Songs of 2009- (3)

Okay so writing part 3 is exciting me. Mainly because I listen to the songs as I write about them and write now I'm listening to  "Leftrightleftrightleft" and feeling happy happy happy :D:D:D

It's no secret that Coldplay is my favouritest band in the planet, they've played a huge role in my mental life, saving me, helping me, depressing me, highs and lows, since I was 15 years old.
Those of you who have been reading the blog, I went to one of the opening shows in Madison Square Garden from "Viva La Vida" and I say again, there is no other experience in this world, that takes you above and beyond this materialistic world than seeing Coldplay live.

So I was super excited to hear that they were releasing a live album based on the tour and free! It was a gift to us fans. As Coldplay said "how can we charge for this album? we'd have to pay royalties to the thousands of singers in the audience who sang on the record." 

The album has variations of their old songs, a couple of new ones, and a HUGE presence of their audience in the songs, for those of you who haven't been there will just be able to slightly get how intense, how full of life and love the shows are. The whole album is energetic but slows down for its soft moments as in for "Fix You" when Chris Martin gives the mic to audience and they sing "Lights will guide you home and ignite your bones" (in tune may I add) and the beautiful height of "tears stream down your face" (i still cry every time i hear this part). There's a cute new song called "Glass of Water" and their drummer sings the song "Death will never conquer".The climax of the album is "Viva la Vida" where the whole audience chants along with the "WHOAAAAA" again and again throughout the whole song, not allowing it to end.

Although I know the live album is not from the NY show, I like to think all of our voices are on this album, thank you Coldplay for this wonderful present, once again you brighten up my life just by being you.

Another favourite musician "Norah Jones" released an album this year called "The Fall"

Was eagerly looking forward to her new ventures in music and I was not disappointed in any way. As far as I know she worked with some new artists and has brought about a different sound to her name, sort of a grungy jazzy thing, especially with the song "Chasing Pirates." But don't fear old fans of Norah Jones, she has her soft acoustic guitar and piano based songs as well as her lullaby'ish slow songs throughout the album. It's a nice mesh of some distortion and heavy drumming with her old jazzy sound and an old bluesy vibe, they all suit her beautifully and I'm happy to see her on her adventures.
It only released in November, and I havent really had a chance to grasp the whole album, but I do already have some favourites: "Chasing Pirates" , "Stuck", "Back to Manhattan" (beautiful ballad) and "I Wouldn't need you."
 
So this album is more of a discovery of 2009, though released in 2007. It's "The Opposite Side of the Sea" by Oren Lavie. I stumbled upon him, due to his incredible stop motion video of his beautiful song "Her Morning Elegance" (thanks to Adil Bhai.) Me and bedueen spent hours and hours just watching this video on repeat, there's a total beauty in this song, the lyrics, melody, the picturisation and the handsome artist himself. The Israeli singer/songwriter Oren Lavie has a unique sound, his songs take you to the opposite of the sea with his deep bass voice and his extensive use of violin, cello and the classical touch which is rare in mainstream or rock music. My find of 2009 is definitely Oren Lavie, and the video is a MUST WATCH: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_HXUhShhmY

 Calvin Harris- "Ready for the weekend": this 26 year old Scottish producer who is now working with Kylie Minogue is has really impressed me with his song "I'm not alone" (blogged about already)- am yet to hear the whole album, but I hope it's going to be as bare the single :-)


Going back to Bangla songs, one of my favourite female vocals Nancy (from Habib Bhai's albums) released her solo album. There were several producers on her album, and so got to hear new sides of her voice. But I favoured tracks 1 and 2, composed by Habib ; he really knows how to direct her, pronunciation, throwing, etc wise; he brings out the dreamy girly voice in her, really beautiful. I recommend these 2 tracks highly.

Kailasa- a fantastic band featuring the raw beautiful vocals of Kailash Kher came out with their 3rd studio album called "Chandaan Mein." Like their previous records, this also featured some Sufi songs, some originals, a blend of Kailash's rawness with Naresh and Paresh's fantastic western production and wodnerful backing vocals. These 2 brothers are really something, they manage to take place the right amount of Indian and Western-ness with Kailash's voice. The album's highlight was the title track, a slow moving song "Chandaan Mein" featuring the very cute and appropriate backing vocals the brothers give with their boyish voices in contrast to Kailash's folky one. Bedueen and I tripped on this song on long road trips.

