Spurt...spurt ....

Ages ...ages ...life has just not been the same for a long time now. Dunno when it will get back on track.....

Music keeps me going ....

Need to get back to writing ....

-A

Oscar winner ARR

A long journey ....its is been to get to that ...a wonderful sight this.

For years now - 17 to be precise - from the time of Roja, Gentleman, Thiruda Thiruda, many a crazy Rahmaniac has been following a musical messiah who goes by the name A R Rahman. The journey, an incredible one at that hasn't been easy - not for the man ...and neither for fans like me.

From

-Being scoffed at for being as crazy about anybody - the way I have been about ARR's music

-Being scolded by Dad for spending money on his albums

-Having to fight/reason out with people who never understand not just this man's music but also failed to understand the greater cause he represents

-From countless and mostly pointless arguments on messageboards, blogs etc

Its been a long journey - a wonderful journey though where we fans have enjoyed every little bit of magic created by this wonderful music composer and an even greater human being.

I stopped arguing, trying to make peoplem understand ARR's magic some years ago - as I look at it - its pointless and in any case, its their loss.

Today - there cannot be a person as happy as a true Rahmaniac like me. An Oscar (or 2 ) really does not increase or decrease our admiration for ARR. It doesn't change anything for us (except that we are the happiest folks on earth :-)). It sure would mean a lot to ARR - all the struggles, all the criticisms, sarcasms and hurdles he has had to overcome to reach the pinnacles of this music world - this is a true reward for all of that.

So heres saluting, probably the greatest ever musician in this world - at least in my world and probably in every Rahmaniac's world.

Hats off to you SIR. Hats of to you ARR.

-A

Need I say more .....

Really ....need I say anything more .....


-A

Dev D ....Amit Trivedi

Have you ever had the experience of having heard a piece of music or probably an album and been "blown away" - wondering what hit you. With me an ARR album typically does that each time. 

But today I am not going to speak about ARR or his music - this blog, almost 90% of the posts speak about that:-) 

Today I am going to speak about Dev D and a certain composer called Amit Trivedi. 

Dev D - has blown me away - and I admit if there was a Indian composer after ARR that I have come to appreciate this much - its the behind Dev D - a young 29 year old composer called Amit Trivedi. Mind you - he is just 2 albums old - and which brings me to Aamir - which was his previous album - an equally powerful and startling album that. This guy Amit is here to stay ( I just pray to the music gods - that he does - just pray that he doesn' get caught up in the routine world of usually crappy Bollywood music). 

Coming back to this album now - this is not a album filled with soulful - heart-wrenching numbers. This is what I call an album where each and every track is fun - full of fun akin probably to the move theme. I doubt if these songs will even figure as full numbers in the movie - I think they will be destined to play in the background.

Will write a quick 1-line review of each track 

It goes without saying on each of these that lyrics are absolutely offbeat, might appear zany ..but hear them closely and u will understand the genious behind it.

1. Emosanal Atyachar (Brass Band version) - Whacky, fun ... sounds like a north indian marriage band 

2. Emosanal Atyachar (Rock version) - Rock-styled version of the previous albeit shorter, zanny and equally fun

3. Aankh Micholi - Electronic, fast paced, fun.

4. Dev Chanda - Theme music 1 - ..heavy bass to open with ...pa pa ra ra ...ooooo ...wonderful flute to end with

5. Dev Chanda - Theme music 2 - .. softer ..and wonderful whistles with wonderul streaks of violin in the background ..wonderful

6. Dhol Yaara Dol - I dont know how to review this one. Hear it ..its wonderful..the arrangements, shilpa rao's vocals

7. Dil Main Jaagi - Pure Blues ...and Jazz - simply amazing .....

8. Duniya - Yeh Duniya badi gol hain ....aur yeh gaana bada mast hain. The song of the moment for me. Amazing arrangement. Blew my mind away

9. Ek Hulchul Si - Wonderful Guitaring, percussion ....and cool vocals ....

10. Hiknaal - Oh ..we were missing a Punjabi number. Here comes one interlaced with some rocking guitaring ...absolutely great

11. Mahi Mennu - Another Punju number - but unclassifiable as a typical Punju number though. Classy yet again especially the beginning

12. Mahin Mennu Sad - alternate sad version

13. Nayan Tarse - Holy Cows ....from the start to end, this number takes you in a journey ...vocals ...music, the trumpet ....the vocals top everything else

14. Paayalia - Carnatic strumming at the beginning which turns into a weirdly wonderful number with some good vocals

15. Pardesi - This has to be one of the best ones in this album - absolutely ravishing tune, arrangement and great lyrics

16. Ranjhana - A sad situational number I presume with stunning vocals and a soothing pace and feel.

17. Saali Kushi - Jazzy number ....by a sad drunk lover I presume. 

18. Yahi Meri Zindagi - I can't review this one. This one is sheer artistry ..the music, the rhythm, the arrangements and ofcourse the singing aspect

This is one hell of a Celebration ...this album ..a Celebration of music that I have been missing from any composer except ARR. This album makes me want to believe that there is hope for Indian composers. It doesn't start and end with ARR - this guy Amit Trivedi is a complete musician .whether its the music, the rhythm, his own singing or the voices he has used.

I pray that this guy doesn't get lost in the crowd - lost in the dirty world of mundane Indian film music.

Here's to Dev D (I also recommend his previous work Aamir - that is another gem of an album which unfortunately I missed last year only to discover it now through Dev D)

Take my word for it ...hear these 2 albums ....Dev D and Aamir

-A