Delhi 6 - Music Review

Delhi 6 is Rakesh Omprakash Mehra's 3rd flick after Aks and RDB. Like his other two, this one's rocking too and how! Let's wait and see how the movie matches this colossal score!

Aarti (Tumre Bhavan Mein) and Arziyan

Great way to start the album with offerings to Almighty.Both are awesome numbers sung by (Rekha Bharadwaj and et. al) & (Javed Ali and Kailash Kher) respectively.

Bhor Bhaye

I think this is ARR's first full fledged Hindustani classical number. This should definitely be liked by old and new alike interested in Classical numbers. For ordinary ears, it's soothing though.

Genda Phool

Rekha Bharadwaj is one of my fav singers ever since i heard Omkara's Namak number. She has that kind of a voice which can ease a stressful mind instantly. This is one of my fav numbers from the soundtrack. I know ARR believes in the oxymoron 'less is more' phrase in turns of his music but now he's started with short numbers as well (This song is just 2.5 mins long). The last number in this 'genre' is Yuvvraaj's 'Manmohini'. Although other tracks in this pack are not that long except for Arziyan, this particular number kept wanting me for more! This is already my ring tone!! hehe..

Dil Gira Dafatan

Nice slow number.I love first 5 sec of this track which reminds me of the latin-american style of music. Ash King's voice has a soothing effect backed nicely by Chinmayee. The background orchestra is too good. This should take some hearings to be likened by one and all. And to know that he doesn't know a word in Hindi and has sung this, makes me like it more!

Delhi 6

Title track. A rap/hip-hop/lazy number with great vocals by Blaaze, Benny, Vivenne, et.al. A Uber cool one! Instantly likeable.

Noor

A less than a minute soothing philosophical phrasing by Amitabh Bachchan. Nice one.

Hey Kaala Bandar

A Fast and Fun song with some of course funny lyrics. Prasoon gets a chance to display his wild side in this one.

Rehna Tu

Old habits die hard. Yes, ARR has it. He always keeps some of the best tracks to himself. And does complete justice to them! You should like this. One of the trend setting numbers.

and My favourite Masakali

The First-Best song of 2009. Absolutely a show stopper number sung brilliantly by Mohit Chauhan. Perky lyrics in sync with music. ARR seems to make full utilization of the Accordion he bought in Hong Kong, right from Aye Hairate (guru) and then followed it up by Zindagi (Yuvvraaj). The way Mohit plays with the words, 'Tamanna', 'Manmaani' just shows his versatality and his ease with words. For me,this is Mohit's Best song.

This is a wholesome entertainment album with a song for everybody spanning almost all genres. Being it classical, hip hop, rap, instant-likeables, slow ones, you name it, you got it. It's all right here!

Go ahead and take yours! Great way to start 2009. An absolute must have!

Yuvvraaj - Music Review

I don't remember me questioning ARR's any of the compositions, ever. His songs from Roja were too much to create an impression in me so much so that i learnt Tamil on my own, both read and write with a little help later...anyways that's a different story...not now!

I have reached such a stage where i just have to listen his music. Nothing questioned. None answered.
However, i do feel like sharing some of my thoughts on this masterpiece.
This is wot i have got to say abt the ARR's next creation, 'Yuvvraaj'.

1. Main Hoon Yuvvraaj - With Fifth of Beethoven's composition to give company, Salman gives an intro into his character in particular and the movie in general. Played by Chennai String Orchestra - A product of ARR's KM Music Observatory (not sure though). Guess this is their first. Sounds good. The composition is reminiscient of the 80's where scores similar to this have had been used as a background track.

2. Tu Hi To Meri Dost Hain - This track hooks on the listener's attention the moment it starts with Benny Dayal's mesmerising voice. Shreya and ARR in that order join him at later stage to give him company.

