There is no stopping Agnee right now, it would seem. After that recent brilliance for the Marathi movie Shala I was sitting in wait for their upcoming Hindi project Alaap and the song they have done for Avengers alongside Aditi Singh Sharma, when suddenly today I saw the tweet from Agnee’s Mohan talking of their new upload Manmaani. That, is the name of the theme song for Roadies Season 9 from the band, also featuring the frontman of the show Raghu Ram. That Raghu sings pretty decently was evident from that Indian Idol audition video that has been doing the rounds on the net. And here too he does a neat job of rendering his part, even as Mohan rules the vocals department. While the song is surprisingly light-hearted if one were to go by the melancholic sounds that have been accompanying the show’s promos this time, the lyrics by Abbas Tyrewala are quite along the theme of the season, particularly reflected in the “Chaahiye sab kuchh ya kuchh nahin” motif. The arrangement is trippy as always, with the characteristic guitarwork led by Koko. Of course not among the best on Agnee’s repertoire, but it has got quality. Roadies folk have put out a promo video as well, modelled on the lines of, yes you guessed it, Kolaveri.

In any case. The important things for you to note are – 1. Manmaani is an Agnee song. 2. It is available for free download. 3. Click here to get your free copy. And below is the promo video of the song.

You can listen to the soundtrack here.

Don’t let the cheesy title mislead you, Kaadhal Oru Butterfly is one refreshing listen, Harris Jayaraj putting to full use his flair with use of guitars in an addictive arrangement. Aalap Raju and Hemachandran handle the lead vocals quite nicely while Sunitha Sarathy makes her presence felt even with her humming. Sadly the composer relapses to his reusal habits in Azhage Azhage, with a template that goes as far back as his Laysa Laysa days! Mukesh and Sri Madhumita sound lovely, but that is just not enough to sustain interest in this one. Aalap Raju-Chinmayi-Sharmila’s  Akila Akila is more recent though, strongly reminiscent of Amali Thumali, except that the latter was better. Adada Oru is an improvement, though with borrowed elements from Oru Mugamo from Bheema (thanks to @gunmaster_g9 for pointing out this similarity). The sinister orchestration and Karthik’s heartfelt singing prop the song over all the déjà vu. The soundtrack ends with Venaam Machan, a kuthu song, a genre that always works for me. Naresh Iyer and Velmurugan do the honors rendering the quirky lyrics.

OK OK soundtrack from Harris Jayaraj for OKOK (Oru Kal Oru Kannaadi). I would have been much happier with more of the Kaadhal Oru Butterfly kind.

Music Aloud Rating – 6.5/10

Top Recos: Kaadhal Oru Butterfly, Venaam Machan, Adada Oru

You can listen to the soundtrack here.

The composers Sajid Wajid have pretty much no credit to take on Papa Toh Band Bajaaye as it essentially this tune embellished with some clarinet hooks et al, most prominent of which seems to have been borrowed from the title hook of this. Nevertheless the lyrics by Sameer and Neeraj Shridhar do hold your attention With Malaika onscreen and Mamta Sharma alongside Sukhwinder behind, one cannot but compare Anarkali Disco Chali with Munni Badnaam, though the common factors end with what I stated previously.And it is indeed entertaining, but not on the same level. One of Mamta’s better renditions post Munni in any case. And two remixes are a bit too much for this. Even the Punjabi+hip hop Right Now Now has a languid charm about it. Sunidhi’s role is minimal though, with Wajid and Suzanne leading the proceedings. The remix does away with that charm factor, and hence is avoidable. And finally there is a very retro-sounding Do U Know executed quite neatly with the composer duo throwing in a lot of folk elements (the stringed instrument sounded like a banjo. Nice touch that!) to good effect. The vocal part is carried off equally well by the reliable Shaan and Shreya Ghoshal. This one could have been spared of a remix, without the folk factor it sounds quite weak.

For the kind of movie that Housefull 2 is, the soundtrack surprisingly exceeds expectations!

Music Aloud Rating: 6/10

Top Recos: Do U Know, Right Now Now

Kabir. I guess it was in my 5^th standard that we had to study Kabir Ke Dohe and also a story about his life. Though it was good fun reciting Kaal Kare So Aaj Kare.. and Bada Hua To Kya Hua Jaise Ped Khajoor.. and the like, the poet and his works subsequently faded out of memory as time passed. Until Jhini happened that is, Indian Ocean doing a brilliant interpretation of Kabir’s lines. Not that I made much out of the lines, I was never much of a lyrics person, but such earthy lines tend to have a powerful impact with contemporary adaptations even if you cannot understand the meaning. Something that has been adequately proved by Indian Ocean, ARR, Agnee, Coke Studio et al. It was hence that I decided to buy No Stranger Here, another modern take on his poetry by Shubha Mudgal, Ursula Rucker and Business Class Refugees.

