Album Cover

This movie was by far the best Bollywood movie of the year of 2008. Equally impressive was its soundtrack. After composing movies other than historical flicks, this is one his few compositions made for the youngins and I love every part of it. By the opening cue of the electric guitars and the Glissando notes of Rashid, I knew I was in for something grand. Kabhi Kabhi takes on a deep urban R&B roots with a very Desi melodies. I was totally diggin this song with the faded watercolor intro. With English phrases mixed in with the Hindi, one can simply hint that the main target audience was the newer generation.

I love how Rahman transforms few Indian Classical bols to a catchy hook, which appears throughout the Pappu Cant Dance. The percussion section reminds me of the jazz band percussion during football games. The song is about a guy who has all the good stuff in life but cant dance. I really did not get the point of this song other than being one of the “dance” fillers on the album. I was not a big fan of the DJ (in the movie) muttering distorted words which missed the mark of a Jamaican accent by a long haul. And lastly it does not make any sense “Wenna may I see you when you dance in the hall, And a wenna may I see you when you dance….hey!” … okay? About the remix, I like it much more. As it is of a regular 4/4 beat as opposed to 2/4. In addition, it would have had more chance making in to the dance floors that the original make.

Jaane Tu Mera is where Aditi mourns her lost love. The tune really captures the emotions of the movie but it not a song that will make it high on the charts. It is like one of the songs where you boo hoo and you forget about the song. Its haunting misses the melancholy of my tastes. However, I must say that the version by Sukhwinder is much better with the rhythm being much slower but more capable of making you cry. The first version was just creepy!

The upbeat mood of Nazrein Milaana is like a song where you wake up late Sunday morning and breakfast is served in bed by your significant other. This is the most cheerful song in the entire album. Gotta love this song for its metaphors and its philosophical insights.

With so many jazz cues all over the movie, I was not too surprised to see Rahman experimenting. I must say, in the history of Bollywood music this was definitely an anomaly and my personal favorite. The swing in the tune of the female voices and the double bass pumped me to anticipate what more was coming. After the brushes rolled over the snare and tom-toms, I was in love. The crooning style of Rahman took me back into the times when I was in cafes/restaurants enjoying some live jazz. The trumpet, a less popular alternative lead to the saxophone in jazz groups does not fail to impress. The deliverance of the trumpet solos and riffs are a perfect reflection of the player’s experience. Lastly the song really reflects on the relationship between the Jai and Aditi by highlighting their differences. And despite the differences they are meant for each other. I would attend an entire concert just to listen this song.

The follow up to the jazz ensemble is a classic romantic number, which is just perfect for your next date or as a lullaby. The style is very similar to my very favorite Michael Learns to Rock, the adult alternative, soft rock gurus. The lyrics are simply about their longing for each other, its pretty much like any other love song’s lyrics.

The soundtrack lives up to the movie’s stellar performance, but I would not say it is the soundtrack of the year.

My apologies for the grammar, it was too late and I couldnt resist to express what I felt.