Album Review: In Technicolor- Ganesh Talkies

Hi,
    My name is Surjo and I'm a professional musician. The songs you're hearing (hopefully) are from my debut album 'The Key Has Turned' which you can buy here.

   The album up for review is 'In Technicolor' by Ganesh Talkies, who are an odd entity in the Indian music space. They're viciously indie, all the while tipping their hat quite strongly to the most obviously over-the-top Bollywood music and choices. I'd first heard the band at NH7 in Kolkata last year, where they evoked a lot of strong reactions in me, both good and bad, and good enough that I went ahead and bought their first album. You can buy 'In Technicolor' here.

'Monsters In Your Head' starts off the album, and one thing immediately stands out from the first guitar riff; this is going to be an innovative album in terms of sound and production, and that's something that always keeps me interested. The beat is almost disco bliss without overdoing it, and there are some accordion stabs in the pre-chorus. The vocals are behind in the mix, so I don't have much of a clue of what the words are. The disco drum roll with the ooa ooa ah ah is just golden. A lot of interesting production techniques used throughout, so cool points for that. The bridge almost sounds samba, and the screaming guitar harmonics laden solo scores high on the interesto-meter. 

'Dancing Dancing' starts off with a unison harmonium like riff. Hmmm, never thought I'd say that so a lot of cool points. The wall of overdriven guitar swirling around on the chorus lines is just so nasty and appealing all at once. The lyrics sound like a love song, and there are some fairly generic lines in the first verse. The second verse has a Hindi line in there to add to the gadbad, and of course, the pre-chorus is just too sweet. This is a damn good song. The keys parts layered all around the song are just gold. The horn section at the end just lends a different level of energy to the track. 

'Fight Club' starts off real aggressive, with an almost cough like guitar riff in the back, and then there's this real trippy disco like line on top of that. The pre-chorus has all sorts of drama in it, with Suyasha screaming out her lines. The lyrics speak of how a lover has fallen in her eyes and how she feels he should be start a fight to redeem himself. ???????? Ok. Forget the words, sing along with what you can decipher, and enjoy the music, because it is quite spectacularly creative. The descending guitar trills in the pre-chorus is so innovative. 

'Item Song' is the standard bearer of the album, with a whole lot of cool to support of whole lot of musical muscle. The intro riff is just so memorable. The song might turn out to be an anthem for a Women's Rights Movement. Or just an anthem for women in general. The chorus has the uplifting chord progression of the ages so that doesn't hurt one bit. 6 minor followed b the 4 and 5 Major was always a safe bet to let loose in a song and that's what they've done to great effect here. 

'Raju Banega Gentleman' starts off in Hindi, and the most funky riff so far. The rest of the song mixes Hindi and English. I do wish that Suyasha's vocals are a bit more upfront in the mix, because it does sound like she's doing a stellar job emoting on the vocals, but she's way back in the mix. The story of the song is almost like a piece of advice from her to the character Raju and what he should aspire to in life. Lot of cool music floating in and around the words. 

'Brother From Another Mother' starts off with a pounding bass drum before a whole lot of disco-era music jumps in, but it doesn't dated in the least bit. The pre-chorus sets up really sweetly for the chorus, which might be one of the oddest choruses ever. The one quality that is everpresent in the album is how easily they can get you to headbob, and that is just rare. The lyrics don't make much of impression, but again, the mix might have something to do with that.

'Disco Days' starts off with, what, a disco groove man. A whole lot of sizzling hi-hat on this one, and staccato keyboard riffs with delays. The lyrics started off quite strong, and suddenly descended in chaos by the time the chorus came around. If this were to play in a disco, there'd be a lot of folks dancing, that bit I can say for sure. The Bappi Lahiri toms sure bring about humour and nostalgia.

 'The Fan' starts off with a really twisted guitar riff. The lyrics are about a twisted fan fantasy. All the quintessial guitar and keyboard coolness are maintained in the album. 

'Wonder Woman' starts off with a cheeky keyboard line, and then upps the ante with some aggressive guitar work. Whoa, this could be a female anthem too. The chorus is power exemplified. Naari Naari Wonder Woman, has got to be on the most catchy chorus lines in recent memory. So much funk packed in one song, definitely has the Bollywood overdo tendency spot on, with the only difference that it sounds great throughout here. The instrumental break is full of dance-along goodness. 

'Style' closes out the album with the most epic bit of music so far, with the dhaak bols and the kaasha coming in. Loved it when I heard it live, and love it now. The guitar riff that accompanies it is so appropo, kudos guys. I get the feeling that the lyrics are good, but the mix just isn't helping, the vocals are overshadowed. The heavy chorus just sits right with me. 'Guitar solo like Salman' has to be the best line in the album. The bridge with the good name segment was hilarious. 

Just get the album fellas. You won't regret it. It's some of the most interesting music that an Indian band has produced and we should encourage them completely to keep kicking it like they do. 

Album Review: Carpenters- A Song For You

Hi,
   My name is Surjo, and I'm a professional musician. The songs you're hearing (hopefully) are from my debut album 'The Key Has Turned', which you can buy here.

   The album up for review is 'A Song For You' by The Carpenters. The album was released in 1972, and is yet another example of being humbled, because the music and words from more than 40 years ago can kick any album's ass out there right now. Listening to the album for the very first time last year, opened out a lot of blocked doors in my mind as far as songwriting went, and was definitely a major factor in the way 'The Key Has Turned' was written.