One of the many spectacular things about No Stranger Here is its employment of the strings. The rich fabric of violins laid out by orchestrator Eyal Mazig adds quite brilliantly to the majestic sound of the songs in more cases than one. For instance there is song no. 1 Seraphim Tones where Mazig’s team gives a very period feel to the proceedings while Mudgal soulfully renders Sai Bina Dard Kareje (in raag Desh?) in conjunction with a very ethereal-sounding recitation by Rucker. Mazig plays a prominent role in Shubha Mudgal’s solo act as well, Drunk In Love, lending that heady ambient feel to the devout song. Composed by Mudgal (Tilang raag I felt), the lead tune faintly reminded me of Vaishnav Jan To in places. Steadfast features a lovely superimposition of Mudgal’s alaaps and Rucker’s poetry amidst the resonant “om” chants by the chorus and an oriental-flavored orchestra. It is in When I Was that Patrick Sebag and Yotam Agam decide to go for a change of genre, choosing a jazz template to support Mudgal singing Kabir’s Jab Main Tha Tab Hari Nahi. Have always loved jazz-classical fusion, loved this too.

The best of the soundtrack happens next – A Stranger Here, a malkauns-based beauty that allures as much for Shubha Mudgal’s brilliant rendition as it does for the orchestral opulence. Ursula Rucker has some fab lines here too set to the same theme of loneliness, which she sings in a very haunting manner.  But to me the earlier-mentioned factors sidelined everything else. The song incidentally is also the cornerstone of the album’s concept. A shorter alternate version of the same song titled Outsider comes up at the end of the album whose only difference apart from the length is an Indian element introduced into the otherwise brass-ish percussion. Mazig, Sebag and Agam take centre-stage in the mystic-sounding instrumental Searching For You and execute it quite nicely, with touches of Oriental in places. It is only Rucker’s solo, Something Is Still Missing, which I found not upto the mark – a tedium setting in at some point. Shubha Mudgal’s final track Above All Else is the longest of all. And despite the singer’s efforts once again complemented quite nicely by the orchestra, the slow pace coupled with the length of the track works against it.

The note on No Stranger Here’s CD reads – “With individual sensitivity, respect and deep artistic understanding of their own and different cultures, Shubha Mudgal, Ursula Rucker and Business Class Refugees come together in distinct diversity to unite with the timeless, spiritual voice of humanity.” And unite they do, bringing together their diverse styles in a seamless fashion, and giving us one hell of a tribute to the legendary poet in the process. A slightly larger spread of styles, like more songs on the lines of the jazz fusion track, would have been perfect, but that is not to take any credit off this outstanding body of work. You can/must listen to and buy the album here.

Asian Underground artist Karsh Kale and blues/rock outfit Blackstrat Blues’ Warren Mendonsa have come out with a cover of Leonard Cohen‘s legendary song Hallelujah. The cover basically involves Kale and Mendonsa using the lines from Cohen’s song and superimposing them over Mendonsa’s track from the album The New Album called Ode To A Sunny Day with some additional lyrics from Kale and has Kale on vocals. Though not really a replacement for Cohen’s sonorous voice, Karsh Kale does a neat job of rendering the song. But most importantly, brilliant reimagination this - it is like there couldn’t have been a better choice of words for the lovely instrumental from Blackstrat Blues. Anyways, enough said. The song is currently available for FREE DOWNLOAD! You can sample the song below, and download it here. I already got my copy, advise you to download asap.

You can listen to the soundtrack here (link courtesy, @iPeeKay)

It comes as an interesting coincidence that I happened to listen to Viju Shah’s Tumma Tumma Ele after a long time today, thanks to a conversation with @meemeera on twitter. Pritam’s Pungi bears a strong flavor of that song – the funny exuberant arrangement led by the characteristic percussion, the wacky lyrics by Amitabh Bhattacharya, and Mika in his trademark style supported on vocals by the lyricist, composer and Nakash – even while it is original in its own way.  Being Sriram Raghavan this could very well be some sort of tribute(wiki tells me that Aar Ya Paar was based on a James Hadley Chase novel. Interesting) . The remix is an unimaginative fast forward work of the original. If I’ll Do The Talking Tonight makes some sort of impression on you it is only due to Boney M’s epic original from which it legally borrows, and the vocal efforts of Neeraj Sridhar, Aditi Singh Sharma and Shefali Alvarez. Both of which are majorly sabotaged due to the overuse of the processing. And as if that wasn’t enough more techno sounds get added in the remix! The instrumental theme, with that quintessential whodunit hook, is of purely functional nature, and unnecessarily long I felt.

