Music Review : Ghajini

Facts about the music of Ghajini :

• A. R. Rehman and Prasoon Joshi team together after a very successful collaboration in Rang De Basanti!
  
• The combination of Aamir Khan and A. R. Rehman have never gone wrong except in Mangal Pandey!
• For the first time Rehman uses Sonu Nigam's voice as backing vocals in the opening song - Guzarish!

One of the most eagerly awaited score of the year is that of Ghajini! I had my apprehensions with the score, primarily because it is a remake of a Southern flick by the same name and secondly, due to the heavy action flick it promises to be, which leaves practically no scope for good music! But overall after hearing all the songs, I am pretty satisfied with the score.
Now let's straightway come to analyse the songs individually!

1. Guzarish (Javed Ali, Guest Vocals - Sonu Nigam)
The first song of the album has a nice romantic feel to it with good lyrics and some very clean singing! The best part of the song is that Rehman has not let his arrangements take over the composition, and that helps the song in a big way. After a very long time, the singing and the lyrics create the mood rather than the composition itself. Sonu Nigam's alaap between the two antaras helps the listener get into the mood of the song.
A very impressive output from Rehman with equally good lyrics by Prasoon Joshi and superb singing by Javed Ali!

2. Aye Bachchu (Suzanne)
A song that wants to say that life is fun! Intentions are cool, and the lyrics are pretty neat, but why Rehman just goes overboard with the arrangements when it comes to fast numbers? The arrangements are so over the top that it borders on showing disrespect to the lyrics written for the song! You have to listen to the song carefully to just get the lyrics! And this complain with Rehman is not only for this number, but for most of the fast numbers he has composed in the past! This song was literally crying for Alisha Chinoy, she would have taken this number to altogether different level!
Anyway, the song is okay, and could have been better with some spaced out arrangement and of course, Alisha Chinoy!

3. Kaise Mujhe (Benny Dayal, Shreya Ghoshal)
Ah, what a song! The lyrics are absolutely great! Prasoon Joshi has mixed the simplicity of Anand Bakshi with the poetry of Gulzar to create one of the best romantic number of the season! You can feel your heart skipping a beat when you hear Benny Dayal and Shreya Ghoshal playing with the words of Prasoon Joshi in the ambience created by Rehman! Everthing's just so right with the song, that you dont feel betrayed as a listener. So just put on the song and let yourself fall in love with love all over again!
Excellent - that's what this song is! Go for it!

4. Behka (Karthik)
The song has loungy feel to it and that relaxed atmosphere is ably created by the arrangement of Rehman! I particularly loved the use of saxophone in this song. The singing is okay, the lyrics not as good as Kaise Mujhe, but still decent enough to pass muster! Overall the song has an interesting feel to it, and the credit for that fully goes to Mr. A. R. Rehman!
An interesting song, will keep the listener engaged!

5. Lattoo (Shreya Ghoshal)
This song has a Latin feel to it, and the lyrics once again are very unconventional! Never heard an actress singing on screen - Lattoo Lattoo Main Uspe Lattoo! Shreya Ghoshal singing Lattoo was so cute, that I just fell for the song! Hats of to Prasoon Joshi for bringing a new word to the limited dictionary of lyrics of Hindi Cinema Song! Rehman has done justice to the lyrics, and I am pleasantly surprised, because this shows that he has adapted himself to the requirements of a Hindi film song.
A very cute song, you will enjoy it!

3. Kaise Mujhe (Instrumental)
The instrumental version of my favorite song in this album is the nicest way that could have been possible to end the album. I am pleased that there are no remixes in this album, and that is a welcome change!
Nice way to close the album!

I am happy with this album, and the biggest cause for celebration for me was the lyrics! Prasoon Joshi with this album has shown that things for him are definitely bright in the future! Another remarkable thing was the chemistry between A. R. Rehman and Prasoon Joshi! The understanding between them is evident in all the songs of Ghajini! I sincerely hope and pray that this collaboration entertains us in many more scores in the future! The music of Ghajini has more plusses than minusses. Grab it, and feel warm in the cold month of December.

Rating : Very Good!