'A Song For You' starts off the album. Karen Carpenter's voice needs a laundry list of adjectives to describe just how good it is. Her vibrato is near flawless. Some of the lyrics in the song really struck a chord with me, and in combination with her voice, it's magical. The sax solo at the end is something that I've heard in Floyd albums, but I think this predates Floyd. 

'Top Of The World' is a song I had learnt in school, and to hear it so many years later filled me with surprise and joyous nostalgia. Lovely slide solo at the top, and the production is very interesting, with the way the drums and the EP is set up. The string arrangements come in with the 2nd verse, and fill the sound up. The harmonies come in from the chorus and keeps it interesting throughout. Her voice is just too good. The lyrics are basically the sweetest love song ever. 

'Hurting Each Other' shows off more of Richard's piano skills and arrangement skills with the string sections. It does sound like they've doubled her vocal for the chorus, and all this is way before pro-tools, so kudos for the perfection. Some of the lyrics are sugar-coated sweet. Karen's harmonies are spot-on, just great. 

'It's Going To Take Some Time This Time' is a very interesting song title. More interesting piano and vocal work. Again, really interesting harmony work, and no two verses are treated exactly the same, with subtle changes in arrangement always. A really interesting flute solo, and then a key change. 

'Goodbye To Love' showcases Karen's vocal depth in the first 2 lines itself. A lot of interesting piano chord work in the background. A lot of the typical orchestration in the song, but the real outstanding feature is the fuzz guitar solo, which laid the groundwork for ballads of this sort to always feature the overdriven guitar solo. Tony Peluso was on guitar for that solo, and the song was refused radio play because it was perceived to be too edgy because of the guitar solo. Some amazing harmony work at the end. 

'Intermission', man that's just an interesting 30 seconds to use in an album. What novel songwriting. 'We'll be right back, after we go to the bathroom'. Bravo, respect. Incredible reverb and harmony work.

'Bless The Beasts And The Children' starts off with a cute piano riff. The lyrics are very innovative, talking of the unique position of animals and children in this world. They who see the world with the greatest silence, and the greatest innocence. 

'Flat Baroque' is an instrumental piece in the album, and the name does it justice, because it does sound like baroque music, being played on a piano, but the execution is a little tongue-in-cheek, and that makes it fun to listen to. 

'Piano Picker' was a revelation to me when I first heard it, because the lyrical treatment to the song is so silly and straightforward, and almost foolish, that it gave me great courage, to then write foolish songs, just because I wanted to. It of course talks of how Richard is a piano prodigy, but with a very humorous take on it. Why does the song remind me some of Syd Barrett's Pink Floyd work? Must be that same sense of simplicity devoid of pretense. The false drama at the end of the chorus is hilarious. 

'I Won't Last A Day Without You' will make you fall in love with Karen Carpenter. Period. If you had a girl in your life who could sing like that, and those words, then you're going to be reshaping your entire life to make sure that she doesn't go anywhere without you. 

'Crystal Lullaby' is an interesting song title. It starts off as a lullaby, but there seems to be a time jump in the narrative. Real easy listening. 

'Road Ode' speaks of being on the road, which by this time, I'm sure they were experiencing a lot. The chorus has the most 'heavy' (for lack of a better word) movement in the song, with an involved bass line and drum pattern. Almost Motownish. The flute solo definitely has that vibe to it, which does very interesting contrasted with the mood of the rest of the album. 

'A Song For You (Reprise) closes out the album, to lend it that prog edge. 

One thing which I can say for sure, is that this is what easy listening is, and Karen Carpenter is a heck of a singer, and Richard Carpenter is a heck of a musician. Quite a brilliant album. 

Album Review: Blackstratblues : The Universe Has A Strange Sense Of Humour

Hi,
    My name is Surjo, and I'm a professional musician. The songs you're hearing (hopefully) are from my first album 'The Key Has Turned' which you can buy here.

   The album up for review is by one of my favourite Indian musicians, Warren Mendonsa, as his guitar alter-ego Blackstratblues. I have heard 3 of the songs before, when I saw the band live at NH7 in Kolkata last year, and they killed it there, so I do have high expectations from the album. It's his 3rd solo album, and it's called 'The Universe Has A Strange Sense Of Humour'.

   You can buy 'The Universe Has A Strange Sense Of Humour' here.

'Renaissance Mission' starts off the album, with an almost wild energy. There is something about Warren's guitar tone, that almost reminded me of Hendrix, and that particular brand of hard picking on a riff through a Marshall. The unison riff following the lead riff is pretty cool. Keep in mind, that this is majorly an instrumental album, so that's where the meat and potatoes are. The improv section has a really cool tone, and that's one thing you can always count on Warren to have in his songs, is innovative and spot-on tone. Adi Mistry on bass provides a real steady background along with Karsh Kale on drums. The sound has become very textured and almost ethereal, with Warren's guitar cutting through. The lead riff is a keyboard riff, and is reminiscent of the Jan Hammer stuff. Real cool. 

'Come Anyway' features Nikhil D Souza, and the start is very reminiscent of a quicker 'Bombay Rain' and the sound is real close to 'Fireflies' by Indus Creed. Once the words start, there is a lot of REM feel in it. The guitar tapestry is quite beautiful. It's a slide guitar solo, so cool points for that. 

'Anandamide' starts off with a riff that could start off any soundcheck at any rock gig. I don't know why, but the snare reverb gave me that vibe. Good modal changes on the initial theme, with switches between major and minor thirds. The univibe on his tone, brings back a lot of Pink Floyd memories. I've had a conversation with Warren regarding his approach to improvisation, and he's a guy who likes to keep his improv under strict control. The last line of the chorus is full on from 'Achilles Last Stand' from Led Zep. Lengthy improv after the 2nd chorus, no major pyrotechnics involved, but the lead-up to the bridge is pretty sweet. Cool points for song title, although I am having difficulty deciphering it. 

