Our Garden Needs its Flowers

A very welcome reissue of an oddity from the Ivory Coast that was a huge regional hit when issued in 1985. Die Sah Bi and Pierre-Evrard Tra were university students in Abidjan at the time and came together to perform, and eventually record, their unique version of folk/country music. They blended traditional Ivorian music with the sound of US and English folk-rock and protest music of the 1970s and 80s. The original cassette release was a novelty in their homeland at a time when Ivorian music was dominated by disco, funk and Congolese-influenced music. Lyrics are sung in a local dialect, Gouro, with a couple of tracks in English and French. Backed by acoustic guitars and with plaintive harmonica and pedal steel embellishments, the recording was a pleasant and inspirational antidote to the popular music of the day. It's not likely to replace your Flying Burrito Brothers or Fairport Convention albums, but it is an enjoyable and charming listening experience.