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Reviews
HAR
DIL JO PYAR KAREGA
T-Series, Rs. 55
With Anu Malik in great form, every music score of his is looked forward
to with great expectations. His music for this film may not be counted
among his exceptional scores but it has its moments. Though Anu isn’t
in his elements here he comes up with easy-on-the-ears compositions. The
title song is the best of the lot, feelingly composed by Anu which tugs
at your heart-strings. And Sameer’s lyrics here convey the romantic
feelings too well. Just check the mukhda - Use hasna bhi hoga use rona
bhi hoga, har dil jo pyar karega - how very true. Udit Narayan and Alka
Yagnik render it touchingly. Dil dil deewana ho gaya re has lyrics which
have been written just to rhyme with the tune. The mellow Aate jaate jo
milta hai reminds you of a yesteryear golden oldie in which Sonu Nigam
sounds very much like his idol Rafi. Anu Malik pitches in here mouthing
some dialogue. Wonder why he didn’t let Sonu do it? Sahiba sahiba
is an English-Konkani number sung by KK, which doesn’t make much
sense, with KK going Yeah yeah, oh oh, like Western pop singers.
The flipside takes off with a typical Anu Malik style number Ek garam
chai ka pyala sung by the composer himself. Like all item songs this should
click with the masses. Pop singers Pinky-Preeti go Piya piya with Prashant,
while Sonu belts out Aisa pehli baar hua hai satra athra saalon mein,
which sounds like the title song of Jaanam Samjha Karo, albeit with a
good interlude of an Arabian tune. Coming to the lyrics, how can one be
both, 17 and 18 years of age at the same time? The compositions do take
time to grow on you, but once they do, you enjoy them.
KAASH - HARIHARAN
Magnasound, Rs. 60
Hariharan comes up with a ghazal album after a long time, and that’s
enough excuse for his fans to go for the album. The singer, with a well-trained
voice, made his mark as a ghazal singer first, after which he diversified
into singing film songs, occasionally coming out with a ghazal album in
between. Kaash has music “conceived and composed” by the singer,
and must say he does a superb job as a composer, bringing in a lot of
variation in the fixed format of ghazal composition. Hariharan experiments
with sounds, using a lot of conetmporary music and acoustics, which sound
really good. The title ghazal written by Tahir Faraaz sounds like a typical
ghazal, but the next one Ye aaine se uses modern sounds. Jhoom le makes
good use of violin and tabla, and has some very touching poetry by Muzaffar
Warsi. Other ghazals which make their mark are Aadhi raat guzar gayi,
Aandhiyaan and Ab ke baras bhi reh gaye pyase. High quality of recording
adds to the listening pleasure. This one’s among the few good ghazal
albums in te market and Hariharan’s fans will surely love this millennium
gift from him.
OOPS!...I DID IT AGAIN - BRITNEY SPEARS
HMV, Rs. 125
Britney Spears’ back, with a bang one may add. Two years after
the release of her hit debut album ...Baby One More Time, she has now
released Oops!...I Did It Again, which has already broken sales records
internationally. It sold 1.319 million first week, so one doesn’t
need to recommend this album really. Like her debut album, this one too
has its share of some hip-hop, danceable numbers, but then it has more
of meaningful songs which show her maturity as a singer. Also it proves
that her album sold not just because she is a teen-icon, but for the music
and singing. Though all the 14 numbers have their own charm, the ones
that stay in your mind are the racy title song, the funky Stronger, the
well-sung ballad Don’t go knockin’, the touching Don’t
let me be the last to know, What u see, One kiss from you and You got
it all. Can’t miss this one.
SHYAM SANWARIYA KHATU WALE
Catrack, Rs. 32
As one listens to these bhajans in Hindi, one gets a feeling that
they are embellished in and have a lacing of Punjabi folk tunes. There
are eight bhajans (four on each side), all sung by Ram Shankar. Written
by Shri Biharijee, the central figure around whom the songs revolve is
Shyam or Lord Krishna. Surinder Bachchan has set them to music in a manner
which will appeal to listeners, specially the Krishna devotees among them.