'E Major Blues' starts off with a really warm riff, and showcases some of Warren's admired melodic sensibility. The organ stabs colouring the chorus are very good, and the pans on them give them a distinctive flavour. Did I say Warren has great guitar tone? The bass drum is a bit too loud for my taste in this song. Some Buddy Guy type prolonged bends make their way into the improv section. Overall really nice.

'Folkish Three' I've heard before, from the Gearhouse Sessions, and also NH7, like 'Renaissance Mission' and 'E Major Blues'. I think the Indian rhythm with the syncoptation on the hi-hat just lend this song a whole new level of cool, and the guitar riff just blends in something funky. The vibe is relaxed, and just tears loose in the chorus. The improv starts off softer and calmer than the rest of the song, before picking up the intensity towards the end and running into the chorus. The song is quite dynamic with feel and rhythmic changes. The song has a lot of talking in one section, reminding me of Pink Floyd's 'Money'. I'm curious as to what is being said in those sections, almost sounds like news telecasts. 

'Little Rascal' starts off cute, almost like a lullaby, but then there are some modal shifts that introduce more tension in the sound. There is some Jeff Beck in there, with the whammy bar in hand style of play. Warren is just a master of controlling tone. The command he has over his sonic armies is something most guitarists would give their pedalboards for. 

'The Universe Has A Strange Sense Of Humour' starts off real gentle, with the univibe working in magic with an almost flute-like sound from the keyboard. The first guitar lick reminded so much of Mark Knopfler's smoothness in the beginning of 'Brothers In Arms'. I tried to categorize the songs I've heard so far, but have just realized that it's not possible, and that the album needs to be heard many, many more times to truly get a grip  on it. It's unlike his first album 'Nights In Shining Karma' where the lead melodies were so freakishly strong, that your opinions were instantly formed. The melodies here aren't that strong, but there is a lot to the story, and it does merit a few more listens to unravel the mystery, because one thing about the album is for sure, is that it is listenable. 

'Two Sides Of The Same Coin' closes the album, and starts off with a simple acoustic guitar strumming along, before some 'Aaaahs' join in with a slide guitar to lend it some of that ethereal vibe. The lead melody is almost depressing in a way, and is a departure from his normal lead melodies which normally are filled with hope. More 'Pink Floyd' influences shine through. An almost DTish end to the breakdown with a cadenza. Then the music stops, and starts off again, and this time it sounds like the rebirth of 'The Ventures', with a rock 'n' roll riff and some almost country-style pentatonic stylings. Did 'The Ventures' have such double bass movement?? He he, fun. 

This album is not meant for players looking for pyrotechnics, or those looking to steal lightning-fast pentatonic licks. At no point in the album does it seem that Warren is stretching himself to play any of the ideas. The album instead could be used as a lesson on how to arrange and construct music. An enjoyable listen, never grating, never slow, never boring. While I don't see it having the same clear hit potential as 'Nights In Shining Karma' it is a very stout album. 

Album Review: Joe Bonamassa- Black Rock

Hi all,
     My name is Surjo and I'm a professional musician. The music you're hearing (hopefully) is from my debut album 'The Key Has Turned' which you can buy here.

   The album up for review is Black Rock by Joe Bonamassa. It was released in 2010 and I heard 'Blue And Evil' from the album not too long after that on Joe's Myspace. I must tell you, that I just was awake till the wee hours of the morning, listening to the 4-5 songs that were there on that playlist, and just marvelling at how good and real and personal the music sounded. I definitely knew that this guy's guitar chops were capable of decimating the world, and Joe has only gone from strength to strength, all the while maintaining his signature essence in his recorded and live work. Let's dive into this album.

'Steal Your Heart Away' starts off the album with a whole blueprint for what is to follow. It's going to be mid-heavy, drum-heavy, guitar-heavy and with a whole lot of the blues juice mixed into it. I know now that Joe has a collection of magnificent vintage Les Pauls at his disposal, and I wonder which one is used to record the driving riff that begins the album. The guitar chords are being trilled for the title line, so take my cool points for a wholly unique idea. The Rhodes stabs when the bridge comes in was just so old-school pro. Btw, all Joe Bonamassa solos collect maximum cool points unless otherwise specified, so that's a given through the album. The verse out of the riff has some of the most unique guitar interpretations for the same chord structure in terms of rhythms, he uses muted rakes on the left and sliding chord fragments on the right. The words are fairly basic, a guy wants to steal a girl's heart and he wants to talk about it too. 

'I Know A Place' has a weird triplet feel, wherein it's blues but not quite. Maybe it's that the drums are playing it straight and not a shuffle. His vocal is kept slightly behind in the mix, and almost like there's some effect on it. The cool thing is that the main riff pretty much stays the same while Joe is singing all over it. The guitar solo also has some weird effect, almost like playing it from the back of a closet, which is the same effect that the vocal had. The bridge and guitar solo crescendo before making way for the third verse. Question, does Joe always have to sing so high in the registers?

'When The Fire Hits The Sea' starts off with a down-home feel good countryish riff, and there are a whole lot of music going on. The words aren't really going to be the standard bearer of this album, and it's gotta be accepted for what it is. The chorus vocal melody is pretty sweet. The slide solo is interesting especially with the effect that's on it. Kevin Shirley sure likes to darken his mixes. The musicians playing the album are so damn good that they can keep you going with just a bare bones groove. 

