RACHID TAHA
"Made in Medina" (2000)
I'm a newcomer to the genre, on top of being a typical, dumb, mostly-monolingual American, so I hope I can be forgiven for finding it difficult to put my finger on what exactly raï is. The French-Algerian musical form draws elements from both worlds, but beyond that, the definition seems amazingly vague - and as my first real intro to the field, Rachid Taha's "Made in Medina" isn't helping matters much by blithely stepping from the cool, seductive pop beats of "Medina", a song that'd sound equally at home on the dancefloors of Paris or Amman, to the grinding, jarring repetition and mechanical noise of "Garab".
But I guess that's the point, really; raï isn't defined by what it's not, but by what it is, an incredible mishmash of styles and cultures, all thrown out on the plate for whoever cares to take a bite. Old world meets new world and back again, it's all here, from sampled beats to the qanun to the cello to something mysteriously labeled "Maghrebian percussion" in the liner notes. Algerian-born Rachid Taha, with some major help from world music guy Steve Hillage and a bunch of talented musicians (both western and North African), swims easily from one musical style to the next, from traditional-sounding chants that evoke shifting sands and camels ("Aïe Aïe Aïe") to real live rock that wouldn't sound out of place coming from a juke joint on the corner of Bourbon Street ("Verité"). So, in the end, all I can do is quit trying to pigeonhole and just listen. Which, obviously, is what I should've been doing in the first place.
I initially picked up "Made in Medina" after hearing the incredible lead-off track, "Barra Barra" on the "Black Hawk Down" soundtrack - if you've seen the film, you'll probably remember the song; it's the one with the harsh, jagged heavy-metal guitar rumbling beneath a surface layer of hand drums, strings, and a low, sinister voice, all of which transmutes slowly into car-shaking bass and breakbeats, with the voice rising to a crescendo above the fray. It's the sound of a band of nomads in a desolate place, playing their hearts out around a bonfire, both defiant and dangerous. I was floored the first time I heard the song, and I'm still floored now, every time I put on the CD.
Keeping that in mind, I'll admit that I was somewhat disappointed when I got past the song and into the rest of "Medina", none of which strikes quite that particular chord. The good part, though, is that the rest of the album, by and large, does strike plenty of chords, and all of the good variety; it just takes a little getting used to. "Foqt Foqt" immediately moves away from the more traditional aspects of "Barra Barra", coming off kind of like what U2 might sound like if they'd grown up in Marrakesh, and "Medina", following right behind, throws the listener for a complete loop with its seemingly innocuous yet addictive danciness. "Ala Jalkoum", a melancholy storytelling track that finds Taha gruffly singing an almost-blues, leads straight into the thumping, marching rhythm of "Aïe Aïe Aïe", and then on into the cheery, head-bobbing joy of "Hey Anta".
Upbeat and breezy, "Qalantiqa" is probably the most strictly traditional track on here, but even it takes some liberties with the original sound, incorporating guitars and some subtle programming behind Rachid Taha and the B'NET MARRAKEСH women's singing group. "En Retard" leads on with an insistent chant, some kind of flute (?) and tambourines (and closes with what sounds like shout-outs to Marrakesh and Rabat, which, for those not currently watching enough television, are two cities in Morocco), and then "Verité" swings into the one kind-of-low-point on here, "Ho Cherie Cherie", a cheesy, sweet love song. All's forgiven with the closer, "Garab", however - melodies give way to mechanical-sounding drums, hand percussion, and rough voices that almost seem to come from another planet, all of which eventually turns (how, I'm not sure) into a bubbling, Underworld-ish techno track and then back to a stomping folk song before it's all over.
The CD succeeds at both ends of the musical spectrum; on the one hand, Rachid Taha and Steve Hillage manage to transform the impassioned rhythms and North African instrumentation into something familiar and inviting to western ears, and on the other, to alter the almost familiar into something startingly alien and exotic.
