Fondo by Vieux Farka Touré
LABEL: Six Degrees

It's always refreshing when an artist goes about combining their disparate musical influences into a cohesive, enjoyable sound. On his sophomore album, Fondo, Vieux Farka Touré has presented us with such a sound. West Africa has always been a bit of a mixing pot for musical influences, and this record certainly continues that tradition. Touré has let funk and reggae seep into the bluesy Malian guitar style that his father popularized, with some great results. Songs like "Sarama," with its super-funky drumming and killer bass line show how Touré has seamlessly incorporated his non-Malian influences into his particular brand of blues. LIkewise, on "Diaraby Magni," Toure throws in a wah-wah rhythm guitar and some dubbed-out drums to create a heavy reggae vibe—a nice counterpoint to the dry, light desert guitar sound. The album does have a few bits of cheese, though. The opening track, "Fafa," is dominated by an acrobatic, fuzzy guitar solo over a relatively boring, mid-tempo rock beat. Not terrible, just not especially interesting. "Slow Jam" is basically the same thing—but slower; although the addition of a ngoni spices things up a bit. All in all, Touré has made a very solid album that feels entirely modern without sounding the least bit forced.

REVIEWED BY PHIL BABCOCK

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