Baran | PARVAAZ | Music Review

Album : Baran

by PARVAAZ

Listen Here | Buy Here

I was initially reluctant to buy the album, mainly because I was told that the songs were mostly written in Urdu and Kashmiri, two languages I had no clue whatsoever. Luckily enough, the songs somehow appeared at gaana.com and when I started listening, again reluctantly, the album surprisingly managed to hook me from the very first song. After three songs, I went straight to OKListen! and bought it. 99 bucks. Worth it? Totally. And how.

We are greeted with the sound of a siren with the opening song Beparwah, as if something is on fire. The song is truly on fire, Khalid Ahamed's searing vocals  and Sachin Banandur's brilliant drums gives a colossal high energy start. But Ab Ki Yeh Subah diverts from the initial set mood completely, taking a more tender route, led by the lazy guitar strumming on a breezy tune. It gains momentum midway, though maintaining the grace. Lyrics here are amazing, I have to say. Couldn't understand the lyrics of Gul Gushan much but the sound is inherently mysterious, spiritual and the song progresses like an enchanting prayer on the back drop of refreshing natural sounds. Kashmiri folk influences are evident in Roz Roz and the song works wonders in pushing the listener into an abyss of nostalgia. I myself found stuck in high school memories by the time the song ended. Enchantingly magical, the song is! The 13 minute title song is better heard lying down, your eyes closed. It changes sound several times, from a bluesy base to a  somewhat Bon Iver-ish mood. Not quite a fan of this one and couldn't quite understand the various voice overs. Ghaib is a younger brother to Ab Ki Yeh Subah, similar settings prevail. Guitr strums, a free flowing tune and broody vocals. Generic sounds could be heard in Fitnah, though the haunting vocals does the trick. Ziyankar on the other hand intrigues with slow-jazz sounds mixed with full blown guitars.

Baran, meaning rain in Urdu, is without doubt, an impressive effort. Like a fresh drizzle of rain, the songs hinges you one by one. The four piece band based on Bangalore are incredibly talented and have to be watched out for.

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Highway Music Review

Highway Music Review
Music Direction : A R Rahman
Lyrics : Irshad Kamil

What I expected? : Rahman in his splendid form, after the brilliant Raanjhanaa and by the looks of initial releases, Patakha Gudi and Maahi Ve!

Maahi Ve, with towering vocals from Rahman and underlying hip hop beats, cannot get any more sexier! The spiced up arrangements adds to the beauty. The similarity in beats with Maahi Ve doesn't but affect the Punjabi-folk-hip-hop Patakha Guddi the slightest. Nooran Sisters enthralls and Rahman pulls out magic in the F and M versions respectively. Watch out for the amazing rock-revamp towards the middle in the M version, bloody awesome, that! Jonita Gandhi breaks into the Rahman league with Kahaan Hoon Mein and what a pure ear orgasm the piece is! Jonita's vocals fit perfectly into the keys led beauty of an arrangement in here. All hail Rahman! Wanna Mashup is not so lucky though. In parts it looks like an attempt to ape K-Pop style, from the reggae beats and rapping, but has gone horrible bad, Suvi Suresh, Krissy and Kash tries hard though. Sooha Sooha is neat, calm, soothing and fascinating, all at the same time. An ethereal lullaby tune that can take you back to the Rahman of the early 2000s, the folk track is here to stay. The real stunner comes through the vocals of Zebunnisa Bangash where she pulls a winner while Alia Bhatt sings one stanza, impressively! Tu Kuja, with Urdu lyrics, works big time, thanks to Sunidhi's singing and the deep and sonorous desi orchestration. Heera has a surreal beauty within, it is the violin and the smooth tune probably, and Shwetha Pandit's controlled whispery vocals add to it. Jonita Gandhi's haunting humming is spread all over Implosive Silence, an instrumental piece primarily, where Rahman apparently plays with his electronic production skills. Impressive!