Pritam finally seems to have got over his three-version fever. Only to take it one step ahead, giving us FOUR versions of Raabta! And for a change all four versions pretty much worked for me. I liked Night In The Motel best though, the piano and Aditi Singh Sharma’s vocals forming quite an addictive combo (a lot of places have credited Hamsika as singer for this song, Aditi herself confirmed that she sang this). Good to hear her handle a soft melody as comfortably as she does rock numbers. Arijit Singh’s singing didn’t quite work for me in the original version, but he sounds quite awesome along with Shreya Ghoshal in Kehte Hai Khuda Ne and with Hamsika Iyer in Siyaah Raatein. Joi Barua does a short cameo at the end of each version. The composer leaves the best for last, the mujrah with a modern twist called Dil Mera Muft Ka. A song that is bound to draw flak from fans of the regular mujrah, but immensely catchy otherwise. Right from the opening rubab that seems so like a nod to a similar opening in the legendary qawwali Pardah Hai Pardah, Pritam is right on top of the arrangement, choosing a raag very conducive to techno/rock-flavoring, sindhubhairavi. Hat-tip to the harmonium player, he is brilliant. Nandini Srikar is in excellent touch rendering guest lyricist Neelesh Mishra’s interesting lines, very nicely supported by Muazzam Beg and the chorus formed by Shadab Faridi, Altamush Faridi, Shabab Sabri and Rizwan. Surprisingly the remix sung by Malini Avasthi sounds more conventional, barring the occasional techno elements thrown in. Nevertheless the arrangement is less imaginative in this case and gets tedious, despite the classy singing.

Agent Vinod. One of the most awaited soundtracks of the year, and Pritam does not disappoint. Highly enjoyable track from the composer!

Music Aloud Rating – 7.5/10

Top Recos: Dil Mera Mufta Ka, Raabta (Night In The Motel), Pungi

You can listen to the soundtrack here (link courtesy @iPeeKay as usual).

Composer Jeet Ganguly’s three tunes for Blood Money are apparently reusals from his previous Bengali works. I haven’t heard the Bengali, but the Hindi versions worked fairly well for me. Rahat Fateh Ali Khan  rules Chaahat with his spectacular singing, supported to the tee by some very imaginative flute phrases. Roxen frontman Mustafa Zahid returns to Bollywood after some time to sing Jeet’s Gunaah which does remind of some past Mustafa song (probably from Awarapan) probably due to the singer’s style. Engaging nevertheless. The slower, mellower Unplugged version has less of that past evocation with the composer using Rana Mazumder in place of Zahid. And lovely choice of instruments here. The Robert Miles-ish Jo Tere Sang starts off interestingly but then takes a dip towards the antaras. Does work in parts though, Mustafa Zahid’s being a major plus. A third song featuring Zahid comes from composer no. 2 Pranay, a song that follows the standard Bhatt formula of rock+melancholy with expected results, but with increasing tedium. The remix is a fast forward of the original devoid of much imagination and thereby avoidable. Final song Aarzoo would have been much better had composers Siddharth and Sangeet Haldipur gone easy on the voice-processing. As it happens, Clinton Cerejo’s efforts are pretty much wasted.

Not the best of soundtracks from the Bhatt stable, but could help getting Jeet Ganguly some long-overdue attention.

Music Aloud Rating – 6.5/10

Top Recos – Chaahat, Gunaah

You can listen to the soundtrack here (from our customary link supplier, @iPeeKay)

For the kind of laid back city that Kolkata is, Vishal Shekhar’s ode Aami Shotti Bolchi is uncharacteristically boisterous, what with the effervescent Usha Uthup  leading the affairs well-supported by Shekhar (surprised that he took up the growling instead of Vishal) and Vishwesh. The broadway-ish track does reflect the city’s once popular musical taste though, the jazz template that stands out among the variety of genres that it goes through, the composers incorporating clever tributes to yesteryear item numbers in the process as is their wont. All that and the nicely worded lines from Vishal, fantastic listen. Like with RA One, the pick of the soundtrack happens in the form a classical fusion piece, V-S bringing Pakistani powerhouse Javed Bashir to render Piya Tu Kaahe Rootha Re. And in his trademark style, he takes us through some superb alaaps and sargams while adding to the sinister effect wonderfully is the pulsating rock background. Tore Bina is a lovely follow-up, helped along the way by Sukwinder Singh’s spotless rendition. The way the arrangement peaks around the title hook is particularly addictive.

Kahaani is the only normal track in the otherwise brilliant lineup, set to a pretty dated template. KK’s soulful crooning only helps add to the ennui. The female version however is an improvement with the composers replacing the repetitive template with an acoustic guitar. And Shreya Ghoshal doesn’t disappoint on the vocals. Vishal Shekhar present another winner while bowing out, their own version of the legendary Tagore poem, Ekla Cholo Re (with some Hindi lyrics by Vishal and English lines by Clinton). Big B renders the song in his resounding voice while the composers beautifully incorporate a western chorus into the proceedings.

