My Love
Posted online: Jun 12, 2009 at 1736 hrs

: T-Series, Rs 145
Bappi Lahiri comes out with India’s first R & B soundtrack and soft-hued songs that are a fascinating mix of Bappi’s trademark style and today’s contemporary tenors. Pyar kiya hai is the most unusual track and has a fresh feel to it, while Pyar to hona tha is vintage Bappi. The lead track, a good mix of R & B with rap by Jida and a basic feel of a ghazal is, in fact, a clever lyrical and musical reworking of Bappi’s unsung but impressive Mohammed Rafi solo Phool kya shabab kya that was - incredibly - filmed on Govinda in the 1989 Farz Ki Jung. So, does R & B mean Rafi and Bappi?!

Life Is Beautiful
Sagarika Music, Rs 95
This is a Marathi pop album by Yogita Chitale. A mixed bag with music by Neelesh Mohrir, the album has some memorable songs like Ye na zaraa and Darya sarangaa. But the other tracks are average despite Yogita’s promisingly-dulcet voice.

Screen choice of the week
Naav Maazhe Shaami
Saregama, Rs 125
Welcome the latest Mangeshkar - Radha Hridaynath Mangeshkar - in a memorable Marathi album that steers clear of crass surrender to perceived trends and commerce and prefers to showcase an upcoming singer in the way daddy knows best - and we mean that literally. Papa Hridaynath exposes a range that’s enviable in the young Radha as she serenades her vocals intensely to Maazhyaa Govyaachyaa bhumit, Bai gele firaayalaa and Sutalelaa aambaadaa, all expertly written by B.B.Borkar, Sudhir Moghe and N.G.Manohar.
Thakun basil maaya ga is the last track and could have been a bit shorter, but the voice is so similar to Lata’s in the ‘50s. The other tracks leave you craving for more, especially the haunting Maaher maazhe aatale and the classic Hridaynath humdinger Naav maazha Shaami, which alone is worth the price of the album.
Go for this one - it’s worth every penny and more. Radha Mangeshkar is yet another talent to watch for from the first family in Indian music.