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album reviews

Diblo Diablo

Super Soukous 9 ( ? )
Super K / Etoula / Amour Et Souvenir / Bolinga / Kelele

What I actually KNOW about Diblo Diablo can be written on the back of a postage stamp. Some might say, such a thing severely hampers my ability to review such an artist. Am I completely knowledgeable about African guitar music? No. So what? How many people reading this site ARE? That's my point. There are those who will do their research, and come up with the same facts about whatever artist as everybody else. They were born in such and such a year, these albums are acclaimed as being their best, etc, etc. I don't care about any of that, and will happily review this album via the time honoured method, of ZERO research. I know that Diblo Diablo is a hugely respected African guitar player. More importantly, I know that the sounds he makes moves me more than any other African guitar music i've heard. And, I have heard a fair bit, through late night listening to Andy Kershaw and the immortal John Peel. Living in the Midlands, UK? Which I do. Living there? I get to hear music from almost every single culture, or race, in the entire world. African guitar music appealed to me, however. There is just something about the clear pure tone to his guitar playing. The lyrics? Well, I only speak English and don't understand a single word of them. Yet, the emotions present are clear through the vocal intonation. Mostly, I just listen for the utterly delicious guitar playing.

'Super K' seems to be the kind of track i'd adore to be played at my wedding reception. This is a deliriously happy party track, full of ice-cream sunday guitar playing, the guitar just hypnotises me. 'Amour Et Souenir' is a similarily triple toffee delicious trifle master guitar showcase. I'm particularly fond of 'Bolinga', the guitar moves around my 5.1 stereo speakers and just knocks me right out of my chair! I have no preconceptions surrounding various styles of music, unlike some. African guitar music came to me from John Peel. I still know very little about it in a music critic kind of way, but then - i'm not writing for Mojo, Rolling Stone, or the NME. None of those publications would write about this music, anyway. This is the surpreme pudding, the supreme after dinner treat. Believe.

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Readers Comments John, County Kildare john.j.doyle@nuim.ie Now now, Adrian!!! Less of the "Mojo" bashing. I think you will find that they, along with "Uncut" and a select few others are EXACTLY the kind of publications who write about, and encourage, the development of African, and "World Music" in general. Great review all the same, definitely one for my next visit to the local music emporium.

this page last updated 14/10/08