AUDIO REVIEWS

QILA
BMG Crescendo; Rs. 40
Anand Raaj Anand does live upto the expectations that rose from his innovative scores of Masoom, Ghoonghat and Ek Dil Tha Ek Thi Dhadkan. This time, the accent is on Punjabi folk music and that is evident in the all-pervading, throbbing and reverberating rhythm of the album. The naughty Indi-rap number, Wah bhai wah.., rendered zestfully by Udit Narayan and Poornima, is a surefire hit. Kurte ki Bahiya.., another folksy song for which Amit Kumar returns to the recording studio with Udit and Preeti Uttam Singh, is equally peppy. Aankhiiya ye... is catchy too, what with Asha Bhosle and Udit vocalising it. Mehndi wali raat... is yet another folk number. The slower songs — Sadhana Sargam’s Prem hai ... and Alka Yagnik’s Tere bin.. - pale in comparison. The album on the whole is well-worth listening to.

DEEWANE TO DEEWANE HAIN - SHWETA
Magnasound; Rs. 50
She’s back. Her voice as husky as ever. The lyrics as risque. With that unmistakable rustic touch which takes one right back to one’s folksy roots. The jangle of the claranet and the jazz of an electronic synthesier combine to create an innovative mix of the desi and the pardesi, which lends the sometimes peppy, sometimes propoganda-like, sometimes naughty and sometimes purely lusty numbers a distinctive feel, which has your feet tapping. Khel khiladi khel ,Shweta urges and you know the game she’s drawing you into is one where a rugby tackle is translated to mean something more passionate. When this dusky siren invites you to a Mela the sexual connotations are unmistakable. Shweta in her very Kama Sutra like costume makes no puratinical effort to mask her intentions. The lust shows through, pure and simple. The way it would in any song of the soil. And it’s here that the appeal of the album lies. The title song incidentally is obviously the catch of them all. The beat catchy, the mood sexy and the voice unmistakably Shweta.

HEERA BHANGRA MIX
Venus; Rs. 30
Another of those energy-packed Punjabi folk music concoctions. This album is pretty much like old wine in a new bottle, refreshingly familiar. It has the traditional gidda boliyan and an assortment of exhilirating bhangra numbers, interspersed with synthesised beats and rhythm. Singers Kumar and Dhami sound far too traditional for a remixed version.

WOH PILAYE TO ZARA
Venus; Rs. 45
Simply intoxicating! Eight assorted ghazals devoted to the mesmerising effect of wine, maestros Mehndi Hassan, Ghulam Ali and Jagjit Singh set it apart from the clutter of other ghazal compilations. Hariharan’s caressingly gentle Woh pilaye to zara... kicks off the revelry on a zingy note. Arzoo Banoo’s soul-searing intonation of Thodisi peejiye.. and Pee le sharabi.. keeps the spirits soaring. The velvety voice of Jagjit Singh makes Ek jaam mein... worth a repeat listening. Mehndi Hassan’s Jab bhi peekar.. and Ghulam Ali’s Mai nashe main.. are classics in their own right. Talat Aziz’s modernistic Ab to sharaab... provides the change of mood. It sure is a treat for ghazal buffs.

YOURS FOREVER
Merica; Rs. 50
Another one to add to your list of Valentine albums, here’s Yours Forever, an album with eight love songs sung by Ratna. Amidst the songs on love of the romantic kind, there’s one dedicated to motherland India too. The music composed by Jayanta Pathak has nothing new to offer. He’s included everything from folk music, traditional tunes, mehndi to pop beats. Ratna, however has a good voice.

SOME OTHER SUCKERS PARADE - DEL AMITRI
PolyGram; Rs. 95
Del Amitri seems to be a rock band with a lot of promise. Hats off to Andy Alston, Ashley Soan, Jon Mcloughlin, Iain Harvie and Justin Currie, the energetic fivesome who people the band, for their memorable new album. If you’re a rock buff, this one’s unlikely to disappoint. Wait till you’ve heard tracks such as Mother nature’s writing, Sleep instead of teardrops, Funny way to win, Cruel light of day and No family man. But the pick of the lot is indeed the title track, Some other suckers parade. Put this one as the best rock album of the year thus far, thanks to Alston’s excellent vocals, backed up by some interesting lyrics by Currie.

