Riding high on the success of Fashion and Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, the musical duo of brothers Salim and Sulaiman Merchant are ready with the soundtrack of Akshay Kumar-starrer 8x10 Tasveer and they seem to have brought together quite a different genre.
They have also presented a mix of both fast-paced peppy numbers and free-flowing, soft melodies.
The first song Aaja maahi, crooned by Neeraj Shridhar and Tulsi Kumar, starts with a western feel and English lyrics. Even though the words lack punch, the song is melodious and worth listening.
The remix version of this song adds nothing but beats to the original.
Up next is Haafiz khuda, which has all the qualities to win listeners' hearts with its soulful, melodious music and free-flowing vocals by Mohit Chauhan. In this number, Mohit is joined by Tulsi Kumar behind the mike. The rendition is bound to make listeners sit up and take notice.
Haafiz khuda too has a remixed version, but the original is more appealing.
An Akshay Kumar film and a rap number seem to go hand in hand these days. After teaming up with Bohemia in Chandni Chowk To China, the actor has shared vocals once again with the US-based hip-hop and rap star in 8X10 Tasveer.
The song I got the picture is a peppy number with the same feel of the rap song in Chandni Chowk....
The remix of the same track, which is high on beats, is sure to be a hit on the DJ consoles.
Kuchh is tarah, which is once again in Mohit Chauhan's and Tulsi Kumar's voice, is a hummable number that pulls one's heart strings. Soothing to the ears, this romantic track brings out the best in Chauhan.
The remix version too doesn't disappoint with appropriate musical arrangements.
Easily the best song of the album, Nazaara hai sets the adrenalin pumping with its strong musical backing and powerful vocals by Vishal Dadlani of the composer duo Vishal and Shekhar.
The number is soaked in the flavour of rock music. The predominance of the electric guitar, especially in the middle of the song, makes it a sure shot hit with music buffs.
The remix of Nazaara hai is average, nowhere close to the original.
On the whole, Salim-Sulaiman have kept up their good work in 8x10 Tasveer and are definitely emerging as one of the best in the business.
When it's Pritam Chakraborty, an album high on musical arrangements is inevitable. His latest offering Aa Dekhen Zara sounds contemporary but it lacks experimentation despite the composer having collaborated with Gourov Dasgupta of Dus Kahaniyan fame.
The first song, Aa dekhen zara, a modern take on the 1981 classic by R.D. Burman has two versions in the album. The first one is more of a high-energy dance number where actor Neil Nitin Mukesh goes behind the mike, following in his grandfather's and father's footsteps.
While his vocals are worth notice, the song fails to come anywhere close to the original. It sounds more like a remixed track.
But the lounge version of the song crooned by Dibyendu Mukherjee and Shweta Vijay is attention-grabbing and engaging. While both versions are recreated by Gourov Dasgupta, the second one is authentic and out of the box because its soothing arrangements make it hummable.
Pritam combines Western and Indian influences in Gazab. Sunidhi Chauhan sings in her trademark style along with Shaan. The song is ordinary and falls flat.
The song also has a club mix, which is equally boring. Remixed by DJ Sanj, it is nothing but a package of unnecessary instrumentation adding only to the noise factor.
Mohabbat aapse is easily the best song in the album. Composed by Pritam, the romantic track is sung by Akriti Kakkar. It has an indi-pop touch and impresses with its breezy sound arrangements compared to other songs.
Next is Power, which is not good enough to hold the listener's attention for long. Dasgupta's composition is far from entertaining and doesn't touch a chord. A highly disappointing number. The club mix of the song is no better.
Next is Rock the party, a purely club number that exudes a heard-before feeling. Sunidhi and Shweta sing the track that reminds one of the many disco songs in the past. Though the instrumentation is good, the song doesn't show any indication of becoming a favourite among music buffs.
To sum up, Pritam could have done a much better job. It's time for the composer to reinvent and bring some fresh sounds to his albums.
Believe it or not, Metallica is very far from dead.
Chipping its teeth on the punishing thrash it helped give birth to, Metallica regresses in the best way on the highly anticipated Death Magnetic.
Following 2003's painfully weak St. Anger and a self-obsessed documentary (Some Kind of Monster) which alienated longtime fans, James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich and Co. are more metal here than they've been since 1988's And Justice For All.
Parting ways with longtime producer Bob Rock, who took them mainstream, helps. Rick Rubin, who revitalised several veteran acts, from Neil Diamond to Johnny Cash to the Dixie Chicks, has stepped in and breathed new life into the band.
Is Death Magnetic on par with Metallica's classics? No, but this is as close as they'll ever come to the epic songs they once churned out with ease — only two of the ten tracks on Death Magnetic clock in at under seven minutes.
Disc opener That Was Just Your Life kicks off softly with shades of Welcome Home) Sanitarium before exploding with a trademark Hetfield staccato riff.
From there the thrash and complex arrangements just keep coming in waves.
The End of The Line is a bit political (No consequence machine/Burn through all your gasoline) but blisters the ears throughout. Same goes for Broken, Beat & Scarred, Cyanide, The Judas Kiss and All Nightmare Long.
They showcase their 1990s persona with The Unforgiven III and The Day That Never Comes and overpower with a nearly 10-minute instrumental, Suicide & Redemption.
After keeping Kirk Hammett's lead guitar on the shelf for St. Anger (how could they NOT use him?) his shredding, dynamic solos remain otherworldly. And then there's Ulrich, whose drums are once again thunderous, and Trujillo's bombing bass holds it all together.
The lyrical scope attempts a backward leap to Hetfield's cryptic 1980s approach, but it meanders a bit and doesn't contain one truly soaring moment. However, with an assault unlike any they've offered in 20 years, complaining about that seems like crying over spilled milk.
Is this a brief eruption in what has been a 15-year downward trajectory?
Perhaps, but the fiery signs of life on Death Magnetic could go a long way to helping Metallica reclaim its rightful place among the metal elite.
For the shortest snapshot of Metallica's rebirth — at a breezy five minutes — disc closer My Apocalypse evokes memories of classics such as Blackened and Damage Inc.
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