When world music artists collaborate with Western acts, our inner Rousseau, with his patronising vision of the noble savage pumping out some exotic groove from an ancient wellspring of innate good taste, is usually severely compromised.
It turns out all your favourite developing world star really wanted to do was duet with some embarrassing rock aristocrat like Sting, rather than genuflect at the altar of consensus approved cool things. Tinariwen, the Tuareg nomads, and former tooled-up freedom fighters, currently pushing another helping of their streamlined Saharan blues, remain unsullied.
They’re the world music band you can take to the Uncut awards without worrying they’re going to get off with Chris Rea.
The opener here, Imidiwan Ma Tenam, features the American free improviser and Wilco collaborator Nels Cline on extra texture, Tenere Taqhim Tossam deploys members of Brooklyn’s post-rockers TV On The Radio, and this Christmas the band play at the Minehead Butlin’s hipsters’ love-in All Tomorrow’s Parties.
Their fifth album finds them out of the studio, recording alfresco under the stars, and sounds again like every great white, twin guitar band you ever loved – from Television to Thin White Rope – gone native at the source of the blues, and fronted by sun-blinded snake-charmers, clicking their fingers and swaying to an irresistible gravitational swell.
Few of this music’s inheritors channel the spirits so powerfully. And those still weeping for John Lee Hooker, or his Malian opposite number Ali Farka Toure, need look no further than Tamiditin Tan Ufrawan or Tiliaden Osamnat for a taste of the cyclical hypno-blues they believed forgotten for ever.
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube