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Chords & Notes
HINDI
White Noise... Sony & BMG... Rs. 175
THIS QUEER offering by Sony BMG is just about good on the ear as the composers Ashutosh Phatak and Dhruv Ghanekar have tried to put together a `different' kind of album. But if you expect anything more than that, you are in for disappointment. As you listen to the CD you can sense a distinct chord of mystery rising in almost every song, and it sustains your interest for a while. But then almost immediately you realise that all songs sound almost the same.
The vocals are not of much help, and even sound clumsy in a couple of tracks. The fifth track, SOS - it doesn't come anywhere close to the classic Abba one, if it is the name that is bothering you - stands out solely because of the tabla played by Satyajit Talwalkar. Fusion, after all, is fashionable. Similarly, in the last track, Olive (that is right, keep wondering about the name), Rakesh Chausaria's flute does the trick. Mediocre music priced steeply at Rs.175 - well, buy it if you fancy an addition to your pile of weird CDs that you have listened to once, and perhaps will never ever venture again.
Karam... T-Series... Rs. 50
AFTER A long time do we hear the original Alisha Chinoy's sensuous, husky voice lent to Tinka Tinka song in this album thanks to the music director duo Vishal-Shekhar.
The euphonic song is the saving grace of the album and the film too.
Except Tera Hi Karam to some extent, which is sung by Pankaj Awasthi, others go comfortably unnoticed.
The songs Le Jaa penned by Vishal and Koi Aisa Alam by Dev Kohli are better written than sung by Harshdeep-Vishal and Sonu Nigam and Mahalaxmi respectively.
The item song Ishq Nachaya Kare is a forced entry, completely avoidable.
Waqt... T-Series...
Rs. 125 (CD)
IT IS a race against melody. Anu Malik has reserved his best for future and dished out stale fare. Except for Toot Gaya, which impresses with Kailash Kher's range of voice, the album has no redeeming feature. Let's Play Holi rendered by Anu Malik and Sunidhi Chauhan raises hopes and may become the flavour of the festival but won't last beyond that.
The time for songs like Subah Hogee by Udit Narayan and Alka Yagnik and Apne Jahanke by Sonu Nigam, Aatish Kapadia and Adnan Sami has been long over. Anu, try something novel next time.
INDI-POP
Love songs... Sagarika...
Rs. 50
AGREED THIS is a season of love what with the Valentine's Day just passed by us but there is certainly no reason to believe that there is no better way of expressing one's love than through music, as this album claims — especially the kind of music and songs that one gets to hear in this cassette. This is an album supposed to be created around the theme of romantic love but not one song in this album can evoke in anyone a feeling of love or romance of any kind. One can neither dance to the immensely forgettable tunes nor appreciate the lyrics so pedestrian and trite.
It is a pity those who have lent their voices — including the `in-the-news' Shibani Kashyap — have not done any justice to such a beautiful theme. Shibani's pining for her lover in Sajna aa bhi jaa... was pretty good stuff.
It is difficult to categorise any of the songs in this album as good or even passable. If you are in love don't risk listening to it, especially with your sweetheart around. You might succeed in evoking a feeling that would be anything but love.
ENGLISH
Elvis # 1 Hits...
Sony BMG... Rs. 399 (CD)
IT'S NOSTALGIA time, if we must speak in clichés. But when you listen carefully, Elvis Presley scarcely fits the description, since his music made it to that rare category that defies the dictates of passing fashions.
His dress sense may be in one year and out the next, but his songs continue to appeal to a vast range of listeners, as much for their quality as for their variety.
This collection brings together 30 of his number one hits, set out chronologically from January 1956 till July 1977. Beginning with Heartbreak Hotel, the song whose unlikely inspiration was a suicide note printed in a newspaper, it goes on to Don't Be Cruel, Hound Dog, Love Me Tender and other familiar hits.
The catchy rhythms, that mesmerising voice, all combine to take you on a rewarding journey, till Way Down recorded in 1977, eight months before his death. Finally, there is the bonus track, which was released in June 2002.
This song, A Little Less Conversation, made it to the top of the charts in the U.K. at that time. The booklet that accompanies the CD contains interesting little background notes on each of the songs.
Rebirth... Jennifer Lopez...
Sony&BMG... Rs. 150
THE LATINO diva has got her music right with the album-- the opening track is a testimony to the fact. Unlike the salsa heavy earlier leanings, the current album is on a tad mellow note.
Hold you down, is a hip-hop ballad, featuring Fat Joe, with slow and easy grooves.
I got you, Still around and Ryde or die are for the car stereo, for those long drives. I, love, He'll be back and (Cant believe) this is me are on a melancholic note.
The version of Get right featuring Fabolous wraps the compilation on a groovy note, with J Lo doing a 50 Cents and Eminem act.
Confessions... Usher...
Sony&BMG... Rs. 150
THIS IS a cool compilation from the MC rapper— what with the buzz in music circles this season, including music channels, screaming `Usher rules'.
Smooth vocals, hip-hop grooves and lyrics, guest artists such as Lil'Jon and Ludacris (Yeah!) and Alicia keys (My Boo) make it `the' street cover. Another USP is some real good compositions back to back.
Do it to me, Take your hand, Burn, Caught Up, Superstar and the title track make for a good listening, even if you are not into the genre. Try any way, you might just end up liking it.
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