Mdou Moctar’s Guitar-Bending Cry for Justice

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In early August of last year, the Tuareg band Mdou Moctar was in the midst of a North American tour, the group’s biggest to date. Its punk-driven energy and transformative, sprawling displays of guitar showmanship had gained it a cult following in the U.S. The band was still touring on the back of its acclaimed 2021 album, “Afrique Victime,” its first on the powerhouse indie label Matador Records. Then, in the middle of the group’s U.S. tour...