'Quarryman's Lament' has the flute playing a haunting almost Irish melody along with a bouzouki. The entire musical arrangement is very Irish/Scottish in it's approach and the vocal melody on the chorus is quite beautiful. The words are part of a quiet goodbye told by the departing worker. The music is quite beautiful, especially with how loud the higher frequency strings (bouzouki ) sound, which add to the sweetness of the tone and give it a richer feel. Just something to sink into. 

'Spanish Boots' is a Jeff Beck cover, and as soon as the riff starts, it has that almost acid edge that guitar rock from the 60s encapsulated. The riff is just nasty. The drums lay down just the most solid foundation to groove off of. The guitar sound is just delicious, oh man, forget writing, I'm just headbobbing. The interlude just has so much raw energy, and the band sounds so tight it's just overwhelming. Just nasty rock energy. Joe just has a way about his solos, they'll take you on a trip each time, even though the licks might be the same. 

'Bird On A Wire' starts off with bouzoukis and clarinet and some more of the Scottish/Irish feel. This song is a Leonard Cohen creation, and has Joe singing a few lines in a lower register, and he does sound better in the higher notes. The drum sound is very unique, and the song has a lot going on the stereo field. It's a ballad with that slow tempo and emphasis is laid on each note and stroke in the song. The song is one of asking for forgiveness and taking responsibility for one's decisions in life. 

'Three Times A Fool' is the blues shuffle exemplified, and it's almost Joe bringing out his B B King licks. Just that 12 bar blues, and nothing much to add to that. Guitar histrionics of course. 

Speak of BB King and here he is, joining in 'Night Life'. BB of course was the artist who gave Joe his first major break when he was 12 years old, so there's a rich history there. The song has quite a few horn parts in it, which give it that old school big band feel. The song is just about how the night life is meant for certain people. The contrast between the two artists is fantastic, Joe, the young eager technical master, and BB, the old guard, content with music, and which reflects in his spartan choice of notes, combine to form a nice mix. 

'Wandering Earth' has a really odd bass heavy intro riff. By bass heavy, I don't mean bass guitar, it's almost like the guitar has a heavy fuzz octave divider, and the inversions played are 5th first and root 2nd. This has to be the oddest song in the album in terms of arrangement and execution. The lyrics speak of a vagabond, and his story, till his eventual death. 

'Look Over Yonder's Wall' starts off sprightly, and has all the 12 bar qualities in it. But there is a filtered guitar and key sound on each ear occupying the sonic space. Ok, the lyrics are funny, it speaks of the dilemma of an adulterer who finds that the husband of the lady he is romancing is on his way back, and he wants to make a quick retreat. 

'Athens to Athens' might have something to do with where the recording of 'Black Rock' took place. The lyrics, borrow from Crossroads by Robert Johnson a bit, and there does seem to some sort of disconnect in the almost countryish vibe that half the album, and the really loaded rock that the rest of the album has. 

'Blue And Evil' is the standout in the album, with a raw punch and power that's just extraordinary. It's the music that carries it through though, the lyrics are just words. 

'Babe You Got To Change Your Mind' starts off with some studio talk, which morphs into a cutesy acoustic guitar riff. It's almost background music to a hero walking with a skip in his step in movies. There's not a whole lot to say about the words, with the first two lines pretty much summing it up, and the fact that it's repeated many times doesn't help in engaging the listener either. 

The album started off with a bang and was a whimper by the end, as happens with albums that derive solely on the music to carry it through, and even so the music got boring in a bit. But it is a must for the rock that's in there, for that's pretty solid, and Joe's an amazing guitar player, so there's that. Enjoy. 

Album Review: Antariksh- Khoj

Hi,
    My name is Surjo and I'm a professional musician. The music you're hearing (hopefully) is from my debut album 'The Key Has Turned' which you can buy here.

   The album up for review is 'Khoj' by New Delhi based band Antariksh. I must admit that listening to their album for the first time got me real excited about the possibilities of Hindi rock with a keener edge, and hopefully they can reach the level of success where their music is heard and adored by massive numbers. Certainly, the musical potential is there, it's just a question of whether all the pieces to the jigsaw are there or not.

 

You can buy 'Khoj' here. 

The first song in the album is 'Parichay' and it stands to true to it's name. It's an introduction, no words, just setting the tone for a lot of innovative guitar melodies, and there is a lot of innovation in the production of this track too which scores a lot of points in the cool meter too. The aggression is pumped up in the latter half of the song, till it breaks down to an orchestral section, which is misleading since the band doesn't have a keyboard player, or a string section. A small disconnect though, they outline one of their signature tunes in the final measures. 

                                                                                                                                                                    

'Parichay' immediately morphs into the opening riff of  'Dheere Dheere' without any breaks, and what a riff it is too. Super funky, and the brown note in there too, and that's a rarity in a riff, let alone a Hindi rock riff. Cool points boys. The vocals don't score high points for 2 major reasons. The first time I heard this band, I didn't know anything about them, except that a friend of mine serves as their manager. So I heard the album with a blank slate, and when I heard the first vocals I thought, wow, they have Usha Uthup as their singer. When I found out that it was a guy singing, it was just a major WTF moment. Secondly, with all bands that know that their arrangements are stronger than their vocals, here too, the vocals are kinda behind in the mix, and don't make it easy to be understood. Like seriously, this is the 4th time I'm rewinding to listen to the words, and the music is just taking me on a trip each time, and I can't focus on the words. So while uber cool points for the music, the vocals are just going to have to sit this one out. Very neat breakdown, and the bridge later on is pretty good. The band have definitely taken their time in making sure that the soundscape is an interesting one. Cool points for a cool guitar solo with a killer two-handed tapping section. 