3. Shano Shano - A hip-hop meets techno meets reggae track but a nice one. This one has a nostalgic 80's feeling though.

4. Tu Muskura - This heavenly composition clearly shows the way where ILaya Raja and ARR truely belong - to another Epoch - where there is no competition but only Absolute Bliss!!!
This astounding track is minimalist in terms of musical arrangements but rests mainly on Alka Yagnik's superb vocals supported by Javed Ali of 'Jashn-E-Bahaara' (Jodha Akbar) and 'Nagada' (Jab We Met) fame. The final alaap is the masterstroke of this number.

I know many 'Rahamaniacs' are of mixed opinion on this song. Imagine a situation that there were to be 2 versions of this song: one with heavy music and another is this. And 'heavy' version would be publicised and this 'soft' version would be titled as 'Tu Muskura -reprise' which is the industry-norm when 2 versions of the song existed. Then I am damn sure that ppl would have definitely liked the soft version more after some time and this would have been a true masterpiece soundtrack as it is now!!!

Truly, I believe, it must have been a huge gamble for ARR and Subhash Ghai especially when, at this time we have all bombarding sound tracks by other composers. Really what a composition it is!!!

5. Mastam - Gulzar's truly visible in this track with his humourous take on the use of words! I felt, this song in the initial stages sounded familiar on the lines of the song 'I am sorry' from the film '1 2 ka 4'. However, a lively song with an ensemble of singers like Sonu, Srinivas, et al.

6. Zindagi - A beautiful feel good number sung by Srinivas. Strangely, the phrase 'zindagi zindagi' and the phrase 'Pyaar hai ya sazaa' from Salaam-e-ishq's 'Ya Rabba' number (S-E-L) sounded similar but both in different pitches. while the latter is on high note in Kailash Kher's earthy tone, the former is a soft number in Srinivas' classical voice.
Earlier too, I felt, Dil Se's end credits and 'Sahara' (sad version) from 'Sivaji -The Boss' were on same lines in different tones. Just an observation.

7. Dil Ka Rishta - Indian Classical Music finally meets Western Classical in this fantabulous fusion number sung marvellously by RoopKumar Rathod, Sonu and ARR with additional vocals. This shows the true strength of ARR where there is a seamless fusion of Western and Indian cords. Its really difficult to differentiate both the types of music. This is supposed to be a climax song where all the 3 brothers with 3 different tastes in music come together to lip-sync this gem of a track! Anyways, a great piece!

8. Manmohini Morey - Literally no two words on this 3 minute 11 sec masterpiece Hindustani Classical number. If you find one, please do let me know. Dude, Vijay Prakash, I think you've truely arrived! Congratulations!!!

9. Shano Shano - Remix - Not an usual remix where the whole song is repeated with a high tempo and inordinate and inconsistent loops. But really a remix sounding different from the original number.

On the whole, i have no qualms in admitting that this is one of ARR's best works. But on the brighter side, which album of his, is not his best?!!

I am definitely glad that ARR hasn't admitted till now that XYZ album is his best. I wish and honestly feel that he shouldn't. Why? You ask me why? well, have you ever heard/seen of a river having its favourite river bank? No isn't? It won't reveal its fav bank and not even when it meets its destination i.e. Ocean or Sea.
I know and wish, ARR will keep searching for his destination while on his way, keep us mesmerised with his music.

Regarding the movie, honestly i don't care. if its good, its a pluspoint! (hehehe).
One info for 'non-Rahmaniacs': if you don't like to hear to ARR try the following:
1. Listen Again.
2. Go to step (1).

After thought: I heard Subhash Ghai telling media that 'Yuvvraaj' is about today's youth and their arrogance. Salman, Anil Kapoor and Youth???!!! I guess, he must have heard of media's lines "40's is today's 20's"...anyways, i admire him w.r.t casting ONLY for ONE thing. A Cello in the hands of Beautiful and Gorgeous Katrina. She truly has that ethereal beauty. Yes, I am jealous of Salman ONLY for this asset of his!!!