Music: Tinariwen's "Tassili" (fresh Touareg grooves from North Africa)

[Video Link] Tassili, the new record from Tinariwen comes out in a few weeks. With all the political unrest in their native country of Mali, in the Sahara desert region of north Africa, the music and the spirit behind their work seem all the more timely.

This band of Touareg musicians are touring the US right now, and just played LA's Troubadour last night (Henry Rollins called 'em "one of the best live bands ever"). Above, a preview of the new album.

Below, a music video from their 2009 release, "Imidiwan: Companions." Look for their music on Boing Boing's in-flight entertainment TV channel on board Virgin America Airlines, too.

Catch them on tour. Here's a schedule.

[Video Link #2]

• [mcv]

  Awesome music! And I love beardy guitar players with square glasses (Faith No More also had a guy like that).

  Most of these guys don’t exactly look like Tuareg, though. The Tuareg I’ve met in Mali looked much more Arabic.

  • [Anonymous]

    duh…..The “beardy guitar player(s) with square glasses” is Kyp Malone from TV On The Radio who joined Tinariwen to record on the album along with the “other” TVONR member, Tunde, who is singing on this video…….

• [Anonymous]

  If you enjoyed this, do listen to Group Inerane and Group Doueh.
  Fantastic stuff. The first album from Inerane is mind blowing!

• [procedura]

  you should check this guy BOMBINO

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzWBow0OAeA

  & (!)

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Adfb17JQYtg&feature=related

• [Trixi]

  Fantastic!! Thanks for the recommendation, this is great stuff.

• [Gyrofrog]

  Speaking of Tuareg bands, whatever happened to Tartit? Not a peep, that I know of, in a few years.

• [RhoneRanger]

  Saw them in LA a few years back looking as though they’d just drifted in from the desert. They played in a no-nonsense effortless fashion that was a beautiful, almost mesmerizing visual compliment to their sound. A shame I missed this one!

• [Anonymous]

  Argh!

  Missed them at my local music festival. They were no-shows due to (As I hear it) lack of proper visas or some crap. Even more ticked about it now.

• [Chang]

  My god do I love these guys!!! Amazing stuff! And Anon @ #7 I love Group Doueh, too! William Gibson mentioned him in his last book and I had to get it. Lovely stuff.

  Xeni, I think you and I could make beautiful music together – ahem, I mean – recommend some beautiful music to each other. ;)

• [Anonymous]

  I enjoy them very much. They reached my soul

• [djcarlito]

  So cool! I’m mesmerized!

• [Ratdog]

  I’ve followed this band for a while, and have seen them live a few times.

  They are truly outstanding. I’m glad to see others feel the same way.

• [silkox]

  How to find their tour schedule?

  • [Xeni Jardin]

    http://www.tinariwen.com/ for tour schedule

• [Toneelschrijver]

  Mmm, acoustic – or rather semi-acoustic – music from Tinariwen. That sounds promising! I saw them in the Amsterdam Melkweg (Milky way) some years ago, but I’m sorry to say they played a pretty routine concert on that occasion. Just my bad luck, I guess. Their records are excellent, though, and should be played loud.

• [Morrigan]

  Thank you for introducing Tinariwen to me.

• [Anonymous]

  I had the very good fortune to see these guys live in Prague of all places. I think the venue was called the Acropolis. It was an incredible show, we went there just for some live music not knowing what to expect. After they played we happily bought the cd’s they had available. I’d love to see them again in the UK. Beautiful rock music with such a lyrical history behind it. Forever a fan after that show. When I got back to the uk I read a few reviews saying they were the “Rolling Stones of the desert.

• [juepucta]

  In the same vein, check out Tamikrest.

  -G.

• [Sgt. Manners]

  Oh man, these guys are amazing! Thanks Xeni.

• [MarlboroTestMonkey7]

  Good!
  My recommendation: Orchestre National de Barbes