'Aisa Hi Hota Hai' has a riff that defines swag. It starts out one way, but ends up another way and is cool both ways. Now that's swag. I've tried to focus on the lyrics, and it speaks of instances in life when everything might seem against you and you're in the doldrums, that those moments shall pass and there'll be a new tomorrow. The verse riff is reggae, and the chorus is hard rock, while the breakdown is jazz followed by power metal. 

 

'Naa Jaane Kyun' starts off with a fun little acoustic guitar riff. The same syndrome of listening 4 times for getting the words hit this song too, but I fared better. The song speaks of the uncertainty of the ways of the heart, and how it can take one away from what the sensible roads are, and how it takes us back to what we love. The verse is far better suited for the feel than the chorus which has a more syncoptated feel to it, and the bridge back to the final chorus felt a bit choppy, but a good song nonetheless. 

'Nishabd' starts off with a really edge riff and almost a Dave Matthews style drum groove at the back. The high level of music is to be expected, given that band members of Antariksh have paid their dues being in pretty tight metal bands in the past, and have a understanding of each other's styles from that time period. Another possible reason for the high-flown music is that they're from studious backgrounds, and these riffs have that prog quality that studious folk tend to play ( Is that discrimination of sorts? Don't shoot me, I belong to that group too). Didn't quite catch the words to the chorus, so there goes that. The music is spot on though. The end of the guitar solo into the breakdown and the bridge is just prog chocolate cake, with a whole lot of yum, and a gallop at the end to boot. 

'Aashayein' is next, and it starts off with the sound of a motorcycle engine, before moving into a quite lovely acoustic guitar riff. The first lines speak of the futility of starting an adventure based on the destination alone, and ignoring the journey entirely. The lyrics are understandable, and are following a generic pattern that their music has successfull avoided thus far. This is the most laid back song in the album so far. When I'd first gotten the album, I'd played it to a lot of my friends and seen if they shared my enthusiasm about the album, and none of them did. One of the reasons I got was, if they're going to sing in Hindi, atleast let it sound like Hindi, it sounds like an English speaking guy singing in Hindi. And that was from a guy who lives on Clapton, Buddy Guy and Joe Bonamassa, so that did get me thinking. I just tripped on how cool the music was, and I'm part of a really small demographic of people who listen closely to music (and write reviews, for instance), whereas most people who listen to this want to be able to sing along, for which the vocals are the most important bit, not the music. So I feel that'll be the major disconnect between this band and the next level of success. 

'Tum' starts off with a massive orchestral string section. This song is more of a vocal showcase and it doesn't work out well, and the pronunciation and the tone just doesn't work. The music works, as it does with all songs in the album, and there are a couple of subtle mode changes that pain a prettier picture. The sudden appearance of a carnatic guitar solo drew my attention to the fact that Baiju Dharmajan does a cameo in the song. Major arrangement, mix, feel and tone mismatch on his sections. 

'Shoonya' starts off with what could be a techno version of the start of 'Another Brick In The Wall' by Pink Floyd. That morphs into a nice guitar bit that has two Steve Vai sweep licks followed a Steve Vai alternate picking lick, running into a fairly generic rock riff. The Joe Sat whammy bar lick makes it's way into the song (twice), and some DT influences shine through in the breakdown. A whole lot of Porcupine Tree follows and then the song is over. The musical innovation that scores so highly elsewhere in the album scores a shoonya here. 

'Aur' starts off with an uptempo version of the chorus refrain from 'Dheere Dheere' and then settles into a nice pocket riff. A nice shift to the 4th minor lends a cool dynamic shift to the verse. The pre-chorus riff is just pure prog gold. The chorus delves into almost metalcore territory, and the vocal melody has some nice notes in it, but all the the previous factors prevent it from scoring way higher. The vocal harmonies here are a welcome addition though. The guitar solo is followed by the intro section again, and is followed by a whole lot of alternate picking. The words speak of the human tendency to keep wanting more. 

'Khoj' is a one and a half minute vocal showcase, that I'm sure is a link between songs here, but the vocals just aren't pulling their weight. 

'Intezaar' is the last song, which starts off with a melodic acoustic guitar riff, almost DTish. Ok, that's a female vocal for sure. The lyrics speak of the wrong in waiting for a love which hurts each time. The second verse features the male vocal, and it needs harmonies, and a lot of them to try and meet the power of the female vocal. It doesn't quite. The girl has more volume singing an octave lower, and it's a real lesson to me in how bands often overlook what might be the most important bridge between their music and their audience. The vocal melodies throughout most of the song are interesting, and in the hands of a better vocalist would have made a major difference. That key change for the solo has always been one of my favourite ones, so cool points for pulling that out of the hat. 

That finishes the review. I stand by the musical quality of the album, in that it is top notch, but what lets it down are the vocals. This is Hindi prog rock, which is a rarity, and as a fan of prog rock, and as a person who desperately wants new sounds to emerge in Hindi, this is definitely a very good start. Just a few more pieces to fall into the puzzle and Antariksh might be a major force to reckon with. Good luck 

Abum Review: Raghu Dixit- Jag Changa

Hi,
    My name is Surjo, and I'm a professional musician. The songs you're hearing (hopefully) are from my debut album 'The Key Has Turned' and you can buy them here.