Verdict : Highway music doesn't disappoint. It has plenty in store for us to hear and hear again and relish for the coming days. But when juxtaposed with expectations, the album is two notches lower. I mean it just doesn't click the way Rockstar or Raanjhanaa or even Jab Tak Hai Jaan did. Not that it is bad though, just that it won't be featuring among Rahman's best works years from now. May be this is the kind of music the movie demands, I don't know. Nevertheless, when compared to the current condition of mainstream Bollywood music, Highway is still a huge and welcome relief! Highway, high on music! Very Good.

Must Hears! : Sooha Saha, Maahi Ve, Patakha Guddi, Heera


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Gunday Music Review

Gunday Music Review
Music Direction : Sohail Sen

Less time, quick review

Jashn-e-Ishqa is adequately entertaining with the mood of celebration while Tune Maari Entriyaan is pleasantly spot on! Heard before, slightly, and I didn't quite understand the 'Yennadi Muniyamma' reference in between. Copied or inspired? The Bangla version intrigues, though not much different. Moving on, Arijit Singh pulls a neat effort in the sober and soulful Jiya but it is the brilliant orchestration which does the trick in Asalaam-e-Ishqum. Bappi Lahiri and Neha Bhasin plays along wonderfully! Saiyaan run out of luck as soon as it begins but the album gains through the superbly re-imagined Amir Khusro poem, Mann Kunto Maula. The Faridis stuns in the well composed, well arranged sufi-rock affair! The Classical version with the qawwali flair is as good! The techno title song is kind of functional and Rhythm Of Jashn-e-Ishqa doesn't really offer anything new.

Verdict : Gunday has good music! ;)

Must Hears! : Tune Maari Entry, Kunto Maula

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Jai Ho Music Review

Jai Ho Music Review
Music Direction : Sajid-Wajid, Amal Malik, Devi Sree Prasad


What I expected? : Nothing much.

Baaki Sab First class Hai by Wajid, Naacho Re by Ujjaiyini, Photocopy by Himesh Reshammiya and Palak Muchchal and The Title track are skip worthy.

Tere Naina Maar hi Daalenge has noticeably beautiful vocals from Shaan, Shreya Ghoshal and Shahab Sabri even though the composition itself is rather too similar to Dabbang's Chori Kiya Re Jiya.

Tumko Aana Hi Tha works mainly due to the surprisingly frothy and light composition from Amal Mallik! The singers do well, while the keys led arrangements are kept aptly down. #Repeat

The same track is EDM-ised in Love You Till The End-House Mix. While it has an inherent feel good factor, the heavily Avicii inspired beats doesn't offer any novelty.

Verdict : Not for Tumko Aana Hi Tha, Jai Ho Music gives the academy award winning Rahman song 'Jai Ho' a bad name! Sajid-Wajid bhaiyyas, how can you make consistently bad music like this? I bow before you! _/\_  _/\_

Must Hears! : Tum Ko Aana Hi Tha


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Top Bollywood Songs 2013

Top Bollywood Songs 2013

Read the Bollywood Music Analysis in the previous post.

Since I had already talked about the Best Music Directors, Singers and albums, I'm delving straight into the best songs of 2013.

Top 30 Melodies and Top 10 Dance Tracks.

For the ranking I've considered BOTH the popularity and quality of the songs. Hence the list.

Click on the song name to listen to the track.


