On the cover of Amassakoul, a camel balances on the neck of an electric guitar. Tinariwen couldn't have chosen a better image. The electric guitar represents the music of the group while you can see the camel as a symbol of Tinariwen's lyrics. The seven members of Tinariwen are Tuareg, the Sahara people who always traveled by camel. The lyrics of the group sing about life in the desert. From the
… light of a campfire to the fatigue after a long journey. Tinariwen is portrayed by their record company as a rebellious blues band. It does not seem entirely justified, because instead of swagger or bluff resignation sounds much more often in Tinariwen's music. This album sounds bare and meditative but also daring. With Amassakoul ('the traveler') Tinariwen forced a small breakthrough. The title turned out to be chosen with feeling, because the years after the release of this album the group mainly traveled to give performances all over the world. (PdK)more