Bye for now!
आपकी अपनी आवाज़
Vishal

P.S. Please put up your comments by clicking on comments below!

Music Review : Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi

Facts about the music of Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi :

• Aditya Chopra shifts to Salim-Suleiman who replace Jatin Lalit as music directors!
• The death of Anand Bakshi sees Jaideep Sahni step into the shoes of the great lyricist!
• This is the first directorial venture of Aditya Chopra where Lata Mangeshkar is not singing a single song!
• Even Udit Narayan does not feature in a single song!
• Sonu Nigam sings for the first time for Aditya Chopra!

Aditya Chopra is back after Mohabbatein! This is in itself the biggest reason to lend ears to the music of Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi। The music style has seen a dramatic change in the eight years that has separated Mohabbatein and Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi (RNBDJ). Although the quality of songs have deteriorated significantly in this period, the name of Aditya Chopra donning the cap of director raises the expectations from the soundtrack of RNBDJ to preposterous levels. I approached to the soundtrack keeping in mind all these facts, trying to be as reasonable and fair to Aditya Chopra and the times in which the movie has been filmed. And I did listen to the whole album with all the excitement a Yash Raj movie deserves. I was aghast, when the album was over! I just could not digest the fact that this is a soundtrack coming out of a movie directed by a person who single handedly has taken an Indian production house to be the 27th largest production house of the world! I have got it wrong - that's what came in my mind after the first hearing. I put on the CD once again to have an another take on the songs of RNBDJ. There has been no change in my opinion about the soundtrack, even after numerous hearings!
I know that I am being very harsh to the soundtrack of RNBDJ, but you dont expect any average stuff coming out of Yash Raj stable. This is not me who has raised the bars, but it is the sheer quality of Yash Raj in the past, that has made this album a tad disappointing!

Let's check out the songs individually!

1. Tujhmein Rab Dikhta Hai (Roop Kumar Rathod)
The opening song of any movie directed by Yash Chopra or Aditya Chopra always had been the flag bearer for the whole album. Just rewind to Mere Haathon Mein (Chandni), Kabhi Main Kahoon (Lamhe), Tujhe Dekha To Yeh (DDLJ), Dil To Pagal Hai (Dil To Pagal Hai), Humko Humhi Se Chura Lo (Mohabbatein), Tere Liye (Veer Zaara) and you know what I mean! Tujhmein Rab Dikhta Hai is probably the weakest opening song of an Aditya Chopra/Yash Chopra directed movie of all times! The composition and the lyrics, both are very ordinary, and the only saving grace is the singing of Roop Kumar Rathod. The lyrics are so passable and the composition so dull, that you are just left cold after the song is over! Ideally when Roop Kumar Rathod croons the line - Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi - at the end of the song, the listener should have felt a strain in his heart, but the coldness just left me seeking for a blanket!
This song is sub standard, and will not be heard for long!

2. Haule Haule Se Hawa Lagti Hai (Sukhwinder Singh)
The song starts good and things just feel like picking up! The singing prowess of Sukhwinder Singh is to be heard to be believed. Control over the singing even in the higher notes is so refreshing. The lyrics just get the passing marks, and the composition is somewhat similar to the title song of Chak De India. What makes this song stand out is the arrangement! Salim-Suleiman have done an excellent job in using the tabla and harmonium in this song!
This song is going to make this album sell - nothing more, nothing less!

3. Dance Pe Chance (Sunidhi Chauhan, Labh Janjhua)
Haule Haule sounded good, but what's this? Is this song from a Yash Raj movie - I just don't believe it! A song that has it's origins in One Two Cha Cha Cha (Shalimar, 1978), it just falls flat. The hook line is embarassingly weak, and that has been the problem with each and every song (barrring Haule Haule). The singing of Sunidhi Chauhan is average, nothing extraordinary. Labh Janjhua is just passable. If the song aspired to teach non dancers the skills of dancing, then Aditya Chopra is sure going to create many Sunil Shettys, as far as the dancing skills goes!
Very uninspiring song, only the kids may get a grab of it! Rewind back to One Two Cha Cha Cha instead, and have a blast!

