Best Buy

One ONLY LOVE
HMV, Rs. 110 (two cassettes)
The music company’s the first to release an album for Valentine’s Day, and cash in on the craze. The two albums in this well-designed inlay pack compile not-so-recent Hindi film hits, based on particular themes specified on each side of the cassette. Like the theme on Side A of Vol. 1 is ‘Pehli Mulaqat’, so you have songs about the memorable first meeting, when eyes meet eyes, and hearts go aflutter. Some of the songs here are Ek ajnabee haseena se (Ajnabee), Main shayar to nahin (Bobby), Na bole tum (Baaton Baaton Mein) and Jaane kaise kab kahan (Shakti). Side B has the theme ‘Shararten’ and here you have songs like Yeh ladka haye Allah (Hum Kisise Kam Nahin), Chura liya hai tumne (Yaadon Ki Baraat), O saathi chal (Seeta Aur Geeta) and Kya khoob lagti ho (Dharmatma).

Vol. 2 has as its theme on Side A ‘Haseen Lamhe’, which features songs Karvaten badalte rahe (Aap Ki Kasam), Gum hai kisi ke pyar mein (Raampur Ka Lakshman), Aaj se pehle (Chitchor) and Aankhon mein humne (Thodisi Bewafai). ‘Kuch Yaadgar Pal’ is the theme of Side B, which has songs Mere rang mein rangnewali (Maine Pyar Kiya), Aap ki aankhon mein (Ghar), Do lafzon ki hai (The Great Gambler) and Rimjhim gire saawan (Manzil). All the songs are the ones which you just don’t tire of hearing. Great buy and for all occasions.

____________________________*****____________________________

JAAGO MOHAN PYAARE
Venus, Rs. 30
This is a version album presenting popular prayer songs from Hindi films like Jagte Raho, Guddi, Seema, Hum Dono, Bairaag, Neelkamal, Subah, Loafer, Julie and Purab Aur Paschim. The singers who have lent their voice to the songs include Bela Sulakhe, Pritha Majumdar, Shailendra Bharti, Mahendra Kapoor, Anupama Deshpande and Sudesh Bhosale. Kirti-Girish are the music arrangers. The audio includes such numbers as Jaago Mohan pyaare, Tu pyaar ka saagar hai, Hum ko man ki, Tum asha vishwaas, Allah tero naam, O Shankar mere and Om jai Jagdish Hare.

KHAYAL
Sagarika, Rs. 70
At a time when classical singing is being given a backseat, this Khayal album comes like a whiff of fresh air. In a voice moulded, trained and cultivated for khayal gayaki, classical vocalist Veena Sahastrabuddhe has sung two raags and offered a mini feast to lovers of music. She has rendered briefly yet effectively raag Komal Rishabh Asavari (Side A) and raag Gavit (Side B), and ended the recital with the singing of a Meera bhajan, Jhulat Radha sangh Giridhar, which comes as a bonus for the listener. While singing the raag, she effortlessly moves from vilambit to madhya and then to drut. The bols for Komal Rishabh Asavari are Ayori jeet Raja Ram (in vilambit-ektaal), Joginke bheran ghar (in madhya-teentaal) and Ayori sakhi saawan (in drut-ektaal). In raag Gavit, the bols are More Nandlal (vilambit-ektaal), Anghia na daaro re gulal (madhya-teentaal), ending with a tarana (drut-teentaal). The rendition of the raag is neither too long nor too brief but just enough to convey to the listener its finer points. The singer’s voice is easy on the ears and capable of holding the listener’s interest, even that of a person not familiar with the finer points of classical singing.

DHANI KUNKAWAACHA (MARATHI)
Venus, Rs. 38
This album offers songs from two Marathi films: Dhani Kunkawaacha on Side A, and Hridaysparshi on Side B (already reviewed in these columns earlier). There are four songs in Dhani Kunkawaacha, written by N Relekar and DR Joshi, and set to music by Shashank Powar. A special feature of the songs is that each is different from the other. Mala choroon bhetaaya bolawa, the opening track on Side A, is a laavani rendered by Uttara Kelkar with verve so typical of this type of composition. It is followed by a romantic duet, Nako haa duraawa, rendered by Suresh Wadkar and Sadhana Sargam. Patil maaza dilaacha raja sung by Vaishali Samant is unusually striking, while the last number, Karaawe tase bharaawe rendered by Suresh Wadkar is somewhat akin to a bhajan.

HAATAALA DHARLAYA (MARATHI)
Venus, Rs. 35
Ten folk songs (Dhammal Lokgeete), seven of which have been rendered by Anand Shinde in his typical style, are presented in this audio which should find patronage among the fans of the singer. Of the remaining three, Milind Shinde has sung two, while a lone duet has been rendered by Anand Shinde and Pradnya Khandekar. Four of the songs have been set to music by Vitthal Shinde, two by Anil Mohile, two by Shrirang Aras and one each by Shank-Neel and Pradeep Lad-Ramesh Aiyer. All the songs have easy-to-hum tunes and each one has a distinctly different orchestration. The album opens with the title track, Haataala dharlaya set to music by Vitthal Shinde and sung by Anand Shinde. This is followed by Jawa naveen popat sung by Anand Shinde and it is easily the pick of the lot. It has been set to music by Vitthal Shinde. Other hummable numbers include Baburao uthatoy ra, sung by Anand Shinde with music by Anil Mohile, and Ya Sakhubaine forencha navara kela with music by Shank-Neel and sung by Anand Shinde.

Reviewed By Salma Khatib And Pandit Shimpi
salmakhatib@hotmail.com

____________________________*****____________________________

New Releases

LL COOL J - THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME
Universal, Rs. 125
A rap/hip-hop album by the popular singer LL Cool J featuring an exclusive international bonus track M.I.S.S.I, besides 17 other tracks. A cool album for his fans.

KELLY - COUNTRY GRAMMAR
Universal, Rs. 125
Another rap/hip-hop album by another black singer. This one has 17 numbers, of which the title song, Steal the show and Interlude are good. Strictly for those who are into this genre of music.