The most surprising thing about the album, truthfully, is the language. All of "Medina" is sung in Arabic and French, although I'll be damned if I can discern much of anything that's actually comprehensible to my non-native ears, even with a few years of high school French under my belt (the lone exception is "Ala Jalkoum", which features an English verse sung by African singer Femi Kuti), and I could care less. I may not be absolutely certain what the singer of "Hey Anta" is singing about - it could be a girl, a boy, God, or a grasshopper, for all I know - but the pure joy and wonder shines through plain as day. A common language might help the listener to understand, but "Medina" is proof that it isn't necessary.
Jeremy Hart
"Space City Rock"
* * *
Rachid Taha is a rocker - his first band, CARTE DE SÉJOUR, was among the first of the Algerian-kids-growing-up-in-France brigade a decade ago - which makes him an anathema in those circles where the will to power chords is second only to hip-hop beats as musical scourges. He's a rocker as a singer, too, meaning expressiveness counts for far more than any virtuoso Arabic vocal turns.
The originals on 1995's Olé Olé" negotiated familiar song styles from a defiant/defensive stance, sorta - "Just because I'm Algerian doesn't mean I can't play anything and everything you can play". 1998's "Diwân", a salute to roots, explored the potential for rocking North African classics, and with "Made in Medina" Taha has brought together those twin poles - original songs with an Arabic melodic sensibility melded to a rock rhythmic base. Four tracks were recorded in New Orleans with the core four of GALACTIC, and Stanton Moore gives a little Caribbean jump-up drum snap to "Foqt Foqt". While "Verité" bears stronger traces of one-generation-beyond meters funk, the Crescent City flavor is smoothly blended into Taha's overall sonic context. "Ala Jalkoum", co-written with Femi Kuti and sung in English, is pretty much a disaster, though, with Taha tumbling down into the Phil Collins zone. Rachid's really a five- or six-minute man as a songwriter - his riffs accumulate their nagging power to transport you over time, and the militant string melodies that kick in at the two-minute mark of "Aïe Aïe Aïe" just stay for days. No doubt this is what ZEP was aiming for with "Kashmir", but where that opus lurched jaggedly toward Jammu, Taha's march to Medina gets a serious throb mojo-working thanks to producer Steve Hillage dropping in industrial guitar accents that hit hard at hip level.
Not everything rocks that hard, but Hillage's forceful production is perfectly attuned to Taha's zone. On "Made in Medina", Rachid doesn't sound like he feels compelled to choose between his twin musical heritages anymore - he's arrived at the crossroads, free to pull and mix together live strings and programmed backbeats, Arabic percussion and power chords, any old way he chooses.
Don Snowden
"LA Weekly"
* * *
Not the sort to rush into anything, politically outspoken Algerian raï roughneck Rachid Taha has taken four years to capitalize on the global crossover success of his "Diwân" disc, a dance-floor reworking of his greatest misses, with "Made In Medina". It was time well spent - the club-conscious new album produced by Steve Hillage is a stormer. None of this honey-sweet raï romance for Taha - Hillage makes sure the Middle Eastern strings don't get in the way of the block-rockin' beats and grimy guitar riffing, certain to appeal to the head-nodding instincts of those who could care less about Taha's hollerings about relationships diverted from nobler impulses and such. Funky gold Medina.
Rachid Taha makes a rare local appearance with SUPERGENEROUS on Harbourfrontэs Norigen Stage Sunday (June 24) at 2 pm.
Tim Perlich
"Now (Toronto)"
* * *
Rachid Taha is not the first artist to blend Arab and Western musical styles, but he is certainly one of the most innovative. Born in Algeria, but residing in France since age ten, Taha fronted a highly political punk band in his teens, then made his mark as an equally radical DJ before launching a solo career. "Made in Medina" is the latest in his string of crossover creations. Recorded on three continents and four countries (U.S., U.K., France, and Morocco), utilizing musicians from equally far flung locales, and overseen by long-time producer Steve Hillage, the album is brimming with the exotic and the familiar. With lyrics in English, French, and, at one point, Berber, the sleeve notes provide English translations and explain the songs' core message and musical roots. Like a sumptuous banquet, "Medina" is a rich mix of dishes, one that will tempt even the most jaded palette. Inevitably, it will be branded world music, a label guaranteed to scare off much of Taha's prospective audience. There's crunching punk numbers, as hardcore as any anarcho-punk band's, but sliced with techno beats, sure to appeal to PRODIGY fans. Spanish-flavored numbers are perfect for the salsa crowd, Afro-pop with a syncopated beat are sure to capture reggae fans, and there's even a space rock number for the ambient/prog rockers. With lyrical themes that run the gambit from alienation to the spiritual, Taha's appeal across genres is evident. And while it may sound like a shopping list for an international emporium, in fact, "Medina" has an extremely coherent sound, built on prominent, danceable rhythms, strong melodies, and powerful vocals, all shot through with a Middle Eastern flavor. A truly world sound.
