Joker, Challo Driver, Jalpari - Music Review

Joker (2012)
Music: Gaurav Dagaonkar, G. V. Prakash Kumar

1. Kafiraana --------------------------- 8/10
Here comes another song with Marathi flavor, using a Marathi word in a double-meaning way. Truly Dhagala Lagli Kala style. Sunidhi Chauhan brings her zest and commanding voice to this song while Farah Khan brings another fun themed song to life after Sheila Ki Jawani from Tees Maar Khan. Only for those who can digest the lyrics, I Want Fakht You, but still very fun.

2. Sing Raja --------------------------- 6/10
An interesting foot tapping track by Daler Mehndi. It is surprising that his voice fills the air with so much energy, still. Good beats and interesting upbeat lyrics sure to lighten up any mood. Great party/college cultural show track.

Final verdict: Overall, the album is average, except the two tracks above.

Challo Driver (2012)
Music: Gaurav Dayal, Sajjad Ali Chandwani

A pretty standard album. Not utterly terrible, but the music directors stick to the absolutely tried and tested formula; the result being a decent album with nothing to remember. Wakhre Wakhre Kaam is probably the most interesting track, with it's fun take on life. Dehle Pe Gulla is for those who love standard Punjabi hip hop.

Jalpari (2012)
Music: Midival Punditz, Ashish Chauhan

Some albums exist only for the sake of enhancing the mood and adding more color to the storytelling. Jalpari is one such album. It will not be fair to scale the talent of the music directors here, as it certainly is not the case, but the album is really boring. Only three tracks: that's some relief.

Brownie point:

• Neeli Neeli Khili Khili Si Duniya - It a decent Indian classical music based song that is soothing when played in the background. It is pleasant as a song when not focused on it. The tempo is good, and the beats and the raag used portrays emotions intensely.

Kafiraana - Joker Sing Raja - Joker Wakhre Wakhre Kaam - Challo Driver Neeli Neeli Khili Khili Si Duniya - Jalpari

Gangs of Wassepur 2, From Sydney With Love, Shirin Farhad Ki Toh Nikal Padi - Music Review

Gangs of Wasseypur 2 (2012)
Music: Sneha Khanwalkar

Sneha Khanwalkar puts to close the two part series of the most daring, offbeat and hilarious album. Continuing the same Bihari, rural theme of Gangs of Wasseypur (1), the songs are again only for the daring and experimental listeners, for those who can handle sarcastic humor in their music.

Brownie point:

• Chhi (Chha Ledar) - The most representative track of this album embodying the oddly funny usage of English lyrics by a rural playback singer. The beats and theme tune of the song, though does not lend for crooning the song at random, is pretty catchy. Fun.
• Bahut Khoob, Bahut Khoob 8 Bit - An extremely surreal mix of sounds of little children talking unintelligibly mixed with daily sounds. For those who love odd mixes.
• Electric Piya, Electric Piya (Fused) - Yet another song that outright mixes traditional rural music with mixed English lyrics in a comic manner. Nothing better than to sing Electric Piya any random time. Would make for a hilarious antakshari or karaoke night.
• Aabroo - A completely rowdy song, the first half is boring, but the climax is amazingly directed.
• Kaala Rey, Moora, Moora (Morning) - These are interesting in that, the songs are very mild allowing the listener to soak in the odd lyrics and not enforcing any theme. Kaala Rey unfolds well from start to end. Moora has an interesting use of string instruments.
• KKL - A strange remix of Keh Ke Loonga from Gangs of Wasseypur (1). Though interesting, the one techno sound is a little overused. Not the best.

Final verdict: Those who like sarcastic music would have found the first part's music pretty interesting and the second part does not let one down on the sarcasm, sticking to the bizarre. Sneha Khanwalkar sure has found her niche in nutty music coming out with Love Sex Aur Dhokha, Bheja Fry 2 and Gangs of Wasseypur 1 and 2.

From Sydney With Love (2012)
Music: Sohail Sen

1. Feeling Love In Sydney ------------------- 6/10
If you loved the tracks in What's Your Rashee?, you might like this one too. This track has a deadpan similarity to that album. His style of an easy paced, leisurely lively music without using too many instrumentals and gimmicks sets him apart. And this track is exactly that.

2. Item Ye Hi Fi --------------------------------- 6/10
A fun and carefree Neeraj Shridhar track. Although this track is overall very average, it's casual lyrics, good beats and tempo makes it likable. The instrumentals connecting two prose are a little unimaginative; Neeraj Shridhar definitely helps its case.

Final verdict: Sohail Sen shows some flashes of good music, but he definitely needs to break out of his own shell and start producing innovative music. Otherwise his stagnation will be his own demise. Just like HR. A decent album, unfortunately in an ordinary fashion.