As Bhaiya said when he heard this song, "Na Bin Bataiyen (Dha dhin dhin na)" was based on a concept many musicians have tried, with the tritaal's dhin dhin na, but this version seems to be the most successful we've heard so far as far as fusion goes. (you have to hear it to get what I mean.)All 3 members of Kailasa sing wonderfully in the perfect fun energetic motions in this one.
A few of the other tracks are sort of Bollywood'ish, similar to the type Kailasa is producing for the films nowdays. But another track that super stands out, arrangement, composition-wise is " Rang rang ma" almost drum and base'y vibes with the khomok tabla and drums all together, another round of multiple vocal tracks (my weakness) and then a slow down and build up in the middle (another weakness.)
("Tere Naina" was added as a bonus track from their previous album "Kailasa" and it is in another league altogether, but don't want to compare albums!)
Naresh and Paresh are completely fabulous producers, anyone who haven't their work, RUN and get a copy!

Okay part 3 over, hopefully I can complete part 4 (last part) by tomorrow and commence with my Jan 2010 play list hehe.. yes i seem to be on a roll right now (due to the fact I have an exam, thus feel like doing everything else but study hehehe)

Arm

Songs of 2009- (2)

So here starts the 2nd part of my 2009 music review..

Gurus of Love: a short album with mainly 3 songs. Arnob's song "Naam Chilo Na" was a fantastic one on his part, also liked Habib bhai's new venture into a more alternative sound, it's these little projects when we get to hear his other side.

3rd person Singular Number OST- I really enjoyed this one. It's always fantastic to hear new songs by Leemon Bhai. But the 2 songs that really came to me were by Nancy. I personally think Habib Wahid and Prince Mahmud's best songs yet; were the 2 songs sung by Nancy in this album, "Didha" and "Ke je kaar" respectively. Strongly recommended these 2 tracks.

Jaago OST- produced Arnob- the soundtrack included many vocal collaborations including Milon Mahmud, Kona, Zohad, Kumar Bishwajit..but my picks are "Keno Chole Gele Duure" a soft song with a "rabindrik" approach; and "Pothe Cholte" by Rupam a lively happy-go-lucky song.





Another Bangla album I've favoured in 2009 is Shami feat 365, a folk song remake album featuring the vocals of Wakeel,Shaon and Deb. I've been used to hearing him in a different sound, so it was interesting to hear his outlook on fusing folk music. The radios favoured "Cholo Na Udashi" the most, but i enjoyed "Mon jaare chai" especially the flute solos.
Oh! and the cover was superrr nice.


My most favourite album in Bangla music in 2009 was Zaki Aman's "Aushadharon."
His home recorded "tomake bhebe lekha" has been a big part of my life since 2004 when I first heard it in my first year dorm room in Nottingham Uni from a fellow student. We later got introduced through mutual friends, and I like to think my perpetual requests and pleading played a role in getting him to Dhaka to record his solo album.
Zaki Aman has never been a professional musician, although he had a band when he lived in Dhaka many years ago. Thus his songwriting has been purely for himself. In terms of genres, he is a singer/songwriter, ie his lyrics play a major role in the entire song. But there's something about his melodies and lyrics, his mood is a "soft light evening" or "late night moon" mood; they hit a spot. Another thing about his music, is that, having been away from Bangladesh from so long, he hasn't been influenced by the Bangla Music around him (which sporadically happens with the rest of us actively in the scene), his exposure to Bangla Gaan is from the late 90's and so there's a touch of that in his songs.
But the highlight of his songs are his unique guitar plucking, which are the root of the songs. Many of us who had his accoustic home recorded demos may have a better grasp of knowing who he really is, a man and his guitar.

The album is an extended version of that; it is more like an MTV Unplugged album, he added little jazz piano solos, saxophones, light percussions, soft drums etc to his original formations. I was around on and off during recording, and to my biggest honour I was offered to play a small role, small humming in 2 of his songs. It was a beautiful experience in this day and age, to be such a big fan of someone, to actually Like them and befriend them in real life (very rare in our music scene), and to play a role in the songs I've been in love with..

Anyway coming back to the album:it wasn't perfect, It does have its flaws of course in mixing mainly; but those who work in studio's know how hard it is to make an album, but I must give ZA credit, coming from no musical production background he beautifully directed all the musicians to play their roles in their songs, and did a stellar job as a first time producer. I love them all, but here are my top favourites:

Gaangchil- a song he had written for his band back in the day, its a got a "band" vibe and i love the chorus.
"Hajar manusher majhe becheo, Eka.."- i think everyone in their lives has experience the emotions expressed in the lyrics of this song, very relatable song- as he looks at life from a loner's eyes.
Aushadharon- the title track (i hum throughout the melody)- the best sides of ZA, as a lover. He has a unique way of placing the loving words in a melancholy yet romantic tune.
Tomake Bhebe Lekha or (TVL as ZA likes to call it)- I think it's one of those songs I can never get tired of listening to. I tried my best to pochafy it, i heard the accoustic one a billion times in my dorm room, I heard the version Shanto Bhai sang in Fuad's Variation #25, i heard a 2nd accoustic version, I even sang in it (so had to hear it over and over during recording), I have videoed Zaki Bhai and watched it over and over, but here I am at 4am listening to it 5 years later, it is truly one of the best Love songs made by a Bangladeshi musician in my lifetime.

