Aashayein, Hello Darling - Music Review

Aashayein (2010)
Music: Salim - Sulaiman, Pritam, Shiraz Uppal

1. Mera Jeena Hai Kya ------------------------- 10/10
One of the best songs of the movie. Neeraj is awesome in this romantic number. The song starts out a little slow, but manages to capture it's audience in time.

2. Dilkash Dildaar Duniya, Dilkash Dildaar Duniya (Remix) ---------------------------------- 10/10
One of the best song openings I have heard in a while. The moment you hear the guitar based musical opening, you pretty much know that you are in for a nice song here. The saxophone kind of takes away the magic, feels like a misfit in the song, but nevertheless a great song with good beats. Although I got a feeling, instead of Shaan, KK would have been a better playback singer for this one.

3. Rabba ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8/10
A nice song again. This song takes it's own time to form an impression. I mean it is kind of slow, kind of well paced song. It gets slightly monotonous, but I think it is way better in your MP3 players than not.

4. Ab Mujhko Jeena ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7/10
Borderline. Starts out with quick pace and nice beats, bass guitar. You might almost feel that it is a remix version of the song. PASS.

5. Shukriya Zindagi ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7/10
A good song. Does not try to be flamboyant or too melodious. Just enough emotion and melody to make you feel good about the song, and that the song has positive lyrics does not play against it. I am not sure, who directed this song, but I would bet this one is a Pritam creation.

6. Pal Me Mila Jahan (Male, Female versions) ------------------------------------------- 6/10
Sounds good. But after having listened to other songs from the movie, this one sounds a little too slow. Borderline, but I would not recommend this one. Shreya Ghoshal is awesome as usual, and compared to Tulsi Kumar in Dilkash Dildaar Duniya, the sweetness of Shreya Ghoshal's voice is way more evident.

7. Chala Aaya Pyar ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6/10
Again! Sounds good, but like Pal Me Mila Jahan, sounds a little too slow. Not bad in any sense, but do check out if you are a Mohit Chauhan fan. Pretty melodious, but this one is up to you.

Final verdict:
Pretty melodious album. Almost all the songs are great. The album on the whole gets a 8/10.
Get tracks 1,2,3,4,5. Tracks 6,7 are upto you. You can skip all the remixes.

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Hello Darling (2010)
Music: Pritam

So it was a Pritam week for me. But here Pritam fails to deliver. I wonder sometimes, if the music directors decide to use their not-so-good tunes for the second tier movies. The result is pretty evident. You would not puke in your mouth after listening to the music, but the music is just not there for anyone to remember. Also, the entire album sounds like a remix album.

1. Aa Jaane Ja ----------------------------- 6/10
This is nice remix of the oldie Aa Jaane Ja. If you like old songs remixed, I dont think you would be disappointed. Javed Jaffrey's rap like contribution to the song is good. Sounds like a perfect club song.

2. Mai Leke Aaya Band Baja --------------------------------------------------------------------- 6/10
Nice beats. The song has a definite positive and enthusiastic vibe. Good wedding theme song.

3. Attrah Baras Ki ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6/10
Not a great song. But just wanted to mention Suzanne D'Mello is stunning in this song. She is good.

The remaining songs are ignorable.

Lafangey Parindey, World Cupp 2011 - Music Review

Lafangey Parindey (2010)
Music: R Anandh

A breath of fresh air. This is what this album is all about. The album on the whole is pretty likable. However, in spite of listening to the tracks in this album for a while, the songs failed to capture my heart. As I have been saying about Amit Trivedi, this album on the whole borders on being good, but just fails to make the cut. Anyhow, here are the some of the better tracks from the album:

1. Born To Fly -------------------------------- 7/10
This instrumental track is probably the best track of the album. Not to say that voiced tracks are crap, but the instrumental theme is really good, and after a long time I have heard an interesting theme track for a Bollywood movie. It terribly sounds similar to some Hollywood movie, but cannot recall which one.

