but i find it so funny that there is a song called Sega as in the game company)

I enjoyed this, very chill listening. A solid 3.

Ali is a folk guitarist from Mali, and Ry is a guitarist from America. This is classed as Malian folk. Interested to see what this is all about.

This album was fantastic! The classic African folk music coupled with some phenomenal fiddle work (notably on Sega) was awesome!

Favourite songs: Bonde, Amandrai, Soukora, Gomni, Ai Du, Sega, Banga, Lasidan

Least favourite songs: if forced to pick, Diaraby

4/5