THE IN CROWD
PolyGram; Rs. 95
As the sub-title indicates, this album comprises of 20 classics from the period spanning 1964 to 1997. Popular groups and singers such as The Who (I can’t explain), Rod Stewart (Good morning little schoolgirl) and James Brown (Night train) are featured in what turns out to be a fairly decent collection. Two of the most energetic numbers on the album, I’m a man by The Spencer Davis Group and Getting better by Shed Seven, are a real treat. Other foot-tapping numbers are Poison ivy by The Lambrettas and the popular There she goes by The LA’s.

NEW RELEASES

PYAAR KIYA TO DARNA KYA
A melodious musical score by Jatin-Lalit and Himesh Reshamiya, with seven catchy songs.
T-Series; Rs. 38

NIGODI KAISI JAWANI HAI
This dance mix album has the best songs of Ila Arun sung by Richa Sharma.
T-Series; Rs. 30

PARDNERS
This delightful album has 14 great cowboy songs from Walt disney classics.
Plus Music; Rs. 75

GEETA SAAR
This devotional album brings to you the essence of Bhagwad Geeta. The compilation has been done by Kundan Kishore.
Payal Music; Rs. 30

ALBUM OF THIS WEEK

SALAAM
HMV; Rs. 75
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan re-visited and re-invented. The maestro springs a pleasant surprise with this album by adapting breezy tunes instead of his patent classical qawwalisque numbers. The element of novelty further establishes the versatility of the king of fusion music. His resonating voice lends a haunting quality to the opening Rajasthani folk number Piya re piya... Remixed version of the same number enhances it’s appeal further. Mere haath.. is a peppy pulsating song, the soft and melodious strains of Yeh sham... is a poignant reminder of Salil Chowdhary’s Yeh sham mastani.. from Anand, while Pyar ka diya... is a dulcet ditty that can be heard over and again.

Koi mera dil... on the flipside has a compelling draw, Ae jaane maan..is a refreshing breezy, lilting score and Mera gham.. is mellifluous number that clearly exhibits the supremacy of the Ustad. Khan sahab casts a new magic spell this time. In this era of cacophony, when cassettes are made for one-time listening, this one has that rare enduring quality that music lovers crave for.

FILM ALBUMS / HINDI '97
01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10	Dil To Pagal Hai Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya Ishq Pardes Saat Rang Ke Sapne Bada Din Zor Keemat Kabhi Na Kabhi Aflatoon	[HMV] [T-Series] [Baba] [Tips] [T-Series] [HMV] [plus] [Venus] [Bombino] [T-Series]

 

POP ALBUMS / INDIAN '97
01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10	Nasha - Pankaj Udhas Greatest Dance Remix-2 - Various Best Of Daler Mehndi-Daler Mehndi Humnasheen - Pankaj Udhas Nigodi Kaisi Jawani Hai-Richa Sharma Ho Jayegi Balle Balle - Daler Mehndi I Love You-Udit Narayan Pardes '98 - Various Mohabbat Kar Le - Shaimak Davar Sona Kitna Sona Hai-Various	[PolyGram] [HMV] [Magnasound] [PolyGram] [T-Series] [Magnasound] [Wings] [Tips] [Polygram] [Tips]

 

MUSIC ALBUMS / ENGLISH '97
01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10	Maxi Dance - Various Aquarium -Aqua Let's Talk About Love - Celine Dion Now 3 - Various Most Wanted Boys- Various MTV Unplugged -Bryan Adams The Greatest Hits - Kenny G Spice World - Spice Girls The Very Best of ....- Sting & The Police Greatest Hits-Richard Marx	[Plus Music] [BMG-Crescendo] [Sony]] [PolyGram] [Polygram] [PolyGram] [BMG-Crescendo] [Milestone] [PolyGram] [Milestone]

 

UK TOP TEN
01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10	Dil To Pagal Hai Ishq Aflatoon Zor Yugpurush Lal Badshah Keemat Pardes Saat Rang Ke Sapne Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya	[HMV] [Baba] [T-Series] [Plus Music] [T-Series] [Pen Audio] [Venus] [Tips] [T-Series] [T-Series]