Sawariya : Music Review

Music Director : Monty Sharma
This guy used to work under Ismail Darbar as an Assistant. He had met Sanjay during HDDCS and Devdas.
Lyricist : Sameer

Tracks in alphabetical order :

• Chhabeela : A pretty average track. Lyrics aren’t great either. The song would have sounded better if someone with a naughty voice had sung it. Alisha could have done it better. Asha Bhosle would have been the perfect choice.
• Daras Bina Chain Nahin : I couldn’t bear the track beyond 1:30 minutes. Simply shouting Sawariya / Allah wouldn’t help the track. I found it sensible enough to move on to the next track.
• Jaan-e-Jaan : A decently melodious track. The song goes up and down at regular intervals. The song becomes really soft for the last two lines of each stanza. This is something really different tried by Monty. But I doubt if this song has much of a repeat value.
• Jab Se Tere Naina : One of my favourite tracks of the album. A typical Shaan track. After a long time I’m hearing Dhafli being played in the background of a song. Good job Monty!
• Masha Allah : Nice lyrics, Kunal Ganjawala has sung the song well. But he sounds too nasal at several places. That’s second good composition of the Album.
• Pari : Kunal Ganjawala gets to sing once again. Not impressive.
• Sawar Gayi : Shreya Ghoshal deserves all credit for this one. Though it isn’t a great song by any standards, but her sweet and melodious voice made me hear the whole song. By the time the song ended, I’d started liking it a little more than earlier.
• Sawariya : Everything about this song is EXCELLENT. Be it the guitar chords at the beginning or the chorus sounds or the lyrics. The composition is really beautiful. But if there is one individual to whom the song really belongs, it is debutante Shail Hada. He’s done a marvelous job. This is the first time I’ve heard some good yoodeling after Late Kishore Da. The best song of the album. So let’s sing - Sawariya ha ha ha ha.
• Sawariya (Reprise) : This is an unplugged version of the song. The focus is more on vocals and Shail Hada doesn’t disappoint here either. The lyrics are also re-written for this version. Observe the control he has over his voice in the last line of the Mukhda.
• Thode Badmash : Shreya seems to be the favourite singer of Monty. A nice melodious composition. The composition has a flavour of Bairi Piya (Devdas).
• Yun Shabnami : This song has the most variations (rather surprises). In the beginning you’ll feel like you’re listening to another soft and soulful number. But soon the song picks a little pace. Then you hear a beautiful jugalbandi of Violin and Sitar. Then the song turns into a qawwali. Finally the song ends the way it started - a soft and soulful number. Good work!!! Sheer Talent!!!

Monty has done a splendid job. The whole album isn’t upto the mark. But there are some really good compositions.
Monty’s made a mark and he’s here to stay.

Rating : 3/5

Om Shanti Om : Music Review

As promised in my previous blog, here comes a Music Review of Om Shanti Om.

The tracks (in alphabetical order) :

• Ajab Si : A great piece of melody composed by Vishal-Shekhar. They have proved that they aren't good in just that Hip-Hop genre. KK as usual has sung well. The surprise here is the lyrics by none other than Vishal Dadlani (the composer) himself. Even though he's been a lyricist for quiet a while now with credits like Tere Ishq Mein (Supari), Ek Nazar Mein Bhi, Mumbai Nagariya and Meter Down (Taxi No. 9-2-11), Kiss of Love (Jhoom Barabar Jhoom). This is definitely his best work till date.



• Dard-E-Disco : The track starts with an Arabic touch. Sukhwinder impresses once again with this high-pitched song. This song would definitely rock the parties / clubs and discotheques for the next couple of months. Though the lyrics aren't great - "Dil Todh Gaya Mooh Modh Gaya, Woh Pichhle Mahine Ki Chhabbis Ko." But Javed Akhtar did mention in an interview that the lyrics have been written considering the plot of the movie and the situation of the song.
  
  
• Dard-E-Disco (Remix) : No comments on the remix. Just added some pace to the song with a few English lyrics here and there.



• Dastan-E Om Shanti Om : This song would definitely remind you of Ek Haseena Thi from Karz. Hats off to the lyrics by Javed Akhtar. The lyrics are so good, you feel like someone’s narrating a story to you. The other two good narrative songs which I can recall are Mere Paas Aao Mere Doston (Mr. Natwarlal) and Ek Haseena Thi (Karz).



• Dastan (Remix) : A remix again. No comments.



• Deewangi : Shaan and Udit Narayan team up yet again to deliver this foot tapping number after the Title Song of Partner. Female voices couldn't have been better than the husky Sunidhi and melodious Shreya. Farah Khan kept up to her promise and gave a chance to Rahul Saxena of Indian Idol 1 (though he gets to sings just one line - last line of second stanza). My favourite part of the song - "All the Cool Boys Come On Make Some Noise And Sing Om Shanti Om" in Sunidhi Chauhan's voice.



• Deewangi (Remix) : Another remix.



• Dhoom Tana : The moment the song starts, you'll start visualising Jeetendra dancing with Jayaprada/Sridevi on a beach side/hillock with Gulal flying all over the place. The song has that trademark tempo of Bappi Lahri compositions - Naino Mein Sapna (Himmatwala), Ek Ankh Maroon To Rasta Ruk Jaye (Tohfa). The sounds of Dhol and Ghungroo run throughout the song in background, it fades a bit for the first two lines of each stanza and then suddenly comes back like a traditional Punjabi folk song. The bit sung in chorus - "Dhoom Tana Tanum Ta Na Na Na Na" is also nice. And yes, do observe the pace the track picks for the last 42 seconds. It's that typical Dhol sound heard in Panju marriages. Abhijeet and Shreya Ghoshal are perfect voices for this track.



• Jag Soona Soona Lage : Amazing poetry by Javed Akhtar once again. Rahat Fateh Ali Khan's voice has a magical touch, you'll always feel like listening to the song one more time. And I'm sure it's gonna run in the Movie's background many times like Rahat's earlier songs - Mann Ki Lagan (Paap), Jiya Dhadak Dhadak (Kalyug), Bol Na Halke Halke (Jhoom Barabar Jhoom) and Main Jahan Rahoon (Namaste London).



• Main Agar Kahoon : Sonu Nigam is undoubtedly the best singer in Bollywood today. And he proves it yet again with this song. He has carried the song so well without any great instrumentation except for a light sound of Piano. Shreya Ghoshal also joins in the second stanza. When it comes to melodious duets nobody can beat these two (of the current breed of singers), be it Piyu Bole and Kasto Maza (Parineeta), Pal Pal Har Pal (Lage Raho Munnabhai), Janeman (Aryan).



• Om Shanti Om (Medley) : This is like a trailer of the album. The transition from one track to another has been done beautifully by Vishal-Shekhar.



• Om Shanti Om (Theme Music) : This one is a small one lasting just 57 seconds. But it's the same tone that you hear in almost all the songs in the Album.

Vishal-Shekhar have done a really done a great job. I would rate this as one of the Best Albums of 2007.

Rating : 4/5