Jo-Ann Greene
"All Nusic Guide"
* * *
Rachid Taha was influenced heavily by a form of music called raï, which originated around 1900 in Western Algeria but was really developed in Oran in the '20s. What a coincidence! Taha is from Oran. As I don't speak the language, I have no idea what Taha is saying in these songs. I only know that raï music is a melding of Bedouin folk music and romantic Arabic poetry, and that Taha has taken this form and brought it forward in time and given it a combination of acoustic and electric instruments and made it danceable in the modern sense.
Taha's voice is usually urgent, his frantic pleas - of whatever it is he's saying - echoing off into the ether as the bass and drums pound it on its way. When the speed is up and the groove is deep, as in the scenario I just described, I like Taha best, but only because I'm groove-oriented and usually find ballads tedious. There is a ballad here, however, that got to me. "Ala Jalkoum" is beautifully instrumented, with a smooth-as-butter violin that sends chills down your spine, and though I feel Taha's vocals at the beginning are a bit off, he pulls it together, and part way in the vocal becomes English. I'm not certain it was Taha, but it was a nice surprise in any case. From that ballad, Taha keeps to a somewhat slow tempo for "Aïe Aïe Aïe", a drone groove of the "When The Levee Breaks" ilk that induces trances and reels in the borderline fan. From there on in, Taha can do no wrong.
"Made In Medina" is his sixth album and his sixth collaboration with producer/arranger/guitarist/everythingelseguy Steve Hillage, whose contributions are not to be taken lightly and who should probably hold out for equal billing at some point.
DJ Johnson
"Cosmik Debris"
* * *
The Steve Hillage-produced follow-up to Taha's neotrad U.S. debut takes the raï project of Arabic rock to a harder place. The beat's not rock or funk either, but that's just as well-one reason the powerful momentum, strong Arabic melodies, and guitar louder than you knew GONG-banging, ORB-gouging Hillage had in him sound fresher than anything I've heard from competing English speakers recently. Pure sound sensation - for those who lack Arabic, the vocal drama signifies masculinity in extremis, nothing more. So tell me, just how many other young singers are getting away with that saw these days?
Robert Christgau
"Village Voice"
* * *
Rachid Taha's "Made in Medina" ("Mondo Melodia") arrives simultaneously with Cheb Mami's "Dellali", but don't let that bias you. Even if Mami's 1999 duet with Sting, "Desert Rose", spurred the raï minirevival that got Taha his U.S. deal, Taha commands a tough intensity the lover boys never approach. Long a star on the European dance circuit, the Algerian exile rocks here, raging against the machine with a conviction that demolishes the language barrier. Staind should only be so righteous.
Robert Christgau
"Playboy", Aug. 2001
* * *
After reinterpreting Arab classics on "Diwân", Rachid Taha returns with a stunning collection of original compositions that owes as much to rock as to his Algerian raï roots, connecting the dots between Europe and the Maghreb. Here he again teams with producer Steve Hillage (GONG, SYSTEM 7), whose guitar work and arrangements provide the muscular frameworks for Taha's songs and emotive voice. Rachid's new direction has all the power of rock, as on "Foqt Foqt" which maintains an insistent riff while retaining the delicacy and polyrhythms characterizing North African music. "Ala Jalkoum" offers a duet with Afrobeat superstar Femi Kuti while "Verité" and "Ho Cherie Cherie" could have come from a Peter Gabriel album. "Made in Medina" is a massive, but still natural, step forward that establishes Taha as the most visionary Algerian singer today.
