Nadia - Lesser Know but Awesome Song

I just stumbled onto this song while going through my bro's iPod. Freaking brilliant, if you like to experiment with fusion once in a while. Later, when I was just randomly Googling the song, I stumbled onto many versions of this song played brilliantly by Jeff Beck. Take a look at one of those versions.

The song is called "Nadia" by Nitin Sawhney and Reena Bharadwaj.

Bhor Bhayi and Laaga Chunari Mein Daag

I'm not exactly an expert on Indian classical music, sadly, I'm quite the opposite. But this song from Delhi 6, called Bhor Bhayi reminded me of an amazing classical number called Laga Chunari Mein Daag. I heard that song a year ago and it totally blew me away, insanely awesome.
I somehow haven't had the time to hear classical music, but what little I have heard has made me promise myself that I'll definitely take out time in the future to hear a lot more of it.

Meanwhile check out the song I mentioned above, the last half of the song is mind blowing. I don't know how many of you will actually like it, but I love this track. Manna Dey, I salute thee.
Once again I salute A R Rahman for using such an old and forgotten track in Delhi 6, I also noticed how even Shreya Ghoshal struggles at a few notes in the song to match Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan.

Anyways, just thought of posting this to remind me in the future to come good on my promise; lest I forget.

Dev D Music Review

This has been by far the most "Indian" album I've heard in a long time. Amit Trivedi, take a bow! There are a few new gen music directors in India who seem to have forgotten that this is still a country where people speak and listen to Hindi and not NRI-style Hindi [a la Vishal Dadlani and co with songs like "thumka lagai ke she'll rock your world, my desi girl!"].
Those songs are fine till they become all that is being played everyday, but then every once in a while one needs to hear something Indian, and apart from A R Rehman who can compose awesome music, there was no other option.
Enter, Dev D. The feel of the album is amazing. The lyrics are really good, some songs are crazy [Emosanal Attyachaar], some songs are hummable [Paayaliya] and some songs are great [Nayan Tarse].

One can only hope that Amit Trivedi gets more albums to compose and does as good a job, if not better.

4 stars out of 5 for Dev D's music. It makes for great repetitive hearing.

PS - One hopes that Anurag Kashyap can come up with a nice movie, the music is spot on!

Slumdog Millionaire Music Review

Ok, I've now heard the entire soundtrack and even without having seen the movie I can tell you that it'll be fantastic for the movie as a background score. I wont waste time writing a review on all the songs, I'll just write about the must-hear songs.

1. Oh Sayaa - Sung by A R Rehman and M.I.A. this one is a totally different track which will tell you how different this soundtrack is going to be as compared to Rehman's other work.

2. Mausam & Escape - Brilliant! Simply an amazing instrumental composition, which is a breath of fresh air in the world of congested sounds that we live in. With this track Rehman proves that he can actually develop music rather than just direct.

3. Paper Planes - By M.I.A. this one is an international smash hit single which Rehman has used in the album. A really nice song.

4. Paper Planes (DFA Mix) - A rehash of the previous song, gets a little more of a club feel to it.

5. Latika's Theme - Melody on display, that's what this soft instrumental is all about.

6. Jai Ho - Sukhwinder gives this album the first track which could have been on a normal Hindi film soundtrack.


A R Rehman will obviously sweep all the Indian awards this year... Jodhaa Akbar, Jaany Tu Ya Jaane Naa, Yuvvraaj and Ghajini were by far the best soundtracks this year. All four were chart topping albums and it's a sad thing that no other composition by any other music director comes even close to giving Rehman any competition in India. He's rightly been called The Mozart of India. He's been nominated for a Golden Globe and I hope he gets an Oscar nomination as well. Winning either of these would be a great thing. I really feel if any current Indian musician deserves a Grammy, it is A R Rehman. The guy is a genius!

Kaise Mujhe - Lyrics

Of all the songs from the soundtrack of Ghajini, my favorite is Kaise Mujhe Tu Mil Gayi. A great composition by A R Rehman, the lyrics are really deep and meaningful. Listen to the song at the dead of the night and you'll really like it.

