Boom Box

DOSTI: JUNOON
Virgin, Rs. 65

The songs and sounds of this Sufi-rock band aren’t new. This set predates their mega-selling Azaadi by a couple of years, and the band has been singing a couple of songs from this album in their numerous live concerts.
Listening to this album is like seeing a show-reel after having seen the entire film. In retrospect, the evolution of the band from this album to its next is clearly evident. On Dosti, the band is still searching for the right sound, which they did establish with Azaadi. Not that it does anything to dampen your listening pleasure.
Virgin has chosen to call this a follow-up, but it sounds more like a precursor. The tracks that stand out are Dosti, Chaley thay saath and Khoeey ankhen (which is as soulful a ballad as any).
The other tracks on the album include, Heeray, Husan walon, Rooh ki pyas, Mera mahi, Mein Kaun hoon (check the existential angst on this one) and Neend aati nahin.

EASTERN JOURNEY
Virgin, Rs. 65

Biddu’s musical output is getting pretty prolific. Last year, he released two albums as a music producer, and this year he already has one album out. On Eastern Journey, Biddu gets introspective and indulges in a bit of soul-searching. This is a “tracing one’s roots” kind of album.
If that sounds stuffy, perish the thought. Biddu’s journey of musical discovery of India is entertaining and enjoyable. Although the songs have really heavy names like Nirvana, The Eternal Chant, Himalayan Sunrise and Dance Mantra, their philosophy is one of fun.
The album is basically a dance album dressed in mystical clothing. The beat is trance-inducing and the tempo is up-beat. And, if it weren’t for the Indian instruments that keep making periodic appearances, this could well pass off as a techno-album.
Tracks that put the dance fever in you are The Eternal Chant, A Eastern Star in a Western Sky (lovely name for a song) and the mellow HImalayan Sunrise.

THE BEST OF BIG MOUNTAIN
Giant/BMG-Crescendo, Rs. 125

Here’s an album that’s pure fun to listen to. 15 tracks from one of the more accessible, entertaining reggae bands forms the stuff of the album.
Big Mountain became a sensation with Baby, I Love Your Way, from the album Unity, which introduced America to a gentler reggae sound. The follow-up, Sweet Sensual Love established the band as one of the more danceable reggae bands around.
Since then the band has released a stream of hits that have figured in the top ten of the Billboard Reggae charts.
Most of the songs on this compilation come from two Big Mountain albums, Unity and Wake Up. Like I said the songs are great fun, so go ahead and have fun.

SLIDING DOORS (OST)
BMG-Crescendo, Rs. 125

The film was a sleeper hit, and still unreleased in India. The music from the soundtrack spans the various moods of this bitter-sweet comedy, and ranges from the piano-driven sounds of Elton John (Honky Cat), to the gentle, progressive rock sounds of The Brand New Heavies (More Love).
In between you have an assortment of acts and sounds as Those Magnificent Men (Call Me A Fool), Olive (Miracle), Jamiroquai (Use The Force), Space Monkeys (Drug Soup) and Blair (Have Fun, Go Mad).
But the song that best exemplifies the spirit of the film is Aqua’s Turn Back Time and Abra Moore’s Don’t Feel Like Cryin’.
This is an enjoyable compilation that might make more sense when the film releases in India.

DANCE.COM.1 (Various)
BMG-Crescendo, Rs. 200

This is what one calls a humongous compilation. 34 top-of-the-line dance tracks spread over wo volumes, that’s the stuff that dance dreams are made of.
The bigger names on the compilation include LA Bouche (You Won’t Forget Me), Jamiroquai (Deeper Underground), Puff Daddy & The Family (Been Around The World), Falco (Der Kommissar), Modern Talking (Brother Louise ’98), Sasha (Be As One), Natalie Imbruglia (Smoke), Kylie Minogue (Too Far) and Garbage (I Think I’m Paranoid).
The lesser-known dance acts include Propellerheads, Another Level, Love Inc., 4 The Cause, Blue 4U, Bruce wayne, Groovezone and many more.
This is strictly a party album, and one that you can dance the night and the blues away.

Titanic most popular CD of ’98

The Titanic soundtrack was the most popular album in the United States last year, selling over 9.3 million albums, reports Reuters. Coming in a distant second was French-Canadian pop diva Celine Dion’s Let’s Talk About Love which sold 5.9 million albums.
Both albums, released by Sony Music in 1997, contained the chart-topping ballad My Heart Will Go On. All told, five of the year’s top 10 were released by Sony.
The leading distributor of total albums in 1998 was WEA with a market share of 18.2 percent, ahead of Sony with 16.57 percent. In terms of current albums, the rankings were reversed with Sony narrowly leading WEA by 17.45 percent vs 17.25 percent.
Since its November 1997 release the Titanic soundtrack has sold more that 25 million copies worldwide making it the best-selling soundtrack of all time. It topped the Billboard Top 200 charts for 16 weeks, the longest run for any album since the 20-week stand by the Whitney Houston-dominated soundtrack to The Bodyguard in 1992-93.
Indeed, the Titanic album was such a success that it spawned a second soundtrack album, Back to Titanic, and inspired other labels to release Titanic-related albums and songs aimed at capitalizing on the craze.
All told 711 million albums were bought in 1998, up from 651.8 million the previous year, said SoundScan which reaches its figures by sampling sales at record stores across the U.S.
Teen heart-throbs the Backstreet Boys claimed third place with 5.7 million copies sold of their self-titled debut. Canadian country bombshell Shania Twain held fourth position with 4.8 million copies of Come on Over.
In fifth place was boy group ’N Sync whose self-titled debut album sold 4.4 million copies. Another soundtrack, for the film City of Angels, racked up sales of 4.1 million making it the sixth best-seller of the year helped by hit singles from Alanis Morissette and rock band Goo Goo Dolls.
Another Sony soundtrack, for the film Armageddon, came in 10th with 3.2 million sales spurred by the Aerosmith hit I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing. Capitol Nashville Records’ country rocker Garth Brooks was seventh for the year with 3.9 million copies of his Double Live, which was released late in 1998. Actor/rapper Will Smith was eighth with his Sony-released Big Willie Style which sold 3.6 million copies.
Sony’s Australian pop duo Savage Garden was ninth with sales of 3.2 million for its self-titled album.