The album opens with the title piece, Shyam sanwariya khatu wale, followed
by Tera jalwa nirala, Shyam rang mein rang jaaye chola and Tu mera taat,
tu hi meri maat. The flipside opens with Jyot jagaale baba ki, and continues
with Khatu Shyam ke dhaam chale, Sachcha hai darbar Shyam ka and dAaya
hai khatu mela, the last-mentioned being specially appealing.
VEDYA MANA (MARATHI)
Krunal, Rs. 40
Aimed at the youngsters, the album has eight romantic numbers (four on
each side), written by Kedar Parulekar and set to music by Amod Juwekar
in the style of bhavgeets. The music score and orchestration effectively
bring out the romantic feel. The soft-on-the-ear songs by the singers
is decidedly an asset. It is with the title piece, Vedya mana, sung by
Vaishali Samant that the album opens and assures the listeners of the
delightful musical fare to follow. Kadhi kadhi yeshil ka has been sung
by Rishikesh Kamerkar, Ye saajane ye is a duet by Abhijit Rane and Shilpa
Pai, and Haat haataat ha is again a duet by Kedar Purandare and Shilpa
Pai. The flipside opens with Santh asaa sung by Ajit Parab, and is followed
by Maj soor gawasle rendered by Vaishali Samant, Ghan hey daatoon aale,
a duet by Abhijit Rane and Shilpa Pai, and Tya gaan maifaleet by Rishikersh
Kamerkar, which again is a listener’s delight. An album which will
please the young at heart.
KANHA HALOOCH MAARTO KHADA (MARATHI)
Venus, Rs. 30
This is one more album incorporating traditional Goulanis centering around
Krishna’s childhood and his pranks. The singers are Vaishali Samant,
Shakuntala Jadhav, Priya Mayekar, Arun Ingle and Shrikant Narayan. Kanha
majkade paahoo nako, Murali waajwee to Shrihari, Radhe tuza Kanha and
Ka ge bai Hari ne have been listed as traditional songs, while Kanha ga
bai halooch maartoy khada, Asa kasa Devacha Dev, Kashi jaawoo mee Vrindawana
and Aalya paach goulani have been written by Sant Eknath, Nako re Kanha
udavoo rung is by Sant Namdev and Thakale re Nandlala is by GD Madgulkar.
THAAMB LEKI OTEE GHEWOON JAA (MARATHI)
Krunal, Rs. 35
The album offers to the listeners a prose drama in Marathi titled
Thaamb Leki Otee Ghewoon Jaa written by Prakash Hilge, produced by Subhash
Hilge and directed by Dinkar Inamdar. Before the start of the play is
a brief narration by well-known actress Alka Kubal-Athalye. The play itself
is a tear-jerker and heavily emotional-laden. It may appeal to womenfolk
residing in the rural regions of Maharashtra, who still believe in the
pre and post-wedding rituals and the rich-poor and Saasar-maaher divides.
The writer has attempted to inject lighter moments in the proceedings
but without much success, with the result that the heavier and tear-jerking
moments have dominated the play. The names of the participating artistes
have not been mentioned.
NAMO BUDDHAAY
Swami Music, Rs. 35
Brought out on the occasion of Buddha Purnima, the album offers, in
musical form, the teachings of Lord Buddha contained in Maitreya, Smarantayam,
Trisaran Panchsheel, Buddha Pooja, Buddha Vandana, Sangh Vandana, Dhammapalan
Gaatha and Sandesh. Conceived by Parish Thakur and with music by Arvind
Hasabnis, the mantras have been recited exquisitely by Ravindra Sathe
in his deep, low-pitched voice, most suited for such recitations. The
contents, the music and the voice all combine to keep the listener involved
from beginning to end.
Reviewed By Salma Khatib And Pandit Shimpi