Blood Money, Say Yes To Love - Music Review

Blood Money (2012)
Music: Jeet Ganguly, Pranay, Sangeet Haldipur, Siddharth Haldipur

1. Gunaah ------------------------ 8/10
If you were wondering where Mustafa Zahid of Awarapan was hiding, he is out with Blood Money with three singles from the Pakistani singer. The opening has good acoustics and the soft opening is lead up to a great crescendo with brisk beats and bass guitar treatment. This song actually reminds of Woh Lamhe from Zeher. This song also suffers from monotony, but the instrumentals are more varied than Teri Yaadon Se.

2. Teri Yaadon Se ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8/10 
The second better track from Mustafa Zahid. Teri Yaadon Se being one of the three in the album, this one is very much like Tera Mera Rishta from Awarapan. As is the hallmark of most Pakistani singers, this one is a good sounding track of a broken heart. Fans of this genre and singer will not be disappointed. The only drawback is the repetitiveness of the tune. Very little twists in terms of tune or instrumentals. The Remix is a borderline trashy.


3. Arzoo ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8/10
A stylish and hip-hop track from the exciting music musician Clinton Cerejo. Very upbeat and the blending of some Punjabi style has creates a contagious positive feeling. Not a path breaking track, but entertaining nevertheless.

4. Chaahat -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7/10
For Rahat Fateh Ali Khan fans. A fairly standard forlorn-in-love kind of track from the prolific ghazal singer. His fans will surely like it for it's simplicity and melody.


5. Jo Tere Sang ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7/10
After you have heard the first two grief stricken tracks from Mustafa Zahid, distinguishing this one from the first two is slightly difficult. Very much like Gunaah, but the fans should like it with it's fast tempo.

Final verdict: Overall, a pretty good album. The fact that 80% of it's songs belong to sad romantic genre, can make or break this album for some. But, for those who don't mind, this is an entertaining album as a whole.

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Say Yes To Love (2012)
Music: Jatin Pandit

Jatin Pandit of the former musical duo Jatin-Lalit brings us this lackluster and obviously dated album. The only saving grace is Sunidhi Chauhan, who having made disastrous choices for sub-par tunes, comes up trumps in this album. Although the songs as a whole are forgettable, it is heartening to hear her giving an impressive performance, especially in Dhoondoon Mehfilon Mein Woh Jawan.

Gunaah - Blood Money Teri Yaadon Se - Blood Money Arzoo - Blood Money Chaahat - Blood Money Jo Tere Sang - Blood Money

Agent Vinod, Pune TC - Music Review

Agent Vinod (2012)
Music: Pritam

1. Raabta (Kehta Hai Khuda Ne) ----- 9/10
2. Raabta (Siyaah Raatein) ------------- 9/10
3. Raabta (Night In Motel)  ------------- 9/10
4. Raabta --------------------------------------- 7/10
Yet another nice and pleasing romantic track from Pritam. Very Te Amo from Dum Maaro Dum like, just a little silent in comparison. The female part is pleasant as is the variety the male counterpart brings to the song. The song does sound a lot like something we have heard many times before; despite this, it does manage to engage us in all the four versions of the song.
The first two versions are almost identical duets and they are better than the next two. Raabta is a male solo, while Night In Motel version is another duet.

5. Pungi ----------------------------------------- 9/10
6. Pungi (Remix) ---------------------------- 9/10
If you are into goofy foot tapping songs, this one is tailor made for you. The beats, catchy tune and hilarious lyrics are it's strengths and you have to listen to it appreciate it. Or hate it. A perfect track for this year's Ganpati festival. Wikipedia tells us that this one is disappointingly a rip off of Soosan Khanoom by Iranian pop band Barobax.
The Remix is as good as the original. Given the nature of the song, there is not much room left to add spice to the song by remixing it. So this is as good, or bad, as the original.

7. Dil Mera Muft Ka ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 9/10
8. Dil Mera Muft Ka (Remix) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 9/10
Kudos to Pritam for resurrecting the mujra theme in an interesting fashion. Great lyrics and nice beats.  This is a change from the typical 70's purely classical themes. The best part is the very mujra-esque voices of Nandini Srikar and Muazzam. Good casting call there.
The Remix is also intelligently done. It is fast paced while not sacrificing the theme of the music by using out of context musical instruments.

9. Agent Vinod (Theme) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4/10
Bollywood movie producers need to get one thing straight about theme music for their movies. Unless they create an engaging franchise out of their plots or characters, the theme will always be restricted to that one movie, and hence fade out of memory just as the movie is pulled down from theaters. Commenting on this theme in particular, it is a pretty standard swashbucklingly Bollywood. It is lengthy and the worst part is it feels like the same tune duplicated to make the length of it twice than what it should have been.

10. I Will Do The Talking Tonight ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5/10
Pritam's copy acts are on display here. Although compared to some of the blatant copies he has done in the past, this one is well veiled in other tunes. Ever heard Rasputin? Google it to listen to the similarity. A decent hip hop track with Neeraj Shridhar singing to his highest pitch ever.

