Press Kit
Official Press Release by RockPaperScissors
Press Quotes
Vieux Farka Toure and Modiba co-founder Eric Herman featured in Nov. 2007 issue of Songlines Magazine
"A buoyant record, with a foundation of eminently danceable rhythms and lively, complex instrumental interplay. There are moments of moody, epic beauty... but its tone is largely celebratory."
"Following in the desert blues footsteps of his father." (FEATURE)
"Vieux Farka Toure has taken up where his father left off with the release of this sublime debut album."
"A remarkable debut." Rolling Stone
"A beautiful piece of music... a splendid collection, one that is complex, relaxing, and warm."
"By infusing his own spirit and a reverence for [his] patrimonial heritage, Vieux Farka Touré proves that 'desert' or 'African blues' is a living, changing, growing sound." (4 stars)
"The young Farka Toure has given the desert blues a lighter, more engaging and almost poppy vitality." (4 stars)
"Mali has a new guitar god, and his name is Vieux Farka Toure."
"Desert blues never sounded so fresh... Vieux is certainly set to follow in his two-time Grammy-winning father's footsteps."
"Vieux proves himself a worthy keeper of the flame, in a manner which would surely have made the old man proud." (4 stars)
"Even setting aside the contributions from his father and Diabaté, this debut release from Vieux Farka Touré displays a precocious mastery of form. Vieux comes across as a deeply grounded individual who cares about the world around him... the spirit of his father lives on in Vieux’s guitar work. Equally compelling, the very good soul of Ali Farka seems to be within his son, as well. Happily, the family name lives on. Vieux Farka Touré is a terrific debut." (8 of 10)
"The king is dead, long live the king!" (4 stars)
"A timeless piece of work that is sure to end up on many critics' end-of-year polls. It subtly bridges the gap between old and new, adding hints of reggae and rock, but always maintaining a profoundly Malian feel."
"This confident and vibrant debut gives every indication Vieux is a formidable force in his own right." (5 Stars)
"Ali Farka Touré was not a griot (a hereditary musician), but Vieux already sounds like his natural heir, with confidence, expertise and a style of his own…The great dynasty lives on." (4 Stars)
"Crisply produced, the record crackles with minimalist intensity - a triumph."
"As far as debut albums go, this one is nearly perfect." (4 stars)
"How do you follow in the footsteps of a giant? Like this." (4 stars)
"A stunning debut... Touré is an excellent guitarist and singer, already fully-formed, and a songwriter of great depth. Not just one to watch for the future, but one who's already here."
"With a little bit of tradition meeting the future, Touré opens the door on a career that feels like it will be as satisfying as his pop's. World beaters, start your engines."
"A beautifully realized debut."
"The torch is passed... [Vieux] has mastered [his father's] repertoire and made it his own."
"This debut album is not only a musical triumph, it is also a triumph of human spirit."
"It cannot be easy living in the shadow of Africa’s greatest bluesman. Yet... Vieux Farka Touré has managed to impose his precocious talents on the guitar, thanks to a remarkably assured debut album."
"Vieux Farka Toure writes beautiful, passionate tunes and sings them with a grace and joy that is refreshing and memorable, while also playing lead and rhythm guitar with expressiveness and flair."
"The future of Niafunke blues is in good hands."
"A brilliant album...accessible yet exotic and spiritual all at once."
"Hypnotic."
"The biggest buzz of this year's World Music Expo."