its 8.5/10 ! On Fri, Oct 17, 2008 at 9:35 AM, Anil Nair <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> *Aakash Gandhi is Managing Editor and Senior Writer for > PlanetBollywood.com. He also freelances with the Asian Vareity Show at > avstv.com* > > http://www.avstv.com/reviews/review.php?r=yuvraajmusic > > Music Review: Yuvraaj > By Aakash Gandhi on October 16, 2008 Reviewer's Rating: *8/10* > *Producer:* Subhash Ghai *Director:* Subhash Ghai *Starring:* Salman > Khan, Anil Kapoor, Zayed Khan, Katrina Kaif, Boman Irani, Aushima Sawhney > *Music:* A.R. Rahman *Lyrics:* Gulzar *Singers:* A.R.Rahman, Benny Dayal, > Sonu Nigaam, Javed Ali, Naresh Iyer, Roop Kumar Rathod, Vijay Prakash, > Srinivas, Alka Yagnik, Shreya Ghoshal, Karthik, Timmy, Sunaida, Vivienne > Pocha, & Tina > Audio On: T-Series > Number of Songs: 9 > Album Released On: October 15, 2008 > > > In a year marked by musical drought, music lovers are blessed by the > sudden reinvigoration of A.R. Rahman, who is turning out a modestly prolific > year, with YUVRAAJ being his fourth release (following Jodhaa-Akbar, Ada, > and Jaane Tu...Ya Jaane Na). It's quite ironic. 2008, a year that has heard > quality music sparingly, is the one year in which India's greatest MD > decides to put out an astonishing four soundtracks. And if Ghajini is > released this year, that would be number five; making it the most productive > year in Rahman's legendary career with the Hindi Film Industry. > > Although Rahman's unparalleled works do not make up for the lackluster > year, they certainly do provide us with a touch of class and musical > versatility that has drastically faded in 2008. The man of the hour is most > certainly A.R. Rahman. And when such a showman as Subhash Ghai, the creator > of Yuvraaj himself, tells you that the film belongs first to A.R. Rahman and > then to him - that my friends is one of those rare compliments you wish you > could frame and hang on the wall. Master poet Gulzar saab will be adding > meaning to sound with his beautiful words. When you have three individuals > who are considered legends in their respective fields and who have an > undeniably remarkable track record, one can't help but salivate all over the > CD of Yuvraaj. > > We begin the journey with a short dialogue-based introductory piece Main > Hoon Yuvraaj. Not much to write from a critic's perspective, the track > hinges on Beethoven's masterpiece, his 5th Symphony, which has been > re-created flawlessly by the Chennai String Orchestra. Salman Khan, who > renders the dialogue, sets up the aura of the film and the theme of the > soundtrack. Verdict: A simple beginning to a very different side of > Rahman... > > In deed this soundtrack is noteworthy because for the very first time > Rahman infuses a very healthy dose of pop elements in almost each and every > one of his songs. It's something we're not very used to hearing from the > virtuoso. The key is to see if Rahman can maintain his distinction while > delving deeper into these very conventional styles of arranging and > composing. > > Rahman eases past the first test with a splendid composition in Tu Meri > Dost Hain. The major highlights of this piece lie beneath the grooves and > instrumental add-ons. Rahman throws everything except the kitchen sink into > the pop rhythm, with the soulful play of the Cello taking centre stage. The > true beauty of music is realized when a full orchestration of acoustics, > strings, woodwinds, brass, percussions, synths, and pads liquefy into an > other-worldly phenomenon set to light your soul ablaze. This is how Tu Meri > Dost Hai ravishes. However, I do not want to take anything away from the > simple yet soothingly catchy tune rendered with grace by Benny Dayal, while > Shreya Ghoshal and Rahman provide tremendous support. Gulzar's lyrics, as > the title suggests, are poetic in their simplicity. Verdict: It's a song > that's already spreading like wildfire and for very good reason. > > After the questionable Pappu Can't Dance (JTYJN), Rahman returns to the > dance floors with Shano Shano. Although the number has a cool groove, Rahman > fails to make this hip-hop dance number his own. Nevertheless, the song > grows on you as you listen to it. The title line is quite addicting as it's > repeated throughout. It's after a while, once Sonu Nigam makes his entrance, > does the song truly take off and reach its full enjoyment potential. > Verdict: Enjoyable for commercial/conventional standards, both Rahman and > Gulzar are well out of their comfort zone here and it shows. > > Rahman quickly reunites with his spellbinding ways to give birth to a truly > beautiful spectacle of sound in Tu Muskura. V.R. Sekar and Elidh Martin's > fragile cello nudges Rahman's composition onto a stable yet subtle groove > upon which Rahman writes one of the most poignant and tender melodies of his > illustrious career. And if there is one performer in Yuvraaj who, for even a > moment, steals the light away from Rahman, it's Alka Yagnik in Tu Muskura. > Her vocals simply glow in exuberance as Gulzar's metaphorically