Hailing from southern Algeria, this Tuareg desert blues troupe twists Tinariwen’s template with their second full-length. Lead track “Azzaman” commingles traditional and contemporary culture via pan-African rhythms and blazing guitar work. Driving the point home, its accompanying video contrasts Chinese construction cranes against the kneading of dough for kesra. “Tumast” opens with funky bass fit for a Barney Miller reboot before blowing up in classic rock transcendence. (Fri. 27, Cheer Up Charlies, 7:30pm)
This article appears in April 27 • 2018.
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Greg Beets was born in Lubbock on the day Richard Nixon was elected president. He has covered music for the Chronicle since 1992, writing about everyone from Roky Erickson to Yanni. Beets has also written for Billboard,Uncut, Blurt, Elmore, and Pop Culture Press. Before his digestive tract cried uncle, he co-published Hey! Hey! Buffet!, an award-winning fanzine about all-you-can-eat buffets.
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