Think of all the composers that Asha Bhosle has worked with over her five-decade career. From O.P.Nayyar to R.D.Burman to Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan to A.R.Rahman, all have obviously left their indelible mark on Asha as she composes eight tracks on this album that would do these composers proud! From pop to semi-classical, Asha does it all. This album definitely benefits from the late Majrooh Sultanpuri s lyrics, which are far superior to other pop albums. There are no flippant phrases or moronic chants. Whether playful or deep, Majroohsaab s lyrics are skilfully written. The album kicks off with Na Marte Hum , a conventional pop song that is currently doing the rounds on all the satellite channels. There is good use of the chorus to punctuate the mere sanam& line, and this is one of the catchiest components of the number. Hanske Mila Na Karo has a South Indian flavour to it, accompanied by a western dance beat (courtesy of Tabun). The song is reminiscent of A.R.Rahman's Mere Dil Ka Woh Shehzaada from KABHI NA KABHI, but is not as appealing. Aisa Bhi Kya appears in two versions. The first is credited as a fast version, and is a likeable love song with a foot tapping rhythm. The melody sounds like something from the 50 s or 60 s, but Tabun s arrangements pull the song into this millennium. The second is credited as hip-hop (?), but it s just a slower version where the violins and the piano are more prominent. The next track, Dil Pyar Mein Lutake , could quite easily be mistaken for a film song from the 50 s or 60 s. The O.P.Nayyar influence is heavy in this song, which is the most enjoyable on the album. Your fingers will be snapping along to the music in no time! Asha then steers the album towards more classical waters with, Uljhi Laton Ki Tarah. Her singing is impeccable in this track, but the most interesting thing about this track is the music. The arrangements range from simple string plucking to waltz to modern jazz. There is even a brief flash of a garage drumbeat! Then it s belly-dancing time! Salamat Salamat is a middle-eastern style song with very authentic music. There is no attempt at fusion using electronic sounds and drumbeats. Asha even sings the chorus in Arabic! Even though the song isn t very conventional for an album of this sort, it got me hooked and I found myself rewinding it several times. Dekhna Ha-aa is a 60 s style number that is reminiscent of R.D.Burman s Main Inpe Marta Hoon from TEESRI MANZIL. Despite the inspiration from such a great source, Dekhna is, unfortunately devoid of any major appeal. Ditto the sad track, Dil Mere Gaye Ja , which is well sung but isn t very memorable. The album ends with Asha's personal tribute to Majrooh Sultanpuri........ Asha´s singing is flawless in all the songs and this album is an encouraging start to her career as composer. However, as Asha has already proved with her singing, practice makes perfect! |
|||||