4. Phir Milenge Chalte Chalte (Sonu Niggam)
The song starts from where Mere Jeevan Saathi (Ek Duje Ke Liye) had ended! Salim Suleiman use the original music clips of the evergreen songs and Jaideep Sahni use hook lines of songs that are still heard. A very interesting concept and the song genuinely starts well, but the problem again lies with the hook line - Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke, Phir Milenge Chalte Chalte. You somewhow don't connect with the song just because of weak composition and weaker hook line! Sonu Niggam's singing is plain bad in this song. How a good concept just falls apart - listen to the song and you will know!
I prefer Mere Jeevan Sathi (Ek Duje Ke Liye) any day. Don't think will ever like to hear this song again!

5. Tujhmein Rab Dikhta Hai (Shreya Ghoshal)
The sad version of the title song - it fares much better! In fact, this is the only song that has the vintage Yash Raj flavour. Notably, the lyrics, the composition, the singing all come good in this song! Singing is simply top class! What Roop Kumar Rathod could not do in a 5 minute song, Shreya Ghoshal did that only in 2 minutes!
A very good song. How I wish it could have been longer! Listen to Shreya Ghoshal and you feel blessed!

6. Dancing Jodi (Instrumental)
I enjoyed this instrumental piece! Very well put together by Salim Suleiman, this instrumental piece has clips of the rest of the songs of RNBDJ. Lot's of energy is what we get in this piece! The arrangement is top class and this gets my thumbs up!
Very enjoyable, you will love it!

The biggest mystery of 2008 - What made Aditya Chopra take Salim Suleiman as music director? My personal opinion is that they are not ready to take the challenge to give music in movies of such scales! It's been 8 year since the death of Anand Bakshi, and his place still remains to be filled. Yuvvraaj and RNBDJ, both missed Anand Bakshi as hell! I can bet you that the songs of RNBDJ could have been much better, had Bakshi Saab been there to pen the lyrics! On the whole, the soundtrack of RNBDJ is a big disappointment. There is absolutely no repeat value, and the songs will just fade away. Repeat value had been the biggest strength of the Yash Raj Films, as far as the music is concerned. This year has been a letdown for them, with no album having any repeat value, be it Bachna Aye Haseeno, Thoda Pyar Thoda Magic, Laaga Chunari Mein Daag, Aaja Nachle, Tashan, or Road Side Romeo. Add Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi to this list!

Rating : Below Average!

Bye for now!
आपकी अपनी आवाज़
Vishal

P.S. Please put up your comments by clicking on comments below!

Music Review : Yuvvraaj

Facts regarding the music of Yuvvraaj :

• This is for the first time A. R. Rehman and Gulzar are teaming up together with Subhash Ghai!
• A. R. Rehman and Gulzar have worked together and have witnessed tremondous success with scores like - Dil Se, Saathiya and Guru.
• Subhash Ghai and A. R. Rehman have worked together before in Taal and Kisna, and the results were pretty good!
• Subhash Ghai hopes to regain his musical showmanship with Yuvvraaj!
• Sukhwinder Singh is missing from the soundtrack of Yuvvraaj!

The first thing that strikes, after you are through with the whole album is that Subhash Ghai's musical inclination in this movie has shifted towards the Mani Ratnam school of film music! Subhash Ghai has tried real hard in this soundtrack to keep his distinct identity as well as to be in sync with the demands of the present times! This dillemma is reflected particularly in these two songs - Shanno Shanno, Zindagi! Don't read the credits of the song, and hear the songs. They don't sound like coming out of a Subhash Ghai's movie, much more like coming from a Mani Ratnam movie!

Now, let's check out the songs individually!

1. Main Hoon Yuvvraaaj (Salman Khan and the Fifth of Beethoven)
The album starts with Main Hoon Yuvvraaj featuring Salman Khan and the Fifth of Beethoven. This is an introduction to the album with a Western Classical orchestra playing in the background and Salman Khan giving a description of his character! The influence of European style of music gives us a sign to what could be expected from the songs of Yuvvraaj.
Overall this musical piece does it's job nicely in setting up the tone for the album!