From the trailer of Kahaani I had prepared myself for a dark, melancholic soundtrack. Au contraire, Vishal Shekhar’s score is surprisingly light-hearted. Not that I am complaining, this is superlative work from the duo, one of their career best.

Music Aloud Rating: 8.5/10

Top Recos: Piya Tu Kaahe, Aami Shotti Bolchi, Tore Bina

You can listen to the soundtrack here.

Composer Harpreet smartly infuses sufi-tinged portions into a breezy acoustic guitar-laden title track which sounds almost like a Salim Sulaiman work in places, especially since Salim Merchant is the lead vocalist. Lovely opener to the album. Harpreet next gets the sufi singer Sanam Marvi (famous to Indians for her Coke Studio songs) to sing Tumba Wajda. And playing to her strength he creates a very sufi-flavored track which sees beautiful usage of the stringed instrument that seems to be oud or saz. That and the singer’s characteristically powerful rendition, this could as well have been another Coke Studio entry!  Another beautiful classical-based melody follows, Tera Noor, which puts Javed Ali’s trained vocals to good use. The backing vocalist (who sadly is uncredited) is also quite effective. Despite its techno elements, Dil De De Bandeya’s folk base and Tochi Raina’s rendition make it a fairly engaging listen, albeit not on the same level as its predecessors.

One more brilliant singer Richa Sharma is brought in with the poignant sufi-flavored track Yaar Mere. It is a treat to listen to Richa sing, and Harpreet makes sure her efforts are not left wanting on the other departments. The vocal prowess of ghazal singer Jaswinder Singh and the perennially under-rated Hrishikesh Karmekar rules Saanwal Yaar even as the composer provides an engaging rock-influenced base to it. Zaaman that follows is another semi-classical melody. Very soothing arrangements and Meenal Jain, with her trained vocals, carries out the rendition quite comfortably.  The album is ended with a trippy philosophically-oriented piece, Mar Jaana. The singer, a first to me, I P Singh, does a commendable job of delivering the song with good support from the chorus.

Close to four years back Harpreet did a sufi compilation for Sony Music called Teri Justujoo, which not many heard (me included). It took Shor In The City last year to bring some limelight to at least two of the tracks from that album. I really hope that fate does not befall this second sufi compilation of his, Teri Rehmatein is one excellent piece of work with a lovely lineup of singers.

Music Aloud Rating – 8/10

Top Recos – Tumba Wajda, Yaar Mere, Saanwal Yaar

You can listen to the entire soundtrack here.

Composer Sharath gets the two veterans Chithra and Yesudas to sing the two respective versions of Ponnodu Poovai, a song with arrangement very evocative of Rahman’s 90s style, topped with some delightful employment of the kanjira. Chithra’s version worked better for me coz of the dainty touches that she adds to it. Her voice sounds quite young, strangely.  Sharath’s imaginativeness on the orchestration lifts the otherwise regular Kannara Thumbi sung by the ever-energetic Mano. The percussion and basslines are especially noteworthy. The song of the soundtrack comes next, one more brilliant piece along the lines of Sandhikkaadha (180) called Enthe Hrudayathaalam. Like with Sandhikkaadha one would note the background elements coming in bursts – the effect is spectacular! Madhu Balakrishnan and Jinsha K Naanu are top class at the vocals. Going by the recurrent RGMRS swara sequence, I presume this is based on Poornachandrika raga. All-round winner, this!

Poovaaname belongs to the composer’s Shesham line of songs, the western classical-ish template and a slightly unsettling sort of tune. That is not to understate the brilliance of the composition in any manner. Alka Ajith and Anand Aravindakshan (who sang Unni Menon’s part in Santhikkaatha’s Telugu version) do their part flawlessly – especially so in the vocal harmony portions. Palghat Sriram rules the melancholic heavy-on-percussion Oh Thingal Pakshi (Poorvi Kalyani-based?), the way he handles higher scales is just enviable. And in the last track Sharreth features the singer he chose from Mazhavil Manorama’s Indian Voice, Siyad. Interestingly arranged again, portions of the classic Akkarappachayile from Sthaanaarthi Saaraamma being placed smartly in a pop-based arrangement. Percussion usage is of note here too, mridangam, thavil etc. being fused brilliantly with the drums.

While reviewing 180 last year I had expressed a wish that Sharreth give a similarly brilliant soundtrack in Malayalam. Less than year later, the composer grants that wish. Fabulous soundtrack!

Music Aloud Rating – 8.25/10

Top Recos – Enthe Hrudayathaalam, Oh Thingal Pakshi, Ponnodu Poovai