2. Dhatad Tatad ----------------------------- 6/10
The title of the track pretty much sums up what the track is about. It is a total Dhatad Tatad track, replete with dhol-tasha beats and a nice blend of bass guitar. An energetic track made especially for the upcoming Ganpati festival.

3. Nain Parindey -------------------------------- 6/10
A nice and slow, but briskly paced romantic track. It has a slightly sad vibe to it.

4. Rang Daalein -------------------------------- 6/10
A gangsta track with techno beats. Does good enough to support the lyrics and the rebellious theme of the song.

5. Lafangey Parindey -------------------------- 5/10
The title track of the movie. It is a pretty flat track. The reason being the song is repetitive and not something that will be remembered two weeks from now. But deserves mention, because the effort and 80s theme mixed into the song is clearly evident. It just didn't turn out to be great.

6. Man Lafanga ------------------------------- 5/10
A pretty flat track. Mohit Chauhan could not salvage this song at all. Not a terrible piece of music, just lacks any character. The Remix is crappy.

Final verditct: Not great or poor. Get the instrumental theme and decide about the rest for yourself.

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World Cupp 2011 (2009)
Music: Aadesh Shrivastav

Second string movie, second string music director. Second string music.
Brownie points (Aadesh Shrivastav is not so terrible after all)

• Cheers Bol - Could be a good addition to bachelor drinking party theme songs
• Kahan Ho Bhaiya - A sad and boring song, but Shankar Mahadevan is at his best when he sings emotionally charged, sorrowful songs.

Peepli [Live], Pangaa Gang, ADA...A Way of Life - Music Review

A picture is worth a thousand words

Aisha, Kajraare - Music Review

Aisha (2010)

Music: Amit Trivedi

Amit Trivedi. Will he ever disappoint us? Conversely, will he ever blow our minds? Why does he do it? Why does he produce music where he does not get enough praise than he deserves, and why is he incapable of directing music that leaves no impression?

Confused? Listen to the album Aisha, if you wish, using the cheat sheet that follows:

1. Lehrein, Lehrein (The Bombay Bouce Lounge Mix)--------------------7/10
Probably the best song of the movie. Not the happiest or an energetic one. This is a sad song, but the tune and delivery is very nice. The lyrics, though sad, are pretty meaningful. Both versions are more or less the same.

2. Sham -----------------------------------------------------------------------------6/10
A very sweet, silent and soothing romantic track. A kind of song that would never let you down. Particularly, the kind of song you would play late in the night, or when you would love to unwind in a peaceful, solitary way. Never goes too overboard or too mushy. Just the right amount of romanticism (I hope there is such a word)

3. Gal Mitthi Mitthi, Gal Mitthi Mitthi (The Bombay Bounce Dhol Mix) ------6/10
Another energetic track using the traditional Indian wedding tunes, put to Bollywood beats. A good song to lift your spirits. A perfect wedding/party track. Brush up your Punjabi.

4. Suno Aisha - A foot tapping title song.
5. Behke Behke - A very trendy Spanish-style mischievously romantic track. Not great, but in no way an ordinary song
6. By The Way - A typical girly, party, rock, stage performance song. Whew! Five adjectives for an ordinary song!

Songs 4-6 are not great at all, but Amit Trivedi, as I said earlier, does not have the capacity in him to totally ruin a song, but produces one too many tracks that border on being nice without actually being one. The album as a whole deserves mention and would get a 6/10. Amit Trivedi is definitely a truck load of talent.

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Kajraare (2010)

Music: HR

Himesh fans, rejoice! I understand that your thirst for HR's nasal music was recently satiated by Milenge Milenge, but Himesh comes back strong again in Kajraare.

