Mdou Moctar – Funeral For Justice (CD)
Product Details
Mdou Moctar learned guitar by trading a goat for a Chinese knockoff instrument and teaching himself by ear from cassettes, and the electric desert blues he's built from that origin have made him one of the most vital guitarists alive today. Recorded against the backdrop of political crisis in Niger, this 2024 release channels the raw intensity of his live performances into something with urgent purpose, connecting the Tuareg tradition of assouf to a full-band rock fury that hits like a live show.
The songs on 'Funeral For Justice' speak unflinchingly to the plight of Niger and of the Tuareg people. "This album is really different for me," explains Moctar, the band's singer, namesake, and indisputably iconic guitarist. "Now the problems of terrorist violence are more serious in Africa. When the US and Europe came here, they said they're going to help us, but what we see is really different. They never help us to find a solution." "Mdou Moctar has been a strong anti-colonial band ever since I've been a part of it," says producer / bassist Mikey Coltun, who has been playing with Moctar since 2017. On the lead single and title track, Moctar addresses African leaders directly, bidding them: "Retake control of your countries, rich in resources / Build them and quit sleeping". The song 'Sousoume Tamacheq' deals with the plight of the Tuareg people to which the band belong, and who are spread across three countries: Niger, Mali and Algeria."Oppressed in all three / In addition to lack of unity, ignorance is the third issue." Mdou Moctar in it's current iteration is first and foremost a band. Alongside Moctar, it consists of rhythm guitarist Ahmoudou Madassane, drummer Souleymane Ibrahim, and American bassist and producer Mikey Coltun. The band got their start performing at traditional weddings. These are high energy events - amps are dialed to 11 and the whole town is invited to attend. Their first concerts in the US were sometimes, mistakenly, organized to be tame seated affairs. That's no longer the case. Over hundreds of shows, they've proven themselves as one of the world's most vital rock bands - a group rooted in Tuareg tradition, but undeniably it's own singular organism. An Mdou Moctar concert is now recognized to be a place for dancing, if not full-force.
Tracklist
UPC: 191401203128
Label: Matador Records
Release Date: 5.3.24
Format: CD