   The album up for review is 'Jag Changa' by Raghu Dixit. This is the second offering by the multi-lingual folk rock outfit. The name has been shortened from 'The Raghu Dixit Project' to Raghu Dixit, which of course is the frontman's name. He's the man with the loud voice and the calm demeanor, and has a most interesting life story that people should definitely learn about. I had the pleasure of meeting the man once more than 5 years ago, when they were just beginning to gain traction after their first album, and he was kind to me when he didn't even have to talk to me. I was in a band that was his opening act that day. Let's dive into this.

You can buy 'Jag Changa' here

 

'Parasiva' starts off the album with music that wouldn't be out of place in the background for a King's entrance in a Bollywood movie. This song is in Kannada, so I had to look up a translation for the words. The song is almost a spiritual, and it speaks of the convictions of the faithful in the benevolence of Shiva, or more precisely, Parasiva, the invisible form of Shiva. The musical soundscape is vast, with massive Indian drums, horns and percussion sitting at ease with distorted guitars and his massive voice. The mix is spot on and it's a rarity to hear this strain of music in commercial music, but Jag Changa has been the highest selling independent album in India for the last 2 years, so Raghu clearly knows what he is doing. 

 

'Rain Song' starts off with a lilting acoustic guitar arpeggio, and Raghu scatting along after a couple of bars. I don't know why, but this song reminds me of another Indipop/Bollywood song from back in the day, but I can't remember which one. This song is in Hindi so I was able to follow along just fine. He has beautiful vibrato in the slower songs. The pakhwaj, an Indian drum, is the percussive instrument in the song, and it sounds wonderful with the sarod, a string instrument. The words speak of love and has a wonderful ebb and flow in the music. Raghu's voice fits the scheme like a glove. 

The title track 'Jag Changa' is next with one the most intriguing acoustic guitar riffs followed by some fun scatting. The mood set up from the get go is one of enjoyment. The words speak of the degradation of human existence and makes some astute observations on the condition of our society, and how we've dirtied the beautiful world given to us as a result of our covetous nature. The song flows really well, the arrangement is spot on, and it's difficult to put such a heavy message through such a fun tune. Oh, this song is in Hindi too. 

'Yaadon Ki Kyari' starts off with a ukulele riff, now that's just a whole lot of cool points man. Then is followed by a melodica theme, wow, just take all the cool points boss. Then as it turns out, a mandolin is playing over the vocal line, which is in Hindi btw. I'll keep stressing on the language of each track, because they do sing in 3 languages per album, so that effort and creativity should not be overlooked. The song is essentially a nostalgic look back to his childhood, and the memories are beautifully expressed in words. The arrangement is brilliant, it's muted because of the lack of massive percussion, but that doesn't take away from the immense musicality in the song. 

'Amma' is the Tamil song in the album, and Raghu's first song in Tamil. I've scrambled to the translation so as to keep up, although the word in itself means mom. The song starts off with a beautiful acoustic guitar riff on which a lilting violin melody is played. The words are an ode to Raghu's mother, and could be an ode to any one's mother. Once the percussion and bass kicks in, it pulls in a lot of cool points on the groove quotient. The words are fantastic, just fantastic. As a songwriter, I related majorly to a couple of lines in particular, man that hit the spot hard. Big ups to Madan Karky for the words. 

'Lokada Kalaji' starts off with an electric guitar riff that was somehow reminiscent of the James Bond theme in the picking style, but it descended into almost Bela Fleck country madness with a banjo playing in the background. That's Abigail Washburn on the banjo, and what do you know, she has played with Bela Fleck before. My musical radar is spot on. Btw, I'm listening as I'm writing so I'll have to go back to the words, because they're in Kannada, and I'm just swaying with the groove man. This album has some grooves that'll make your body move boss, and I can tell you, and so can my friends, I'm not a body move kinda guy, so cool points all around. Ok, so the words basically deal with a 'don't worry, be happy' theme. Which is super appropo, because I ain't worried about anything listening to this song. Mad energy in the trumpet solo. Ok, cool points to Bryden too for his guitar solo. 

'Sajana' starts off with a really melancholic Sarangi melody. They've left no stone unturned in employing as many instruments as possible for their creation, that's for sure. This song is in Hindi. the song speaks of the agony of a lover who's separated from her partner, with some very eloquent metaphors used to convey the message. Ok, they're a married couple, one line specifies that. The line about her eyes turning to stone while waiting is just top notch in my book. There is a string section in the song, performed by the 'Bangalore Strings'. Very little programming in the album, and the organic feel is one of the standout features through all the songs. 

'Kodagana Koli Nungita' closes out the album. It's in Kannada. Starts off with an middle-eastern guitar riff, and horns on it too. Cool points. The translation of the song left me scratching my head till I realized that was the message of the song. 'The hen has swallowed the monkey, the goat swallowed the elephant, the wall swallowed the whitewash, the drum swallowed the actor playing it.' A supremely involved instrumental break before the 2nd verse. Frantic energy there. It's a song basically talking about the possibility of the impossible and how we should always keep our spirit tuned to that possibility. Another really franctic instrumental break before it a really sweet violin solo. Raghu shows off his considerable vocal power and range in the bridge, and the song finishes with a bang too. 

The album is full of musical diversity, and they've taken a lot of chances, and I must say that it has paid off. They are very confident as a musical entity, and they just really explore within the style. A very creative album, and the wonderful thing is, the lyrics don't fall behind the music, and for that I must give kudos to the team of lyricists used for the album. That takes a lot of humility, to really seek out the best pieces to the jigsaw puzzle which'll be your album, so that nothing looks out of place. An album to be proud of, and it deserves all the success it has had and frankly deserves a lot more. 

Album Review: Metallica: The Black Album

Hi,
    My name is Surjo, and I'm a professional musician. The music you're hearing (hopefully) is from my debut album 'The Key Has Turned' and you can buy it here.