If you are a Himesh fan, do check out the following tracks. There is not much to mention about the songs as they offer nothing new than what Himesh has already produced, but it will be good enough for you as a fan.
Listing from best to good:

• Rabba Luck Barsa - You would love the beats. And the cheesy dialogue at the beginning is hilarious.
• Woh Lamha Phir Se Jeena Hai - A nice, dard-bhara song by Himesh. Something which he excels in. I would say this is as good as some of the Aashiq Banaya Aapne songs.
• Kajra Kajra Kajraare - A fun and energetic Himesh and Sunidhi Chauhan duet, with great beats again.
• Teriyan Meriyan - The lyrics are really cheesy, and they make you fall in love with this one.

Rest of the songs are just decent to forgettable. But if you happen to be a Himesh fan, I would say do check them out. Skip the remixes.

Oooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooo!

OUATIM, MSMM - Music Review......hope you get the acronyms!

So, folks. Just a few weeks ago, I Hate Luv Storys broke the long, dry spell of good music by giving us some catchy tunes and romantic numbers. We are still humming those after about a month later. It was about time we had something new that was equally good. Presenting you......the music review of:

Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai (2010)

Music: Pritam

1. I Am In Love, 1 & 2 --------------------------------9/10
Probably the best song of the movie. A nicely paced romantic track with adorable lyrics, Pritam manages to produce another likable song. How he does it, don't ask, but I am happy that he does it. There are 3 versions of the song, one by the king-of-pacy-romantic-tracks KK, the other by the Behka-from-Ghajini-fame Karthik and the third one is an ignorable Dance Mix.
Depending upon which playback singer you like more, you would have your favorite out of the two. Both are exactly the same songs and are equally well sung and are therefore equally good.
The only drawback that keeps the song from getting 10/10 is the repetitiveness of the tune. You have pretty much heard the entire song by the end of the first verse.
Nevertheless, a great track!

2. Tum Jo Aaye, Tum Jo Aaye (Reprise) ---------------------------------------------------------------8/10
If you like qawwali-style music and the traditional no-spice-only-sweet sounding romantic tracks, this one is for you. Again, as it has become the norm now-a-days, this song has two versions. One is a duet, and the other a solo. Both the songs are nice. The duet sounds better than the solo, as the theme of the song is about 'how the two lovers found each other and are ever grateful for that', and thus, a male and a female lead voice does justice to the theme.
The Reprise version is good too. Since, the song itself is nice, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan can only add more beauty to the song, if anything else.

3. Pee Loon, Pee Loon (Remix) ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 7/10
Another romantic track. This is probably a little on the borderline, but is good enough to be counted as a good track. The reason being the song starts on a promising note/tone, but takes a little extra time to get into full flow and engage the audience. It's also probably Mohit Chauhan too, who manages to add that extra push to the song's likability.
The Remix of the song is pretty decent, which is a rarity. It is more hip and does a better job of winning our hearts early on with a better opening and a little DJ-style mixing.

Fun: I am intrigued by the title of the song Baaburao Mast Hai, if you know what the word stands for in Marathi slang. Anyways...moving on.

Final verdict: Good album. The album on the whole would get 7/10 as it has some really nice tracks for the most part. And this album was once again a confluence of three elements which when come together create magic. Emraan Hashmi, Pritam and KK. Good times!

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Mr. Singh Mrs. Mehta (2010)

Music: Ustad Shujaat Hussain Khan, Shaarang Dev Pandit

Just read the names of the music composers again. One is an Ustad which translates to classical style of music. The other is Shaarang Dev Pandit, which if you don't know or have not guessed it by now, is the son of the maestro of Indian classical music, Pandit Jasraj.
So this is a tag-team of Indian classical musicians, and the result is not far from different.

• All the songs are Indian classical based.
• Not that classical songs are not good, but this album sounds really dull. The songs are slow and they don't sound fresh.
• It is quite a surprise for these musicians to choose KK to sing one of the tracks, again classical. After having listened to KK voice energetic and foot tapping numbers, it is very difficult to listen to him in this genre of music. Surely a diversion for KK here.

Final verdict: A pretty dull album.