Final verdict: Overall, gets 8/10. Some of the songs will take time to grow on you, however, besides resorting to plagiarism, Pritam manages to concoct another entertaining album. There are a ton of remixes and other versions of the same song within the album, but since even the remixes have been well done, the overall album stays truly entertaining.

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Pune TC (2012)
Music: Jay Ji

Just three songs, which are outdated in terms of tune. The songs are not cacophonous, but they nevertheless are very flat and boring. Sorry Jay Ji (Is that your official name?)
Raabta (Kehte Hai Khuda Ne) - Agent Vinod Pungi - Agent Vinod Raabta (Siyaah Raatein) - Agent Vinod Pungi (Remix) - Agent Vinod Raabta (Night In Motel) - Agent Vinod Dil Mera Muft Ka - Agent Vinod Raabta - Agent Vinod Dil Mera Muft Ka (Remix) - Agent Vinod Agent Vinod (Theme) - Agent Vinod I Will Do The Talking Tonight - Agent Vinod

Chaar Din Ki Chandni, Rascals - Music Review

Chaar Din Ki Chandni (2012)
Music: Sandesh Shandilya, RDB, Shiv Hari, Abhishek Ray

Overall the album feels like the music directors' sole purpose was to resurrect the popular tunes of the past and do some slick modern mixing. The result is only as much. The album has a feel like a dance mix. Hard to give props to this one.

Brownie points:

• Chandni O Meri Chandni - For those longing for the good old corny 90s, this is a perfect track. A straight-up reprisal of the 1989 Chandni title track with modern synthesizers sprinkled here and there. Pleasant.

• DJ Play That Song - A foot tapping for the parties and disco floors. The song by itself is very commonplace otherwise.

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Rascals (2011)
Music: Vishal-Shekhar

An interestingly funny album from Vishal-Shekhar. Why interestingly? These kind of albums has always been the mainstay of Sajid-Wajid or sometimes Pritam. Owing to the genre of the movie, the songs are all light in mood, frivolously entertaining. They will entertain you while on your speakers, but will flash out of memory in no time. Vishal-Shekhar get redemption points for creating something out of their way all the way while being goofy.

The top songs in this respect are:
1. Shake It Saiyyan (Hip Hop Mix) -
2. Shake It Saiyyan -
Highly recommend for the dance floor right out of the box and a good mix
3. Pardaah Nasheen - A Neeraj Shridhar presentation
4. Rascals (Dance Mix) -
5. Rascals - 
Just for fun and laughter. The mix is also good and fast paced.
Chandni O Meri Chandni - Chaar Din Ki Chandni DJ Play That Song - Chaar Din Ki Chandni Shake It Saiyyan (Hip Hop Mix) - Rascals Shake It Saiyyan - Rascals Pardaah Nasheen - Rascals Rascals (Dance Mix)- Rascals Rascals - Rascals

Kahaani, 7 Welcome To London - Music Review

Kahaani (2012)
Music: Vishal - Shekhar

1. Piya Tu Kaahe Rootha Re ------------------------- 8/10
A great fusion of Indian classical devotional music and rock. Those who love their Indian classical music with some zing and emotional edge, look no further. A well paced Hindustani classical counterpart to the grunge genre.

2. Tore Bina -------------------------------------------------- 8/10
One of the simplest and modest, yet very melodious song by Sukhwinder Singh. Given his style, anything he sings feels an overstretch and loud, but this one is an anomaly for Sukhwinder in that it is very easy going. Give the track about 30 seconds and it will absorb you in it's sweetness.

Brownie point:

• Aami Shotti Bolchi - An intriguing jazz and rock fusion sprinkled with Bengali lyrics. Something fitting to Usha Uthup's flamboyant style. Different.

Final verdict: Overall, the album is a standard musical production. Do listen to the two songs above. Listening to the albums from Vishal-Shekhar lately, they look to experiment with fusion music and break out of their Anjaana Anjaani-esque musical mould.

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7 Welcome To London (2012)
Music: Blair Mowat

1. Hum Adhoray ------------------------------------------- 6/10
A typical Pakistani style melodramatic sad song. Good beats and decent tune. The tune transitions of this track is it's strength thereby preventing tune repetitiveness. Given Zuj Gibran's rock leanings, there is ample bass guitar to make it a worthwhile listen

2. Bayrukhi ------------------------------------------------ 6/10
Yet another track from Zuj Gibran. Lovers of Pakistani musical style have something to look forward to. This is an almost decent rock, R&B style track full with high pitched singing. Pretty decent.

Final verdict: Overall, the album is sub-standard, but give the above two songs a try.
Piya Tu Kaahe Rootha Re - Kahaani Tore Bina - Kahaani Aami Shotti Bolchi - Kahaani Hum Adhoray - 7 Welcome To London Bayrukhi - 7 Welcome To London