    The album up for review today is The Black Album by Metallica. In reality, the album has no name, and it could be a self-titled album, but the cover just has Metallica written on a black background with a snake hissing at the name, so I guess there's that. Also, The Beatles had The White Album, with the same concept, and opposite colour, so there's precedent too. The album is one of the most outstanding and versatile metal albums ever created, appealing to both the casual listener and the hardcore metalhead. Let's check it out.

'Enter Sandman' starts off the album, with one of the most iconic riffs in rock history. Bob Rock brings his production mastery into view with just how huge the drums sound in those opening bars. Straight off, you know that this is going to be different from all of Metallica's offerings so far. It's not hectic in tempo and frantic in execution. The tempo is really steady and just the right click. The words are of course some sort of horror nighttime story. Cool points for the wah-heavy solo. The words had caught my fancy as a teenager, for it was just so nasty. The slower tempo really helps in fine-tuning the aggression that the song wants to convey. 

'Sad But True', another shining example of really slow, really aggressive and real scary in terms of the riff. The snare just cracks you know, like a gun shot. The lyrics have many layers to them, and could be moving in any number of directions. There are a lot of cool guitar layers in the chorus that I wouldn't have noticed had I not checked out the Classic Albums video on youtube. The music is really like a hammer blow, and James' voice fits it like a glove. He sings like he is about to rip his vocal chords out. The guitar solo is one of Kirk's better ones. 

'Holier Than Thou' was supposed to be the first track, and the first single on the album, till the lyrics were written. The intro riff is really involved, and has a talk box moment too. Again, the tempo is spot on for the headbanging convenience. While it's a solid song, I can't imagine this replacing Sandman as the first offering from the album. This is far more choppy in feel, and almost frantic in execution. The drums are mixed up way loud in the track. The song is about hypocrites.

'The Unforgiven' is of course a mammoth ballad, with the chorus being clean and the verse being run with the overdriven guitars. The intro is almost country-westernesque in nature. The guitars on the verse are supremely distorted. The song's lyrics have to do with the death grip that society has on the minds and actions of the people within the society. Very well-structured, and the solo is appropriate in it's energy too. Just another damn good song in this entire album of heavy hitters. 

'Wherever I May Roam' starts off with an almost Indian melody, before Lars' gunshot snare comes in to head it into the sleazy riff that it winds up being. The words start with the beat being played in halftime, but it picks up during the chorus, and it's an interesting bit of arrangement. The words of course talk about life on the road, which had become a habit for the band by that time. The guitar solo sounds like it's played by a student of Joe Satriani. Super cool. 

'Don't Tread On Me' starts off with something which could almost be an inspirational anthem for an army, and then veers into the main riff. The tempos chosen for the songs are so appropriate, and are a definite departure from the previous albums where it sounded like they're going as fast as they wanted to. This slowing down to make the aggression more apparent was definitely followed by a lot of the heavier bands of the 90s like Pantera, and RATM and so forth. The chorus riff is almost groovy. The words speak of USA's military might. The words 'Don't Tread On Me' are of course from the early Marines, and Tea Party movements. 

'Through The Never' starts off with an almost relentlessly driving riff. Super headbang. The riffs are extremely tight, with a wall of guitar stacked up in the front. Cool guitar solo, and a couple of key changes just to keep in interesting. Words speak of the vastness of the universe, and the human role in it. Interesting bridge, and I must say this, that it's going to be difficult to sit through the album at one go if you're not used to metal, because it is just too overpowering. 

'Nothing Else Matters' of course is the guitar riff that any fool can learn, and that's just a great testament to the musicality and simplicity of the song. It's of course James Hetfield's love song, which is a strange sentence to write, yet the song is iconic in all senses. The orchestral parts by Michael Kamen do add a lot of colour to the mix, and could have been turned a tad louder. The guitar solos, clean and distorted, are wonderful. The buildup to the final choruses is anthemic and powerful. True ballad. 

   

'Of Wolf And Man' starts off with more gunshot snares, and a relentless driving rhythm. The words of course describe a wolf's life, but there runs the parallel with humans too. Pretty smart songwriting, damn shame that the mix and the vocal style doesn't really do the words any favours. The kick drum sound is quite stunning throughout the album, and is so here too, which can be heard throughout the bridge, also the many effects that the guitars are trying to depict. Creative. 

'The God That Failed'. Talk about strong song titles, and this has one the strongest heavy riffs in the album too. Ok, the lyrics are super heavy too. Just read to amaze at the courage of James to write these lines. Eddie Van Halen's spirit is channeled for the guitar solo, so cool points there. That riff is truly monstrous. A lot of Randy Rhoads too in the guitar solo. 

'My Friend Of Misery' was one of the songs that had caught my fancy when I first heard the album due to the riff of the chorus, which just slithered in a manner that just attracted. The first song to start with a bass line, and that of course is another major departure from previous Metallica efforts, you can actually hear the bass guitar in this album. Oh, maybe it's just the cowbell in the chorus of a Metallica song that's so appealing. Of course they had to get the most dull sounding heavy cowbell ever. The words are quite well-crafted. The words could apply to quite a few scenarios, which of course gives it that universal appeal that Metallica shot for with this album. Cool instrumental break. The wah solo on the chorus is just a face melter. 

'The Struggle Within' closes the album, with a marching band intro and a twin guitar part that'd be more at home with Judas Priest. This is a throwback song to the kind of thrash that got Metallica on the map in the first place. Except that the chorus is super dynamic and completely opposite to thrash. The words don't make much of an impact this time around, but that's alright, not every song is supposed to hit with the same intensity.