Chris Nickson
"Amazon.com"
* * *
It's late summer, 2001, and French Algerian musician Rachid Taha is feeling bullish. His latest album, "Made in Medina", has been picked up by an American label and released to rave reviews; he's profiled in an August 11 Billboard magazine feature titled "Arabic Music Moves West"; and he's preparing for a breakout tour of the States.
But then Osama bin Laden enters the equation. Although Taha has performed in America before (and even recorded parts of "Medina" in New Orleans), he wisely shelves his plans to conquer America and instead heads off for a tour of Cambodia and Vietnam.
This isn't the first time war has disrupted Taha's career. "When I released my album "Barbès" in 1991, it was banned from French radio stations. They said it was "too sensitive" because of the Gulf War", says Taha. When 9/11 happened, he says, "I thought, "Not again"."
For lack of an adequate moniker, Taha's music is often called raï, that flamenco-infused Arabic pop that so offended Algeria's fundamentalists they began executing its singers. For many of those musicians, the only safe alternative was to cross the Mediterranean to France. Taha was already there, his parents having immigrated when he was 10.
Taha cut his teeth on punk, nurturing his rebel sentiments as an outcast subjected to constant racial abuse. His first band, CARTE DE SÉJOUR, was named after France's equivalent of a green card, something he had to produce every time the police stopped him in the street.
Taha's concerns, then as now, were racism and civil rights. But if his lyrics exalt the plight of the outsider, the music itself demonstrates his politics of inclusion. Strains of raï are the glue that holds together an unlikely mix of heavy metal, house, funk, zydeco and Afrobeat. "I'm not a raï man", Taha explains. "People say I am because I was born in Algeria, but this is rock: the guitars are at the front and there are African and techno influences".
With "Made in Medina" landing on several U.S. critics' best-of lists last year, Taha may yet treat America to his own Arabic Invasion. But by now, he's learned to be pragmatic: "I'd like to", he says wryly, "but you never know what is going to happen".
David Hutcheon covers world music for "Mojo", the British music magazine
"Media Jones"
* * *
Like they do, the record label have put a sticker on the front of this CD with best bits of reviews:
"The biggest, beatest, dirtiest album in the entire history of world music... unlikely to bettered this year" - "Mojo"
"Thrilling... magnificently produced... the heaviest riffs you've heard since ZEP's "Kashmir"" - "Uncut"
"The rock, dance and world album by which the rest of the year can be judged. A seriously fantastic album" - "Time Out"
All fine and well but... if you don't like North African rhythms, LED ZEP, the "Hillage" beat, the occasional Dub sensibility, unique off the wall dance ideas (dance music in total in fact), lyrics (mostly) in a foreign language (except if you're French, or Arabic of course then it's not foreign is it), Rachid's personal and political world-view (which is seems pretty right-on, heart-centred and empoweringly confrontational), Steve's guitar playing (now, not 3 decades ago) and his unique production in general... then you're going to absolutely hate this CD and should under no circumstances buy it.
But for me the track "Barra Barra" is one of the musical highlights of the year so far.
Octave
"Planet Gong"
* * *
Rachid Taha might be in his 40s, but he's still fueled by anger. His fire is all to evident on his new album, "Made in Medina". "It's a rock album", Taha says, "I like rock, I like the feel of it, the feel of punk, and it works well with North African music". The album also features a duet with Femi Kuti.
* * *
Here's where you might have heard Taha - the CD's opening track, "Barra Barra", is playing in "Blackhawk Down" as the Rangers and Delta teams are sweeping over the skyline of Mogadishu. Hollywood aside, the entire recording is intense and rhythmic. Taha blends the club sounds of Europe with the more traditional rhythms of his native Algeria in a way that truly makes you want to melt all of the emotionless, staccato electronic club crap that's playing in most nightspots. This is one of the best fusion CDs I've heard. Even the lyrics (in French and Arabic) are stunning. This is truly the driving and dancing CD of the summer.