Shirin Farhad Ki Toh Nikal Padi (2012)
Music: Jeet Ganguly

The album is fairly lively, although most songs suffer from being unoriginal and hence anachronistic for 2012. It could also be that KK has now lost his mojo to captivate his audiences. He sings to his strength in Kaafir Andhere, still fails to impress. All other songs are only average, probably sufficing the plot of the movie, but not good enough outside that context.
Chhi (Chha Ledar) - Gangs of Wasseypur 2 Bahut Khoob - Gangs of Wasseypur 2 Electric Piya - Gangs of Wasseypur 2 Aabroo - Gangs of Wasseypur 2 Kaala Rey - Gangs of Wasseypur 2 Moora - Gangs of Wasseypur 2 KKL - Gangs of Wasseypur 2 Bahut Khoob 8 Bit - Gangs of Wasseypur 2 Electric Piya (Fused) - Gangs of Wasseypur 2 Moora (Morning) - Gangs of Wasseypur 2 Feeling Love In Sydney - From Sydney With Love Item Ye Hi Fi - From Sydney With Love

Ek Tha Tiger, Main Krishna Hoon, 5 Ghantey Mien 5 Crore - Music Review

Ek Tha Tiger (2012)
Music: Sohail Sen, Sajid-Wajid

1. Mashallah ----------------------- 8/10
One of the best Arabic themed music in Bollywood. Wajid Ali has been brilliantly put to use as a playback singer, his unrefined voice working perfectly with the theme. The supporting beats and connecting instrumentals would remind one of belly-dancing scenes (of course, that is not exactly how the song is actually shot).

2. Saiyaara ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7/10
Mohit Chauhan: This is exactly the kind of songs you should be picking to voice. Very Rockstar-like, his fans should certainly relish this piece. The only drawback of this one is it quickly loses steam after a euphoric opening by Mohit Chauhan.

3. Banjaara ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7/10
An emphatic and pleasant track by the master of zest in Bollywood music industry: Sukhwinder Singh. The opening santoor and recurring violin theme is it's highlight and keeps us interested throughout. Good track.

Final verdict: Overall, gets a 7/10. Decently entertaining album by Sohail Sen, who does a terrific job of breaking his mold. His style is not recognizable in this album. The Remixes and other tracks are mediocre and a bit of a drag, save for the aforementioned ones.

Main Krishna Hoon (2012)
Music: Amjad Nadeem

Amjad Nadeem has taken a diversion after directing some mainstream Bollywood music. The music is pretty average to mediocre outside the context of the movie, and there has been no exception since Ramayana - The Epic where an animation movie has had decent music for neutral listeners.
Brownie point:

• Om Namo Namah - To the credit of Amjad Nadeem, this is a good Indian classical track describing the life of Lord Krishna.

5 Ghantey Mien 5 Crore (2012)
Music: Tony Kakkar, Rustam Fateh Ali Khan, Leonard Victor, Sourish, Ali Mustafa

1. Aaye Nahi Chain Kate Nahin -------- 7/10
A soft and silent romantic track in a typical Indian classical/ghazal form, clearly bringing to the fore the classical roots of Rustam Fateh Ali Khan. The bass guitar passages sound a little odd in this track in this overall, enjoy-it-in-solitude track.

2. Mashah Allah Kya Kehna -------------- 6/10
Yet another Mashah Allah for this week. An interesting track evoking the Mohammad Rafi era, axit's tempo and mood. Pretty pleasant.

Final verdict: Overall, the track has it's fairly good tracks and some pretty average ones. 8 original tracks that are pretty decent (at least not outright bad), pushes it's rating to 6/10. Check out the above. Rustam Fateh Ali Khan shows a good spark.

Mashallah - Ek Tha Tiger Saiyaara - Ek Tha Tiger Banjaara - Ek Tha Tiger Om Namo Namah - Main Krishna Hoon Aaye Nahi Chain Kate Nahin - 5 Ghantey Mien 5 Crore Mashah Allah Kya Kehna - 5 Ghantey Mien 5 Crore

Jism-2, Chutki Bajaa Ke, Yeh Jo Mohabbat Hai - Music Review

Jism-2 (2012)
Music: Arko Pravo Mukherjee, Mithoon, Vicckey Goswami

Pooja Bhatt/Mahesh Bhatt have always stuck to basic melodies when it came to their movies, Jism (1) and Paap. Chucking any flamboyance, they went ahead with lesser known music directors. Whether it will work for them again in 2012 is a bit suspect. The tracks are either intense in mood, varying from somber to overly romantic, but definitely no catchy tunes here. Overall, thus, the album feels heavy in mood and the basic tunes feel a little bland.

Brownie points -

• Maula - The fans of Pakistani singers and their beseeching style should check this out. This one is certainly intense, but the same high intensity borders on the ludicrous. Not bad. Pooja Bhatt and Ali Azmat of Junoon fame, team up again after Paap. 
• Darta Hoon (Adhoora) - An interesting trance-like track that is reminiscent of the Aao Huzoor Tumko remix by Karunesh. The instrumentals and sedated female lead voice creates a surreal atmosphere.

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Chutki Bajaa Ke (2012)
Music: Raaj Aashoo, Rajeev Thanvi

A very ordinary album with not much effort put into creating good music. Javed Ali shines as a playback singer in overly sentimental Andheron Main Maa, while Daata Tere Sawali (Qawali) piles on the genre of qawali/sufi devotional track without creating much buzz.
(Random thought: At first glance, did anyone think the kid is giving the finger?)

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Yeh Jo Mohabbat Hai (2012)
Music: Anu Malik

Talk about a time warp. This album is the best way to experience it. The songs are amazingly stuck in the early 90s. Almost can imagine Kajol and Shah Rukh Khan in their early days lip syncing these tracks. Simply employing the best singers does not make the cut. There has to be a lot of freshness to a song to be successful, and this album is plain stale.

Maula - Jism 2 Darta Hoon (Adhoora) - Jism 2