So that's the album. It's incredible, a landmark album for metal, and it's continued popularity and sales prove that to be a universal opinion. 

Album Review: Def Leppard- Hysteria

Hi,
    My name is Surjo and I'm a professional musician. The music you're hearing (hopefully) is from my debut album 'The Key Has Turned' which you can buy here.

   The album for review today will be Def Leppard's 'Hysteria'. It is sort of depressing to review an album which was released in the year of your birth, and to acknowledge, that they had more musical innovation in their sound then than I have now. Nevertheless, the album was the first after drummer Rick Allen's horrific car accident which cost him his left arm. It was also the last album with Steve Clark before his death. The album is the highest selling Def Leppard album of all time with sales of more than 20 million.

'Women' starts off the album, with searing guitar and swirling keyboard sounds. The next thing that pops to mind is the drum sound, that'd characterize Rick's sound in all the years to come. Big synthesized snare drum sound. The lyrics are extremely provocative and sensible all-in-one. I can't imagine the conditions of recording this, because it has a perfection that'd be hard to achieve without digital trickery. The pre-chorus is incredible, both in terms of setting up the chorus, and also the words are off the hook. Bucketload of cool points. Oh damn, I nearly forgot, supremely cool guitar solos. 

'Rocket' starts with a rocket taking off (what else). Once that's done, it settles into one of the more innovative guitar riffs in rock. The contrast of the notes in the riff with the vocal melody and the chords make it an interesting picture. A whole lot of song references to start off the words. And of course, Def Leppard's stellar 5 part vocal harmony starts flexing it's muscles. More cool words in the chorus, really well structured. How many songs have a rocket launch countdown sequence in the bridge? A whole lot of reverse tape effects, to make it sound more alien. Cool points galore

'Animal' has words that to me, suggest the life of a top rock band on the road, or alternatively, a conquering army. The blood lust described in the song, is quite as amplified in only those two cases. The production on the album then would put most albums to shame even now. That vocal harmony might as well be an army. Joe Elliot really knows what he's doing. 

'Love Bites' starts off with the sci-fi, and then a really beautiful guitar arpeggio. Joe's vocals have a real quality to them, not rough, not soft, not throaty at all. The pre-chorus is hot, and then the chorus is lava. It's just too damn strong, the vocals really push it up several notches. The lyrics are quite strong too, exposing doubts that exist in certain kinds of relationships. Pretty creative wordplay on one or two lines there, which isn't something that I've thought of to associate with Def Leppard so far, so more cool points. 

A thousand cool points for the song title. 'Pour Some Sugar On Me'. One thing which is a trait of their music is that all their uptempo stuff has a lot of music packed in it, and a lot of excitement too. That's a rare trait to have so consistently. Ok, so as the song title suggests, it's a very suggestive song. The song is exactly what you think it's about, and then some. There's a reason why Def Leppard were able to enforce a topless-women-only-backstage policy. Because they could. Oh, and super cool drums and music. 

'Armageddon It' earns cool points for the title, and really has me thinking about the time invested into completing this album. It took some 3-4 years to finish this album if memory serves me right, and the amount of thought that's gone into the execution and planning of every aspect of the album is rather evident. Cool riff to start out the song. A lot of punny lyrics in this song, as a matter of fact the whole song is filled with entendres. Full fun. 

'Gods Of War' sounds heavy, and starts off heavy too. A lot of sounds of war, and then a key change for Rick Savage's bass to take us into the guitar riff. These guys write pre-choruses and pre-bridges it seems, and take their time getting to the monster choruses with the full blast of the harmonized vocals. The lyrics talk about the atmosphere, and the futility of war. The song ends with a lot of intrigue and mystery in the arpeggios and vocal harmonies. 

'Don't Shoot Shotgun' might be the only song which starts off with the vocal blast. Once the riff kicks in, you know one thing for sure, this band has the formula for stadium rock in their back pockets for this album. The pre-chorus is killer, with it's set-up to the chorus. Lyrics about a girl who can kill with what's she's been given. Standard that way, but the music is anything but standard. 

'Run Riot' starts at riotous pace, with a cool and frantic riff. The lyrics too seem to be encouraging breaking out just for a few moments and to explore the boundaries of one's physical and moral capacities. A whole album of infinitely singable choruses. Frantic pace, just frantic pace set throughout the song. 

'Hysteria' is the title track, and has the most steady, almost boring rock tempo, along with one of the most melodic guitar arpeggios. And a whole lot of innuendo in the words. It's a love song, but not a pretty please one. It's more like, you know I'm the bad boy you want to love type of love song. Of course, it's the title track of the album, and one of Def Leppard's most recognizable tunes, and with good reason. The music is very memorable. 

'Excitable' starts off with what could be some sort of Viagra commercial, and then the pounding drums start off. The riff is just lava on the hot meter. There can only be movement associated with this song, headbobs, dance moves and so on. It's just too cool to not move to. And yes, it's about a knockout girl again. I'm bobbing my head. 

'Love And Affection' finishes out the album, with a pretty cool riff. They do have a certain tendency as far as the note choice on the single note passages. The words are to do with the act of making love again, and they've toned down the suggestiveness a bit, for a more straightforward sincere narrative, and they're good at that too. The vocals again pull out all the stops. The level doesn't really drop throughout the album. It's not a greatest hits album, but it might as well be. 

Is it an album worth listening to? You damn right it is. Does it deserve all that it has gotten so far? Absolutely. A gem it was and a gem it remains.