Amadou & Mariam's Welcome to Mali gets "an enthusiastic double-'Buy It' rating" from the hosts of Sound Opinions, Chicago Public Radio's weekly rock talk show, Chicago Sun-Times pop critic Jim DeRogatis and Chicago Tribune music critic Greg Kot. On the latest episode, the two review and play a few tracks off the new album.

"They have become one of the leading influences in West African music in the last decade," says DeRogatis of Amadou & Mariam, particularly since the release of their 2005 Manu Chao–produced Dimanche à Bamako. "People realized not only what a great singer Mariam was, but what an extraordinary guitar player her husband Amadou is. He, basically, has synthesized a lot of West African guitar styles, sort of blues-based, desert-based kind of music that fits in very well with American blues and psychedelia and created a vocabulary that I think is unlike any guitar player in the world."

Talking of the new release, DeRogatis says, "During a rather dark, dismal, and dire week, this album was a constant source of sunshine. This is joyous, celebratory music, absolutely, positively uplifting in its mix of Africa and the West. I love these guys to pieces."

Kot concurs, saying "This is a great record. I thought the 2005 record was one of the best of that year, and this is going to the top of my list right now. I don't think I've heard a better album, beginning to end, than Welcome to Mali, in 2009. And you nailed it, Jim, it's the joy. There is an unfettered joy in the way he plays guitar, in the way she sings. They are not holding anything back."

In particular, Kot calls attention to Amadou's guitar work. "He, I have to say this, is just a master guitarist," says Kot. "He is like his country man Toumani Diabaté, the kora player, who's playing this traditional, 17-string and bringing in all these sounds from around the world. He's a complete modernist, and Amadou is the same way."

Listen to the complete episode at soundopinions.org.

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Amadou & Mariam are featured on the latest episode of NPR's All Songs Considered, on which the show's host, Bob Boilen, plays "Sabali," the album's Damon Albarn–produced opening track. "They have a deep history of making music together," says Boilen, "but nothing quite like their new record ... Welcome to Mali will surely be one of the best world music records of 2009."

Also on the episode is a new self-released track from Sam Phillips. "Sam Phillips put out one of my favorite records of 2008 called Don't Do Anything," says Boilen. "It wasn't the first time Sam Phillips made a record that's a favorite of mine. Each of her three records she recorded for the Nonesuch label were brilliant: Fan Dance, A Boot and a Shoe, and Don't Do Anything."

Listen to the full All Songs Considered episode at npr.org.