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The wonderful thing about African records is they almost always sound like a group effort between a variety of musicians and vocalists. Whether fusing original instruments from different nations or singing in multi-cultural tones, there is room for many artists to stand out and shine.
Mali’s Amadou & Mariam perfect this type of sound on their most recent release “Welcome to Mali.” Hailed as “the blind couple” throughout Africa, Amadou & Mariam met at Mali’s Institute for the Young Blind in the late 1970s and bonded through a shared passion for music. They married and produced a prolific amount of recordings throughout the ’80s and ’90s. This mounting success led them to Manu Chao, who produced their critically acclaimed “Dimanche a Bamako” (Sunday in Bamako) in 2004.
“Welcome to Mali” sees the group building on their original Mali sound while smoothly adding hints of reggae, hip-hop and Latin flavor with plenty of the usual face melting Amadou guitar solos. The constant variation of Mariam’s gorgeous voice and Amadou’s righteous chant create a weave between the two. Their gift is evident in the mood their songs create. Their vibe transcends borders – after one listen through the album you won’t worry about understanding the French lyrics.
Amadou’s piercing, psychedelic guitar appears almost immediately on second track “Ce N’est Pas Bon” and the sheer power of the band is in full effect. They have a knack for knowing when the other half of the duo should come in and take over the vocal section. The same can be said for Amadou’s guitar playing. Every once in a while the melody steps aside to let Amadou shred through a solo and leave you with no remorse over the money you paid. It is evident they have widened the margins of their sound and influence, which has helped them reach an even wider audience and landed them a large North American tour. In general, their hip-hop and funk influences make this a very accessible album whether you listen to African music or not.
After a balanced first half, Amadou & Mariam really heat up in the midsection where “Masiteladi” allows Amadou’s guitar to flash back into action with a rock riff badass enough to have come from anywhere in 1960s rock ‘n’ roll. On “Africa,” they get help from Somali-born rapper K’naan to form a laid back anthem for the summer where he boasts of “the original west coast-east coast collaboration.”
Even more impressive than Amadou’s guitar playing are the sprawling keyboards that direct much of the album’s emotional energy. Near the end of the record they settle into a funky groove with jams that scream to be heard at a summer barbecue. The group effort from numerous collaborators never lets go of the warm and fuzzy tones that make the album such a joy.
It is difficult to find such harmonious collaboration in western music. While an array of artists share songs internationally, the cohesive atmosphere African music bleeds is something that cannot be artificially substituted. It is dumbfounding why African music has not made a bigger splash in North America, but with enticing acts such as Amadou & Mariam, that may not last for long.
Grade: A-
Bangor Daily News