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Toumast
Ishumar
(Real World/Ryko)
First Appeared in The Music Box, April 2008, Volume 15, #4
Written by John Metzger
Mon April 14, 2008, 09:00 AM CDT
The problem with the mass commercialization of rock ’n‘ roll is that the
genre has lost much of its ability to connect on anything more than a
superficial level. As songs increasingly are written to follow a preordained
formula, one which is designed primarily to obtain maximum exposure through
mainstream radio outlets as well as television programs, the resulting music
inevitably becomes diluted until only a homogenized mass of mediocrity is left.
There always will be a few artists such as Radiohead who will do everything
possible to buck the system from within. Yet, it seems as if, with increasing
frequency, the most inspired, impassioned, and original sounds are emanating
from foreign soils.
Toumast’s Ishumar is a prime example of how Western ideas are being
adopted and reformulated in intriguing ways. Under the guidance of Moussa Ag
Keyna, Aminatou Goumar, and multi-instrumentalist Dan Levy, the ensemble
essentially turns blues motifs inside out and upside down by injecting them with
an array of exotic textures. Both Ali Farka Toure and Tinariwen serve as the
primary influences upon the outfit, and not surprisingly, the desert-meets-delta
spin that the group places upon John Lee Hooker’s signature style infiltrates
tracks such as Innulamane and Ezeref. Both Goumar’s assertive
ululations and Keyna’s probing guitar playing adopt the raw power of rock ’n‘
roll to suit a new purpose, but when Levy unleashes a fluttering soprano
saxophone solo during Tallyatidagh, John Coltrane’s spiritual A Love
Supreme seems to hover alongside the framework of the notes he traces
through the air.
Toumast’s lyrics run the gamut from pledges of devotion to political
commentary, and delivered in the group’s native tongue, they obtain a poetic,
mesmerizing quality. While they translate awkwardly into English, reading
through the words of Ishumar’s songs via the translation that is provided
in the accompanying booklet proves to be helpful, nonetheless, because it
provides a basic understanding of Toumast’s perspective. The music, however, is
where the real communication occurs. From the hypnotic, rhythmic pulse of
Dounia to the haunting anguish of Maraou Oran to the sense of
determined perseverance that permeates Ammilana, the emotions that the
band is trying to convey are unmistakable.
In the end, Ishumar is an impassioned affair that relays the struggles
as well as the hopes and dreams of a culture of people from a distant land. The
underlying messages and sentiments that are expressed undeniably hold universal
appeal, and the outing is filled with more heart and soul than most of the
material that is being peddled to the masses.  ½
Of Further Interest...
Dobet Gnahore - Na Afriki
Tinariwen - Aman Iman
Vieux Farka Toure - self-titled
Ishumar is available from Amazon.com.
To order, Click Here!
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Ratings
1 Star: Pitiful
2 Stars: Listenable
3 Stars: Respectable
4 Stars: Excellent
5 Stars: Can't Live Without It!!
Copyright © 2008 The Music Box
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