Ali Farka Touré -- Savane

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It's the last album he made before his death, it's recently been released, and it's receiving great reviews. It has a METASCORE (i.e., a weighted average of the reviews of the album) of 93 on the METACRITIC site, making it -- at the moment -- one of the most critically praised album of 2006 (albeit on the strength of only 9 reviews).

Has anyone heard it? Is it as good as the reviews suggest? Thanks.

― Daniel, Esq., Tuesday, 29 August 2006 20:10 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah I am curious too.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Tuesday, 29 August 2006 20:37 (nineteen years ago)

I forgot to mention, I bought the album already, on the strength of the positive reviews. But I haven't had time to explore it (maybe tonight and tomorrow -- while Tropical Storm Ernesto is dumping 10 inches of rain on my house -- might be a good time to do so).

― Daniel, Esq., Tuesday, 29 August 2006 20:57 (nineteen years ago)

consensus albums are never as good as the overall rating suggests. i guess it has to do with the fact that if all critics "get" the album it must be a tad boring, without rough edges.

three scores on metacritic which are a joke:

amnesiac, possibly the greatest album of the zero years got 74 at the time. whereas giant sand's last album got 85, it is my less favourite of the 20 or so albums by howe gelb and friends i have at home. gospelish. and of course the 97 score for the latest dylan is largely owned to the name, not to the music. which is fine but not outstanding.

― alex in mainhattan (alex63), Tuesday, 29 August 2006 21:46 (nineteen years ago)

"consensus albums are never as good as the overall rating suggests. i guess it has to do with the fact that if all critics 'get' the album it must be a tad boring, without rough edges."

-- Alex in Mainhattan

I think that's generally right. But Savane could still be a very fine album.

― Daniel, Esq., Tuesday, 29 August 2006 21:49 (nineteen years ago)

I've never really connected with Toure's albums, this one included. I prefer the new Cheikh Lo and Toumani Diabate records.

― Patrick South (Patrick South), Tuesday, 29 August 2006 21:50 (nineteen years ago)

"amnesiac, possibly the greatest album of the zero years got 74 at the time."

Guffaw.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Tuesday, 29 August 2006 21:50 (nineteen years ago)

The Toure record WITH Toumani Diabate is excellent. I love Toure's solo albums though. I found Red & Green for $7 a while back and am totally in love with it.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Tuesday, 29 August 2006 22:02 (nineteen years ago)

It's superb. Daytime to Toumani Diabete & The Symmetric Orchestra's night-time. (Both recorded in the same Bamako mobile studio as part of Nick Gold's "Hotel Mande Sessions" project - I have visions of TD&TSO taking over the studio and jamming all night after AFT's lot have clocked off for the day.)

― mike t-diva (mike t-diva), Wednesday, 30 August 2006 08:49 (nineteen years ago)

sixteen years pass...

there is a new collection of odds and ends from the last decade or so of his life out, it's v good.

― calzino, Tuesday, 21 March 2023 11:40 (two years ago)

I keep meaning to listen to that . Thanks for reminder

― curmudgeon, Tuesday, 21 March 2023 21:41 (two years ago)

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