2. Tu Hi To Mera Dost Hai (Benny Dayal, Shreya Ghoshal and A. R. Rehman)
A very good song to start the album with! The singing of all the three singers are top class, it has good melody, nice arrangements, and some good lyrics. The European influence is throughout there in the song!
This song is probably the one which is going to burn the music charts. It has repeat value, and is not a song that will be forgotten easily.

3. Shanno Shanno (Sonu Nigam, Srinivas, Karthik, Timmy, Sunaina, Vivienne Pocha, Tina and Blaaze)
A regular Rehman song made different by Gulzar Saab's lyrics! The antara sounds suspiciously similar to "Chori Pe Chori" from Saathiya! The Mani Ratnam effect starts with this song!
It is an okay song, but it does not sound out of place in the album. Maybe , the song will look good with the visuals!

4. Tu Muskura (Alka Yagnik and Javed Ali)
What a song!!! This was my first reaction to this song when I first heard it. The lyrics, the melody, the singing, all are first rate. The song is a perfect example of confluence of two different style of music schools - Subhash Ghai and A. R. Rehman! Subhash Ghai's touch is there in the singing and the melody, while A. R. Rehman's excellence in music arrangements strums the strings of your heart!
One of my personal favourites, I rate this song as one of the best of the year! Strongly recommended!

5. Mastam Mastam (Sonu Nigam, Alka Yagnik, Benny Dayal, Naresh Iyer)
The blending of the two different schools of music comes out good in this song! But this song desperately misses Anand Bakshi! Ah, what a song it could have been, were Bakshi Saab had been alive to write the lyrics for this song.
A good song but could have been better! What could have been bettered has been stated earlier!

6. Zindagi (Srinivas)
A typical Rehman number in terms of composition and arrangement with some very average singing. Subhash Ghai tries to recreate "Nahin Saamne Tu" from Taal, but fails to do so! Gulzar Saab tries to go simple in his words, which saves this number to some extent. Had the lyrics been heavy, God knows what would have happened to this number.
An okay number which will find few takers!

7. Dil Ka Rishta (Roop Kumar Rathod, Sonu Nigam, A. R. Rehman)
The Showman is back with this song! A vintage Subhash Ghai number arranged in present times. The exhuberance in singing transcends the song to a different level! Listen to Roop Kumar Rathod and Sonu Nigam in this song, and you know why Subhash Ghai style of music has lived on for so many years. The singers sing as they should have sung for a Subhash Ghai movie! This song is a tribute to Subhash Ghai - Laxmikant Pyarelal association, and I loved that! The graph of the song, the arrangements, the singing, all have the L-P touch!
A very good song, which will look and sound even better when watched alongwith Subhash Ghai's vision!

8. Manmohini Morey (Vijay Prakash)
The song has a start similar to "Dhoom Tanaa Naa" from Thakshak, and then it moves to Subhash Ghai's territory with the clip of "Muskura" acting as interlude! A classical raga based song with modern arrangements, the amalgamation works!
An interesting piece, it has competent singing by Vijay Prakash! Again will work fine with the visuals.

9. Shanno Remix (Featuring Ember)
A remix by Krishna Chetan! This remix is a bit different when compared to the other remixes we have been hearing lately. Very interesting beats have been used to remix this song, and this subtle change has made a huge difference to the remix!
I don't have the taste for the remixes that are used to fill the audio CD's, but this remix works for me! Good!


Now what is the final result -
A sure shot hit! An album with more plusses than minusses, Subhash Ghai has another winner in his hands! How I wish, he maintained his style in the two songs - Shanno Shanno and Zindagi! Things would have been different then! The collaboration of the three geniuses have worked big time, when seen in context to the year in which Hindi Film Music has degraded itself to fit in the mobile world (read caller tunes, ringtones, etc.)! Not a classic, but not a downer! Gulzar Saab has tried very hard to fit himself in Anand Bakshi's shoes, but we miss Anand Bakshi! His touch would have taken this album to different heights!
A good score which will find appeal both with the masses and classes!

Rating : Very Good!!!!

Bye for now!
आपकी अपनी आवाज़
Vishal

P.S. Please put up your comments by clicking on comments below!