touching > words kiss Yagnik's lips with a resonating shower of aural supremacy. Javed > Ali (of Jashn-E-Bahara fame) makes a tremendous delayed entrance to provide > a nuanced balance to Alka's rendition. It is in the latter portions of the > song where Rahman begins to seek guidance from the Creative Gods as he > deftly builds a crescendo amidst the synergistic blend of the vibrant cello, > the earthy groove, Yagnik's title rendition, and Ali's passionate swaras. > Verdict: Rahman creates a cross-cultural sound the unites semi-pop (groove), > western classical (cello), and eastern classical (Ali's vocals). Needless to > say, the result is awe-inspiring. > > Mastam Mastam is instant gratification personified! Rahman goes free-style > while composing this youthfully animated track. The major selling point of > this song is Rahman's soothing and extremely catchy melody like you've never > heard before, along with the man who sings it - Sonu Nigam. Is there any > doubt that Nigam is one of the best singers alive? Rahman creates a very > folksy environment in the backgrounds, yet never does he take attention away > from the composition itself. Speaking of the background, Rahman really > excels in this free-style of arranging, where you actually hear him > spreading his wings of creativity. But it is the foreground tune that > entices and wins your heart. Alka Yagnik, Benny Dayal, and Naresh Iyer > provide wonderful support. Their group chemistry is tremendous. Verdict: One > of those rare tracks that will seem to remain on your playlist for ever and > ever. > > And that brings us to another one of my favorites - Zindagi. What soul. > What passion. It all starts off with the Bandoneon, an instrument > unfortunately rarely ever heard in today's music. Rahman creates a very > gentle groove, led by shakers, light percussion, and acoustics. Later, the > rhythm blends into more of a pop influenced groove with some pleasing synths > and pads filling the musical aura with color and flavor. However, what makes > this song flourish is vocalist Srinivas and Rahman's peaceful composition. > It's a unity that's brought us masterpieces in the past, and it once again > reaches for the stars. Not to be outdone, Gulzar's ode to life's miscues is > one of sorrowful beauty. Verdict: A masterful composition that will appeal > to a specific segment of music enthusiasts. > > Rahman is all attitude and business in the passionate Dil Ka Rishta. The > opening is a complete antithesis to the rest of the song, where Rahman opens > with a hauntingly beautiful play of the piano. This makes way for a > mesmerizing orchestral performance that would rival much of the western > world's orchestral prowess. The song erupts with a very strong pop groove > paving the rhythmic paths. Although the melody isn't as prominent as > Rahman's usual soul-stirring compositions, this one hinges heavily on the > brilliant renditions of Sonu Nigam, Roop Kumar Rathod, A.R. Rahman, and > Blaaze (English). Verdict: Thanks to the orchestral sensations coupled with > the English lyrics, Rahman has created a truly international track that > deserves all of your attention. > > Rahman toys with us as now he attempts to blend a trance groove with Indian > classical vocals in Manmohini Morey. You're kidding right? The track is > surprisingly very attractive, thanks especially to the underrated vocals of > Vijay Prakash. Rahman's classical sense sharpens as he writes another > addictive melody while harnessing the nuances and specialties of the Indian > classical style. Not an easy thing to do at all. The quasi-trance beat gives > this song a third dimension that takes it to new levels of gratification. > Verdict: Indian classical dancers finally have a modern and catchy track to > showcase their moves on. Very cool number! > > The soundtrack closes with Krishna Chetan's Shano Remix. Since a Rahman > track is rarely ever tampered with by a remix, you know this one should be > distinctively different. And to an extent it is. It's not your traditional > remix. The only aspect of the original that has been preserved here is the > title rendition of Shano Shano. Besides that, we have a hip-hop groove > featuring rapper Ember. Clocking in at around 2:37, it's a short track that > adds little to this diverse group of songs. > > Now if you were all set to draw comparisons between Yuvraaj and > Ghai-Rahman's earlier masterpiece Taal (1999), then you'll be doing yourself > a dishonor. Their music is as different as night and day. As I mentioned > earlier, Yuvraaj is a much more conventional film soundtrack than what > Rahman is known to have done in the past. However, he succeeds in giving > familiar styles a twist of unfamiliarity. Therein lies the magic and > mystique of A.R. Rahman. > > If you ask me, Yuvraaj is far from Rahman's greatest works. But it portrays > a cross-cultural resonance that blends east and west, creating a synergistic > sound that will set charts and hearts ablaze. Go on... have yourself another > Rahmantic treat. > > > -- > -A > http://viewsnmuse.blogspot.com > > >