And those few seconds that I hum, at the end of the song, i feel like i am the "tumi" in tomake bhebe lekha....

yes I am his documented biggest fan :D and it feels wonderful to openly love someone's songs and still maintain that love after being friends with them in real life. Zaki Bhai, thanks for this gift.

Okay, that's it for part 2, more parts coming soon :-) all parties interested joining my regular mailing list, leave comments..blog soon ;-)

Songs of 2009- (1)

Okay so I'm terribly sorry to the people who actually read this blog, that I haven't written for a year.

2009 wasn't the best of years for myself, and there was something going on every second consuming my mind and soul. I am so glad that it's over and I plan to craft this year my own way. Anyway this post isn't about the negativity of 2009 but of the positives. Comparatively I actually didn't listen to a LOT of music last year. But here's a take of some of the favourites.

2009 began with AR Rahman's "DELHI 6" Rahman songs need no elaboration, each one is a piece of art, Masakkali, Genda Phool, Bhor Bhai etc all played a big role in the soundtrack of my life. But the highlight of the album was Rahman Saab's own voice in "Rehna Tu"- sung about Delhi, in a way that perfectly describes your home, and if that wasn't enough Rahman played the most superb solo, that took my breathe away. As GF bhai said, if only we had the power to write such a beautiful tribute to Dhaka.
I couldn't help myself but add a bit of the lyrics of this heavenly song:

Rehna tu hai jaisa tu,
Thoda sa dard tu, thoda sukoon,
Rehna tu hai jaisa tu,
Dheema dheema jhonkha,
Ya fir junoon,

Tujhe chahun jaisa hai tu,
Mujhe teri baarish mein bheegna hai, ghuljaana hai,
Tujhe chahun jaisa hai tu,
Mujhe teri lapat mein jalna, raakh ho jaana hai..
Tu zakhm de agar,
Marham bhi aake tu lagaye,
Zakhm pe bhi mujhko pyaar aaye..

AR Rahman; like every year, dominates a fair share of my playlist. But this year I was in for a treat, he had released a special non film album called "Connections" a collection of songs he made for himself and may I say it is only in such albums, that you hear who he really truly is, full of rich Indian Classical instrumentals and others intense songs.

My favourites are "Mylapore Blues" a south indian blues song, and "Man Chandre" featuring the intesnely beauitful vocals of Sukhwinder Singh, but the highlight for me was the voice of Shraddha Pandit in the first verse... those of you who haven't hear this one, you MUST.

Kishon Khan's project "Lokkhi Terra'- a world music project, released their album "No Visa Required" in England. The England version features Anusheh (from Bangla) and Aneire on vocals and a variety of London based musicians in the album. The version to be released in Bangladesh will have a new outlook to it with remixes and another singer Sohini's vocals (which will be reviewed next year :P) My favourite song is Naiya Re, maybe I'm biased, as I've performed this song with Lokhhi Terra or because it's the one that is most Bangali.


Guitarist/producer Rousseau Mannan is a good friend of mine, and while we were working on a new project (details later on), we were sharing music with one another. And he stumbled on this beautiful peice on youtube from a West Bengal film "Antaheen".


We later found some of the other tracks, Antohin and Muthor Rumal, piano based songs with some funky samples (i think?) and moving solos and lyrics; and in general great sound. But the tip of the iceberg was a song names "Shokal Ashe Na" by Sreya Ghosal, the perfect accoustic song with just jazzy sounding vibe, accoustic guitars, piano and Sreya Ghoshal's "allahdi" side..



Niraj Chag, a British producer whose music i really enjoy, released his second album "The Lost Souls"
My 2 picks from this song are "Trace" - a random with scattered sargams, beats and generally a very "Niraj" song, and "Sawaan"- a traditional Indian melody placed beautifully with Indian percussion but produced with the right strings/orchestration/bass to hit that note in my fusion loving place, allowing the rich Indian-ness to stand out amidst other complimenting sounds.

Raving and remeniscing

Okay so my new year's resolution is to blog more, write more, sing more. I have a mailing list i send music to on a regular basis, (anyone interested to join reply to this post) but anyway I'm going to try to add a few of those posts here on my bloggy blog... 

its surprising where i can get music from on a random day. yesterday i heard this bare song in Rabbu's car (very  very old school friend who i rarely see let alone ride his car) and this song played a familiar tone in my head. back from London rave days in Old Street, ... aah london i miss it...

its an electronica one....bare bare bare sweet:


Calvin Harris' "I'm Not Alone"- (Dead Mau5 Remix)