Tinariwen Sing Songs Of Freedom For Women Of The Sahara In "Assàwt"
The Grammy winning Saharan band Tinariwen, described as “desert blues practitioners” by The Guardian, have just premiered a song from their forthcoming album Elwan which arrives on February 10th via Anti-.
The track is called “Assawt” and it features everything listeners throughout the world have come love about Tinariwen, virtuosic and soulful guitar playing, intricate yet irresistible rhythm and some truly evocative vocal harmonies.
Listen to “Assawt” here care of Flood Magazine: http://floodmagazine.com/42639/premiere-tinariwen-sing-songs-of-freedom-for-the-women-of-the-sahara-in-assawt/
An English translation of the song’s lyrics
That’s the voice of the Tamashek women Searching for their freedom. Those are the thoughts of the old women Living in a Sahara devoid of water, Desiccated and miserable, My wish is for it to stop being subservient. This is a message for those Who toil for the revolution.
Featuring guest performances from Kurt Vile, Matt Sweeney, Alain Johannes, Mark Lanegan and more, Elwan was recorded in both the California desert of Joshua Tree and in Southern Morocco. It is unquestionably a “road record” with each song evoking a land that can no longer be found, with all that this implies in terms of emotional range, from nostalgia for a joyous past to the tragic recent loss of a territory, and of the dream that it nourished.
Tinariwen have announced dates for their 2017 headline tour of North America, beginning on March 30th in Solana Beach, CA.
Tour Dates:
30 MARCH – SOLANA BEACH, CA : BELLY UP TAVERN
31 MARCH – LOS ANGELES, CA : THE FONDA THEATRE
01 APRIL – BERKELEY, CA : THE UC THEATRE
02 APRIL – PORTLAND, OR : REVOLUTION HALL
04 APRIL – SEATTLE, WA : BENAROYA HALL
05 APRIL – VANCOUVER, BC : CHAN CENTRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
7 APRIL – SALT LAKE CITY, UT : THE STATE ROOM
08 APRIL – DENVER, CO: SWALLOW HILL MUSIC ASSOCIATION
10 APRIL – MINNEAPOLIS, MN : CEDAR CULTURAL CENTER
11 APRIL – CHICAGO, IL : OLD TOWN SCHOOL OF FOLK MUSIC
12 APRIL – TORONTO, ONT : MASSEY HALL
13 APRIL – MONTREAL, QC : PLACE DES ARTS
14 APRIL – BOSTON, MA : ROYALE
15 APRIL – BROOKLYN, NY : BROOKLYN BOWL
16 APRIL – BROOKLYN, NY : BROOKLYN BOWL
18 APRIL – PHILADELPHIA, PA : UNION TRANSFER
19 APRIL – WASHINGTON, DC : BARNS AT WOLF TRAP
21 APRIL – PITTSBURGH, PA : CARNEGIE OF HOMESTEAD HALL