Moussoulou

Heard wailing away on the soundtrack to the screen adaptation of Toni Morrison's Beloved, Oumou Sangare has in the '90s been a vital force on the folkie side of Afro-pop. Long difficult to find in the Western world, this reissue of Moussoulou, Sangare's 1989 debut, is the jewel that put the Malian pop star on the map, selling an astonishing number of copies and broaching subject matter progressive for that of her native country. Though the language barrier prevents most American listeners from grasping the full meaning of Sangare's discourse on moussoulou ("women"), the singer's expressively clear intonation and range coupled with complex acoustic arrangements speak across the divide with earthy strength and sublime beauty. The shapely curve of femininity itself is echoed in the rise and fall of vocals, the propulsive rhythm and harp, the circular bass and whittled violin lines, as well as the guitar's melodious blue notes. --Paige La Grone