Very nice review........ Gr8........ But I liked "Mann Mohana" toooo.....
-Siraj On Jan 18, 2008 10:10 PM, Gopal Srinivasan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Jodhaa-Akbar Music Review > > By Aakash Gandhi ::: Source: AVStv.com > > Reviewer's Rating: 9/10 > > The Sultan of Song, the Maestro of Music. the Master of Melody…well… > you get the picture. Call him whatever you please, but A.R. Rahman is a > name that has been dazzling music lovers worldwide. His last Hindi > release arrived over a year ago, with the deliverance of Guru. As if > the unbearable gap wasn't enough, we've been teased even more by the > continuous sequences of delays and postponements. However my friends, > your patience has not gone unrewarded. The music of JODHAA-AKBAR has > finally arrived, and it's ready to paint the town red! > > Aseem-O-Shaan Shehenshah is easily the > most recognizable track, since it's the one which has been widely > featured in the film's promotional videos for the past few months. > Rahman opens the track on a majestic note with a classic horn, making > way for a singular, yet steady, rhythm which maintains itself > throughout the entire piece. The male chorus, comprising prominently of > Mohd. Aslam and Bonny Chakravedi, injects the soulful melody with > animation and life. Rahman dabbles with his rhythm quite expressively > throughout the entire track, while maintaining the essence and aura > established in the opening beats. Midway, the Genius conveys his > mastery over instrumental ingenuity by incorporating sounds of sword > thrusts, which not only apply to the events on screen, but seamlessly > become one with the music. The melodic female chorus provides a > beautiful balance to the energetic male ensembles. Javed Akhtar's > lyrics are poetic yet strong and fill Rahman's epic melody with words > of patriotism and love. Verdict: A perfect thematic track in all its > splendor and glory. > > The beautifully conceived Jashn-E-Bahaara > is lit with a folksy guitar that leads into yet another soulfully > simple eastern rhythm, which Rahman uses throughout the entire number. > The highlight would undoubtedly have to be vocalist Javed Ali, who > should finally get the recognition he has been deserving of for nearly > a decade now. Ali sings Rahman's syrupy sweet melody using the natural > tenderness of his voice. Although Rahman justly limits the variation in > his rhythm (since his melody doesn't call for it), he does however > articulate his arrangements with a very subtle pan-flute and the light > play of the table, which makes a delayed entrance. Javed Akhtar is > obviously in his most rewarding zone while writing for this romantic > solo, where we are spared the usual clichés. Javed Ali might have been > criminally ignored for his spectacular rendition in 2003's Jaane (Chameli) > and he might have been overshadowed in 2005's super hit Kajra Re (Bunty > Aur Babli), but let's hope that the third time is a charm – and he has > truly re-written Rahman's composition with his vocals. Verdict: A > beautiful rendition, coupled with a sweet composition, make this a > coveted piece for romantics everywhere. > > We bow in honor of the hauntingly poetic In Lamhon Ke Daaman Mein. Sonu > Nigam somehow seems to sound his absolute best for Rahman – simply a > testament to how inspirational the man's work can truly be. Yet again, > Rahman paints a musical canvas that commences with a very soft set of > music and melody, brushed ever so lightly with Nigam's soothing vocals. > Kudos to Rahman for etching a melody that is both quixotic and > memorable. The true brilliance of Rahman's composition lies, however, > in the haunting deliverance of a very evocative chorus that builds into > a grand crescendo of choir, strings, and drums. Joining Sonu in the > back-end of the piece is one of Rahman's beloved singers, Madhushree, > who adds to the tremendous vocal value of the song. Javed Akhtar's > poetry finishes the trinity and completes the musical puzzle that is In > Lamhon Ke Daaman Mein. Verdict: Rahman toys with the outer boundaries of > musical serenity and creative perfection in In Lamhon Ke Daaman Mein. > > Mann Mohana is the song where Rahman strays. Although it is clear that > Mann Mohana > is a purely situational track, it lacks the passion and seduction that > lies in most Rahmantic compositions. It is a romantic piece with a > devotional parallel to the pairing of Shri Krishna and Radha. I know > what you're thinking – what do you expect, it's a semi-classical piece > with a devotional base. However, as we've seen Rahman do in Lagaan's O > Palaanhaare, > he has the ability to take any form of song and spin his sultry touch > to make it simply irresistible. This is what is missing in Mann Mohana. > The melody flows nicely, but fails to liner in your mind seconds after > the song ends. Rahman's arrangements also lack the energy and > creativity we've been hearing throughout JA's soundtrack. Bela Shende > makes a wonderful entrance into the album after her praise-worthy > performances in 2005's Paheli. Javed Akhtar's lyrics are arguably the > highlight of the moment with his symbolic writing style. Verdict: It > does pail in comparison to the rest of the soundtrack, but still makes > for a very strong situational song to be enjoyed on screen. > > Khwaja Mere Khwaja is an absolutely > gorgeous end to this magical soundtrack, and arguably my favorite > piece. What appeals is its raw nature and ear-pleasing melody. Oh and > let's not forget that Rahman himself has stepped up to sing the best > song, and he is an absolute delight as always. A pure qawwali in the > traditional sense, Khwaja Mere Khwaja opens with the flowing > lines of the harmonium, superimposed upon by Rahman's youthfully > explicit vocal riffs, which reach out to your souls. What follows is a > religious awakening in the form of song, as Rahman writes a > spell-binding melody on top of a steady, yet foot-tapping rhythm, which > is engulfed with sounds of harmonium, strings, table, and hand-claps. > One can't help but draw parallels to his earlier masterpiece, Piya Haji > (Fiza) > – Rahman proves that he is up there with all the great Qawwals, as he > re-resurrects the genre with unmatched luster. Verdict: Rahman scales > new heights and treads new grounds with this creative masterpiece, as > Khwaja Mere Khwaja easily serves as the centerpiece of Jodhaa-Akbar's > soundtrack. > > Khwaja Mere Khwaja has been re-written as an orchestral > Instrumental piece by Rahman as the sixth track of JA. After hearing > scores like BOSE – The Forgotten Hero, we know the mastery that Rahman > has over his orchestra, and it shows yet again here. The Oboe takes > command of the orchestration, as it plays the melody. The only other > instruments which are heard to a discerning extent are the harp and the > strings. > > Jashn-E-Bahaara has also been reworked into an > instrumental offering, and it has the privilege of officially ending > the wildly anticipated soundtrack of Jodhaa-Akbar. Unlike Khwaja Mere > Khwaja's instrumental, where the entire piece was re-written, > Jashn-E-Bahaara > is your more typical instrumental, where the arrangements are left > alone, just the vocal renditions are replaced by an instrument of > choice, in this case it would be the flute. We may be deprived of Javed > Ali's sweet vocals, but we are still blessed with Rahman's caressing > melody. > > Jodhaa-Akbar is all that it was expected to be. Rahman and Gowarikar > have officially made it a hat trick and have followed-up the music of > Lagaan and Swades in spectacular fashion. It is clear that Rahman's > score will have a huge impact on the film, and one prays that Gowarikar > has done full justice to the music when it comes to portraying it on > the silver screen. > > If the payoff is as sweet as this, I wouldn't mind waiting another > two years for the next Rahmantic creation. Let's just hope that it > won't come to that… > > - Aakash Gandhi > > >
