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Chords & Notes

Times Music, Rs.150

First things first. The first song of the album is the film’s title track “Singh is kinng”. It is no doubt catchy and the wordings seem quiet timely. For most news channels used it early this week to mark Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s trust vote victory at Parliament. But go beyond the catchy first line and the score falls flat, in terms of wordings. But then, good lyrics have long given up the race of popular music to fast-paced electronic compositions. Now the trick lies in making the music as much dance-floor friendly as possible. On that regard, this one has brighter days ahead. Actor Akshay Kumar has lent his voice to the number along with international hip-hop singer Snoop Dogg. But sad, it doesn’t serve any purpose for Akshay. You can barely hear him.

Parts of this song features in two other avatars in this 12 song album, in between the score “bas ek kinng”, done in two styles – one ‘Tiger Style mix’ and the other without any mix, though what difference does it make to the number is anyone’s guess.

While the song, “Talli Hua”, again in two styles – one Jay Dabhi mix and the other without any mix – might be identified with only after a few pegs down, “Jee karda”, yet again in two styles (how boring can this trend be!), is better be missed than regretted for lending an ear to it. Though the song “Teri ore” holds some promise at first with the soothing voice of Shreya Ghosal and Rahat Fateh Ali Khan coming your way, it soon fizzles out.

The saving grace of this album is the good old sardar, Daler Mehndi lending his voice to “Bhootni Ke”. Well, it also comes in two styles, but go for the one without any ‘mix’. Supposedly a wedding song, it has the real Punjabi zest on the lines of khao, piyo, mast raho.

Sad, most songs in this album have barely any differencing factor. Go a little far from your music system and all you hear is dinchak dinchak. And surprisingly, though there a lot of singers crooned the numbers, most of them succeed in sounding like each other. Well, is it supposed to be its USP?

Devi Foundation, Rs.300

Here is another winner from the Devi Foundation, which purports to help the cause of underprivileged women and children through the sales of its albums. This one is sung by the centenarian Ustad Abdul Rashid Khan and subtitled “Celebrating 100years of the living master”.

Of the two CDs, the first is devoted to raga Bihag, in which the Ustad sings a number of delightful compositions. The longest and most leisurely one is the first, “Dhan Dhan Ree Tera Ladala”, which goes on for over half an hour.

Here and in the others, his felicity with cascading sargams — note patterns — is highlighted, to the delight of the listener.

The ustad, whose pen name is Rasan Piya, and whose compositions are featured in the album, is accompanied by vocalist Subhomoy Bhattacharya, whose robust voice is an asset. But the 100-year-old ustad is nowhere seen to be resting on his oars.

The second CD features a medley of compositions in ragas like Jaijaiwanti, Khamaj, Desh and others. These include a rousing tirwat in Bhopali, a kajri and chaitee. Abdul Hafij Khan on the harmonium provides fulsome support, as does Bilal Khan on the tabla. This album is definitely a collectors’ item.

(Compiled by S.B.P and A.R.)

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