Hoo hooo oooo..
Hoo hoo hooo…
Oooo..hoo…hooo..oooo
Hooo hooo…

Kaise mujhe tum mil gayi,
Kismat pe aaye naa yaakeen,
Utar aayi jheel mein jaise chand utarta hai kabhi,
Haule haule dheere se,
Gunguni dhoop ki tarah se taranum mein tum,
Choo ke mujhe guzari hu yu,
Dekhu tumhe ya mein sunu,
Tum ho sukoon, tum ho junoon,
Kyu pehle naa aayi tum?
Kaise mujhe tum mil gayi, hoo hoo..
Kismat pe aaye naa yaakeen, hoo hoo..

Mein to yeh sochta tha ki aaj kal,
Upar wale ko fursat nahi,
Phir bhi tumhe bana ke woh,
Meri nazar mein chadh gaya,
Rutbe mein woh aur badh gaya..

Aaaa..aaaaa…
Aaaa..aaaa….
Hoo..hoo…hooo..

Badle raaste jharne aur nadi,
Badli deep ki timtim,
Chedhe zindagi dhun koi nayee,
Badli barkha ki rimjhim,
Badlengi rituyein adaa,
Par mein rahungi sada,
Ussi tarah teri bahon mein baahein daalke,
Har lamha, har pal..

Aaaa..aaaaa…
Aaaa..aaaa….
Zindagi sitar ho gayi,
Rimjhim malhaar ho gayi,
Mujhe aata nahi kismat pe apni yakeen,
Kaise mujhko mili tum..


Great lyrics Mr. Prasoon Joshi!

Avengi Ja Nahin

Rabbi's masterclass continues with this exceptionally soulful album, which infuses soulful music with power through great vocals and guitar arrangements.
Its great to hear an album that's totally worth buying. The lyrics are in Punjabi, barring 2 songs. One song is in English and the other in Hindi.

Here's some praise for this album -

"I do not know those words which are even close exhilarating as this album is. Rabbi has added a new dimension to the Punjabi music which is largely known for bhangra beats and crass lyrics. Even great singers like Sukhwinder and Daler Mehendi have not been able to inspire as differently. I liked all songs especially Bilquis, AJN, and Challa. Music and lyrics of ‘Bilquis’ are really noteworthy. I think there should be a video made out of it to remind people of martyrs like Manjunath and Navleen Kumar. Its not hard to imagine that this can stir up media and ordinary people to take the cause of these long forgotten cases. I can simply sum up by saying that Rabbi’s music is not only contemporary and awesome but has soul and purpose beyond making money."

"I’m particularly impressed that Rabbi has taken on some political causes, including a very angry Hindi-language song about communalism, called “Bilquis”…

Also named in the song are Satyendra Dubey, a highway inspector who was killed after he tried to fight corruption, and Shanmughan Manjunath, killed in much the same way.

With songs like this, I see Rabbi as doing for Indian music what singers like Bruce Springsteen and Woody Guthrie have done in the U.S. — documenting injustice, and telling the story of a society as they see it. It’s vital, and necessary."

Album Description : Album: Avengi Ja Nahin
Singer: Rabbi Shergill
Label: Yash Raj Music
Lyrics: Rabbi Shergill
Music: Rabbi Shergill
Track Listing:

01 Chhalla
02 Karachi Valie
03 Maen Bolia
04 Avengi Ja Nahin
05 Ballo
06 Tu Avin Bandra
07 Pagri Sambhal Jatta
08 Bilqis (Jinhe Naaz Hai)
09 Return To Unity

Here's a bit of a mini review from my side.

Special mention for the following songs -
Challa,Karachi Valie, Ballo [brilliant], Bilquis, Return To Unity.

Return To Unity is an English song, it's amazing. All the songs of the album are quality products. Avengi Ja Nahin as an album has a chance to get a Grammy nomination at least if it's given the correct promotion.

Bilquis has mind blowing lyrics, it's in Hindi. The musical arrangement consists of a chord arrangement from our National Anthem. It's amazing. Take a bow Rabbi Shergill.