I think this type of criticism is acceptable. It's a matter of opinion and it's backed up reasonably.
--- In [email protected], Vithur <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > http://www.livemint.com/2008/02/02004912/Untimely-effort.html > > After hearing and reading director Ashutosh Gowarikar say that the theme of > the movie didn't require impressive music tracks, one wasn't expecting too > much from this overdue album. And as it happens, low expectations mean the > listeners will not be too disappointed by this UTV presentation produced by > Gowarikar, with music by A.R. Rahman and lyrics by Javed Akhtar. [image: > Jodhaa Akbar: Looking back] Jodhaa Akbar: Looking back > In *Jodhaa Akbar, *there are five songs in the genre of praise, devotional > and romantic. But one cannot understand why the flavour of the period was > not maintained for the music. In the 16th century, the style of music was * > raag*-based classical music followed by a slowly evolving > *thumri-dadra *culture. > If the costumes, jewellery and sets of a film can ape a time period, why > can't the music? Are listeners not able to discern and appreciate these > subtleties? > > Simply put: Couldn't the songs have been more Indian? This epic could have > done without the predominant Western arrangement, Turkish and Japanese > drums, keyboards, et cetera. How about some unadulterated Dhrupad? Or just > the form of music that Mian Tansen sang for Akbar? Rahman's sense of > aesthetics is good, and his presentation and packaging styles are > benchmarking Indian music standards, but this music does not fit a period > film. Any song from this film could easily be used in any modern- era film > situation. And the songs are too long. > The silver lining is the use of several new voices such as Bela Shende, > Madhushree, Javed Ali, Mohammed Aslam and Bony Chakravarthy. Having sung for > the big boss of Indian cinema music, these singers can surely hope for a > bright future. Rahman himself has fabulously sung *Khwaja mere Khwaja*, a > peppy hummable qawwali number. Sonu Nigam excels in the pleasant but > ordinary creation, *In lamhon ke daaman mein*never heard him sound as sexy > as he does in this love song. > > Bela Shende does a Lata Mangeshkar in *Mann Mohanaa*. Here is a sweet, thin, > high-pitched voice, but the singing is superficial. It's obvious that she is > following Madam M's style, but that trademark punch of the prima donna is > missing. This is something all female singers of the day need to note and > work on. But what is this overdramatic bhajan doing here in the first place? > It not only fails to sustain, it just goes on and on! *Azeem-O-Shaan > Shahenshah *and *Jashn-E-Bahaaraa *are easy on the ears and will be accepted > by fans of the Chennai music-maker. > The slight use of classical *taraana*-type pieces and two miniscule sitar > works are some efforts to bring in the flavour of the subjecta stark > contrast to an otherwise Western-influenced Rahman submission. > But pick up the album, definitely for the fantastic photographs, designing > and printing of the CD. UTV Music distributed by Sony BMG, Rs 160. > ** > ** > *Kushal Gopalka is an archivist and student of Indian music who writes > for *Swar > Aalap, *a monthly newsletter.* > *Respond to this review at [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > -- > regards, > Vithur > > A.R.RAHMAN - MY BREATH & LIFE FORCE >