Top 30 Melodies

No.	Song	Composer(s)	Singer(s)	Film
30.	Murshid Khele Holi	S-E-L	Munnawar Masoom, Javed Ali, Shankar Mahadevan, Gaurav Gupta, Rajiv Sundaresan, Mani Mahadevan, Raman Mahadevan	D-Day
29.	Khoon Chosle	Sachin-Jigar	Arjun Kanungo, Suraj Jagan & Priya Panchal	Go Goa Gone
28.	Tere Mere Beech	Sachin-Jigar	Mohit Chauhan, Sunidhi Chauhan	Shuddh Desi Romance
27.	Aey Sakhi	A R Rahman	Madhushree, Chinmayee, Vaishali, Aanchal Sethi	Raanjhanaa
26.	Ang Lagade	Sanjay L Bhansali	Aditi Paul	Ram-Leela
25.	Janam Janam	Pritam	Sunidhi Chauhan	Phata Poster Nikla Hero
24.	Khud Se	Shantanu Moitra	Papon	Madras Café
23.	Mera Yaar	S-E-L	Javed Bashir	Bhaag Milha Bhaag
22.	Ilahi	Pritam	Mohit Chauhan	Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani
21.	Barbaadi	Amartya Rahut	Mohan Kanan	Aurangzeb
20.	Bezubaan	Sachin-Jigar	Mohit Chauhan	ABCD
19.	Kaun Mera	M M Kreem	Papon	Special 26
18.	Mujh Mein Tu	M M Kreem	Keerthi Sagathia	Special 26
17.	Zinda	S-E-L	Siddharth Mahadevan	Bhaag Milkha Bhaag
16.	Maanjha	Amit Trivedi	Amit Trivedi	Kai Po Che
15.	Dhoop	Sanjay L Bhansali	Shreya Ghoshal	Ram-Leela
14.	Tum Tak	A R Rahman	Javed Ali, Pooja Vaidyanath, Keerthi Sagathia	Raanjhanaa
13.	Manmarziyaan	Amit Trivedi	Shilpa Rao	Lootera
12.	Yaaram	Vishal Bhardwaj	Sunidhi Chauhan	Ek Thi Daayan
11.	Meethi Boliyan	Amit Trivedi	Mili Nair	Kai Po Che
10.	Titli	Vishal-Shekhar	Chinmayi Sriprada	Chennai Express
9.	Yun Hi Re	Anirudh Ravichander	Shweta Mohan, Anirudh Ravichander	David
8.	Sun Raha Hai	Ankit Tiwari	Ankit Tiwari	Aashiqui 2
7.	Ambarsariya	Ram Sampath	Sona Mohapatra	Fukrey
6.	Banarasiya	A R Rahman	Shreya Ghoshal	Raanjhanaa
5.	Laal Ishq	Sanjay L Bhansali	Arijit Singh	Ram Leela
4.	Sawaar Loon	Amit Trivedi	Monali Thakur	Lootera
3.	O Rangrez	S-E-L	Javed Bashir, Shreya Ghoshal	Bhaag Milkha Bhaag
2.	Gulaabi	Sachin-Jigar	Sachin Sanghvi	Shuddh Desi Romance
1.	Tum Hi Ho	Mithoon	Arijit Singh	Aashiqui 2

Other melodies worth mention : Jeene Laga Hoon(Ramaiyaa Vastavaiya), Tere Mere Pyaar Ki(David), Ankahee(Lootera), Mar Jawan(Mumbai Mirror), Kaise Milun(Rajjo), Chaahun Mein Yaana(Aashiqui 2), Sun Le Re( Madras Cafe), Mere Bina Tu(Phata Poster Nikla Hero), Khushamdeed(Go Goa Gone), Sawan Bairi(Commando)

Top 10 Dance Tracks

No.	Song	Composer(s)	Singer(s)	Film
10.	Fuk Fuk Fukrey	Ram Sampath	Ram Sampath, Yash Divecha, Amjad Bagadwa & Vrashal Chavan	Fukrey
10.	Shubharambh	Amit Trivedi	Shruti Pathak & Divya Kumar	Kai Po Che
9.	Balam Pichkari	Pritam	Vishal Dadlani, Shalmali Kholgade	Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani
8.	Slowly Slowly	Sachin-Jigar	Jigar Saraiya & Talia Benston	Go Goa Gone
7.	Saree Ki Fall	Pritam	Antara Mitra, Nakash Aziz	R..Rajkumar
6.	Shuddh Desi Romance	Sachin-Jigar	Benny Dayal & Shalmali Kholgade	Shuddh Desi Romance
5.	Lat Lag Gayi	Pritam	Benny Dayal, Pritam & Shalmali Kholgade	Race 2
4.	Malang	Pritam	Siddharth Mahadevan	Dhoom 3
3.	Nagada Sang	Sanjay L Bhansali	Shreya Ghoshal	Ram-Leela
2.	Raanjhanaa	A R Rahman	Shiraz Uppal, Jaswinder Singh	Raanjhanaa
1.	Badtameez Dil	Pritam	Benny Dayal	Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani