Je Pense a Toi: Best of
There is no question that Amadou and Mariam'sDimanche A Bamakois one of the best albums of 2005--African, American or otherwise. But whereas that effort was a collaboration with Manu Chao, which means it has his production fingerprints all over it,Je Pense A Toiis actually a better representation of the African-blues-pop-rock this Malian couple plays. Culled from albums issued between 1998 and 2002 (two on small indie label Circular Moves, one is an import), this 13-song collection is all killer and no filler. Fans ofDimanchealready know how powerful Amado'¹s guitar playing is, but here he blasts songs like "Je Pense a Toi" and "Les Temps Ont Change" into the stratosphere with driving leads. Mariam's best singing contributions are here in the form of "A Radio Mogo" and "Djagneba." While all three albums are still available, this is a fantastic option for those not willing to wade so deep. ­--Tad Hendrickson