Set (Youssou N'Dour album)

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Set
Studio album by
Youssou N'Dour
Released1990
GenreMbalax
LabelVirgin Records
ProducerMichael Brooks
Youssou N'Dour chronology
The Lion
(1989) 		Set
(1990) 		Eyes Open
(1992)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic5/5 stars[1]
Chicago Tribune4/4 stars[2]
Robert ChristgauA-[3]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music2/5 stars[4]
Houston Chronicle4/4 stars[5]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide4/5 stars[6]

Set is an album by the Senegalese musician Youssou N'Dour, released in 1990.[7][8] The album in part inspired the Senegalese youth movement Set-Setal, which sought to beautify Dakar.[9]

The album peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard World Albums chart.[10] Virgin Records was disappointed by the album's commercial performance, and dropped N'Dour shortly after the album's release.[11]

Production[]

The album was made with N'Dour's band, Super Étoile de Dakar. It was recorded live in the studio, in Paris, and was produced by Michael Brooks (with Daniel Lanois working on one track).[12][13] Set was originally intended for release only in Senegal; after becoming a hit, it was slightly remixed and distributed internationally.[14] The lyrics are sung in Wolof, with a few phrases in English.[15]

Critical reception[]

The Washington Post praised the "exuberant, universal love songs like 'Fenene' and 'Ay Chono La'."[12] Robert Christgau deemed the album "13 shortish songs replete with catchy intros, skillful bridges, concise solos, hooks."[3] The Gazette wrote that the album "has moments of brilliance, a glorious fusion of old-and new-world thinking."[15] The Boston Globe singled out "Sinebar", declaring that it possesses "one of the catchiest, most exhilarating horn riffs in pop music this or any year."[16] Jon Pareles, in The New York Times, listed it as the third best album of 1990.[17]

Trouser Press called Set "one of the best Afropop albums ever," writing that "'Sabar' and 'Sinebar' show off the band’s relentless percussive chops."[14]

Track listing[]

No.TitleLength
1."Set (Clean)"3:45
2."Alboury"4:15
3."Sabar"2:32
4."Toxiques"3:28
5."Sinebar"4:45
6."Medina"3:22
7."Miyoko"3:43
8."Xaley Rewmi (Our Young People)"4:17
9."Fenene (Another Place)"5:17
10."Fakastalu (Watch Your Step)"3:52
11."Hey You!"3:38
12."One Day (Jaam)"3:26
13."Ay Chono La"3:13

Personnel[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Set - Youssou N'Dour | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
  2. ^ Kot, Greg (8 Nov 1990). "Rave Recordings". Chicago Tribune. Tempo. p. 8.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b "Robert Christgau: CG: Youssou N'Dour". www.robertchristgau.com.
  4. ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Volume 6: MUZE. p. 134.CS1 maint: location (link)
  5. ^ Mitchell, Rick (November 11, 1990). "Recordings". Houston Chronicle. Zest. p. 8.
  6. ^ The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. pp. 497–498.
  7. ^ Zane (Oct 13, 1990). "Albums: Youssou N'Dour". Melody Maker. 66 (41): 41.
  8. ^ "Not your father's Ramadan". Salon. October 26, 2005.
  9. ^ Appert, Catherine M. (2018). In Hip Hop Time: Music, Memory, and Social Change in Urban Senegal. Oxford University Press. p. 74.
  10. ^ "Youssou N'Dour". Billboard.
  11. ^ Kot, Greg (17 Feb 1991). "The Real Grammy Winners". Chicago Tribune. Arts. p. 8.
  12. ^ Jump up to: a b "N'DOUR UPHOLDS SENEGAL STANDARDS". The Washington Post. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
  13. ^ Snowden, Don (20 July 1990). "Singer Hopes to Reveal Africa's Cultural Wealth". Los Angeles Times. p. F1.
  14. ^ Jump up to: a b "Youssou N'Dour". Trouser Press. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
  15. ^ Jump up to: a b Feist, Daniel (13 Dec 1990). "N'Dour's new Set worth careful listen". The Gazette. p. D14.
  16. ^ Gonzalez, Fernando (9 Nov 1990). "YOUSSOU N'DOUR SENEGALESE SINGER STAYS TRUE TO ROOTS". The Boston Globe. ARTS AND FILM. p. 50.
  17. ^ Pareles, Jon (30 Dec 1990). "POP MUSIC/1990". The New York Times. p. A32.
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