Vieux Farka Toure – Mon Pays (Six Degrees
Records)
CD/DL
26 August 2013
Being the Son of the great Ali Farka Toure
can’t be easy if you’re wanting to follow his footsteps in the world of music,
but, Vieux Farka Toure grips the challenge firmly. Mon Pays is yet another album from a Malian
artist where the conflict in the homeland precludes a ban on music and slavery
is once again a primary news story.
Mon Pays (My Country) is an album of sparkling
quality, taking traditional music and adding a slight Western twist, the album
stands out with its choruses of male voice backing some superb
musicianship. Farka, like his father,
has an incomparable talent for guitar playing and the tight arrangements are
well presented and enthralling. Opener, the
traditional song ‘Diack So’, has an instantly recognisable sound and has an
almost Scottish or Gaelic fiddle in the background. One of many instrument combinations on the
album that make it so interesting.
Currently available as a free download, ‘Allah
Wawi’ is an hypnotic piece which is a perfect showcase to the album. Some gorgeous sounds from ngoni and violon
and a steady percussive backing.
Toure reminds us of the current tragedies in Mali
on ‘Yer Gando’, a calabash rhythm and a vocal arrangement which sees his own
voice ‘echoed’ by the backing singers on every line. Instrumentals, ‘Future’ and ‘Peace’ are
lovely pieces with the former having an oriental influence and the later having
an almost Shakespearean feel at times.
The highlight of the album is undoubtedly
Safare. Its melody is again almost
familiar sounding and there’s something rather wonderful about hearing a voice
in a foreign tongue which makes you actually listen to the song rather than be
distracted by any words.
Mon Pays is a well-polished and accomplished
album which (unknowingly) breaks down a few musical walls and genres and
creates a sound very accessible and welcome.
8/10
Links
Published on Louder Than War 25/08/13 - here
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