AMADOU & MARIAM – “Dimanche à Bamako”
Nonesuch, 2005

MALI / FRANCE – Hooray! Amadou & Mariam have been broadening the palette of Malian blues for years. On this disc, the husband & wife team (who both happen to be blind, fyi) team up with way-cool producer/guitarist Manu Chao for 15 tracks of totally infectious Afro-blues, blended with French pop, reggae, Cuban rhythms, and whatever else fits the moment. If you aren’t already hip to A&M, now is a very good time to check them out.

FO’s PICKS: 2–5, 8, 14

1. 2:09 – cute love song with mellow guitars/drum, child’s spoken intro
2. 1:57 – bouncy catchy guitar riffs, thumb piano, balafon, more child speak
3. 3:16 – upbeat bounce, full band: bluesy guitar w/little repeats, male vox
4. 3:30 – uptempo w/a reggae beat, soul organ, siren & “audience” noise
5. 4:16 – definite Manu Chao influence here: great riffing melody, light reggae beat, deadpan almost-rapped vocal, and blues harmonica!
6. 3:09 – quick rhythm, sing-song fem vox & steady guitar patterns
7. 4:08 – village ambiance, laid back guitars, tabla, duet vox, musical saw!
8. 4:07 – highway song: spoken intro, busy driving rhythm (ha ha), vox have a hint of hip-hop and there’s a rustic Latin feel in the guitar work
9. 3:28 – Sunday in Bamako: steady beat & vox, lilting guitars, cool trumpet
10. 4:17 – solidarity song: layered walking rhythm, sweet vox, flute accents
11. 4:10 – quick rhythm, with latin & reggae touches, nice horn section
12. 3:41 – relaxed tempo, street sounds, dripping gtr, cool monotone vox
13. 4:54 – music for Starbucks: folksy guitars, smooooth groove, guest vox
14. 3:42 – echo fem vox, dark layers, blues guitar & heavy piano in back
15. 5:20 – relaxed tempo: tinkly keys, steady guitar, plain lead vox + speech

[Fo] – August 2005