Top 7 Lionel Richie Songs of the '80s

As a consummate pop star of the 80s, Lionel Richie famously stacked up 13 consecutive Top 10 hits, a remarkable feat indeed. However, his propensity for pop singles inevitably meant the three albums he released contained little else in terms of commercial or critical appeal, assuming, of course, that all of the hits were actually good. And that’s a hefty assumption. That’s why I’ve chosen to select just over half of Richie’s signature tunes for my best-of list. Wheat from the chaff, they say.

To Download Lionel Ritchie Mp3 Songs Free Just Click on The Name of the Song.

1. “Endless Love”This overwrought karaoke classic served as the primary catalyst for Richie’s unsurprising departure from the Commodores, after his duet with Diana Ross hit No. 1 on the pop charts in the summer of 1981 and stayed there for nine weeks. Best sung or lip-synched by the brave and self-assured with maximum facial contortions and gesticulation, the ballad boasts a memorable, gentle verse that explodes (if adult contemporary pop can do that) with a positively sublime bridge. Must stop now. Verklempt.

2. “My Love”I must confess I heard this one the other day on the radio, listened intently all the way through, and felt significantly better than I had just before during my drive home from work. OK, so maybe it wasn’t so much the song, but I choose to believe it was. Richie had a knack for taking all the darkness out of romance, and a love ballad has rarely been this effervescent and sunny before or since. At the same time, the tune never devolves into a cheesefest; it’s just a highly pleasant listen.

3. “You Are”Although Richie eliminated almost all soul/R&B aspects of his sound (what few there ever were) after he left the Commodores and embarked on his successful solo career, he manages to find a nifty groove on this song nevertheless. As usual, the singer amps things up perhaps a bit too far for the chorus, but in the verses and bridge Richie has probably never been more subtle and emotionally commanding. It’s a sumptuous and delicate performance, and I’ve always liked it, dammit. Are you satisfied?

4. “Stuck on You”Richie reveals a little eclecticism with this song, and though it’s not his only flirtation with country music, it is his best. The tune’s success also stems from its almost clinical laid-back approach to the love ballad. Once again, Richie walks a dangerously thin line by downplaying passion’s tempest in favor of a lived-in, tamed version of love. But somehow he invests the song with sufficient feeling anyway and handles his most important task effectively, to make his performance convincing.

5. “Running with the Night”While Richie the balladeer was never at his best on up-tempo numbers, this one is most definitely the lesser of three evils and far less embarrassing than either “All Night Long” or, especially, “Dancing on the Ceiling”. Luckily, on this tolerable selection, Richie refrains from attempting either a forced Latin/Caribbean vibe as he does on “All Night Long” or engage in abject silliness involving ceilings. Instead, he delivers a solid, if somewhat vanilla, mainstream pop/rock tune.

6. “Ballerina Girl”So I’ll cut through the suspense right now and confess that I’m leaving “Hello” off this lost, for the sake of my sanity if not for any remaining shreds of dignity. In the resulting void I submit this lesser-known but still somehow compelling ballad that perfectly captures Richie’s extreme romanticism, which borders on pathological here. Nonetheless, his composer’s gift for melody shines through as usual and results in a slow-dance special that epitomizes “easy listening.”

7. “Say You, Say Me”Back when his show still contained the phrase “late night” in its title, David Letterman employed this tune to great effect for a comedy bit. Richie’s music has always teetered right on the edge of unintentional comedy, but his melodic gifts cannot be stopped; they can't even be contained. As always, it’s best not to puzzle too much over the meaning of the lyrics or search for interesting layers. Even so, this latter-day Richie hit from the '80s captured something substantial about the decade.

Ten Best Eric Clapton Songs - Download MP3 Free

Download Eric Clapton Songs Free, Just Click on the Name of the Song.

Layla

The opening riff simply tears through your senses. Layla was definitely Eric at his best. His short stint with Derek and the Dominos generated only one album, but it is arguably one of the most dazzling, shining works in his catalog. This song says it with such force and conveys painfully powerful emotions-a rather fitting cry of frustration from his famously unrequited love affair with his best friend George Harrison's then-wife Patti Boyd, for whom he wrote the song. Yet even in the stripped-down, mellowed version that he put out in 1994's Unplugged, Eric breathes new life into the song and rekindles old passions that have long been put to rest.

Bellbottom Blues

This is another classic from Eric's period with the Dominos. It's a mellow track, yet the intensity of feeling that he conveys here clearly rivals that of Layla, or of any great blues player for the matter. He sings of an unrequited love, and a searing sadness fathoms the track, climaxing with some soaring string bending and guitar wailing. That simple, haunting riff just rings in your ears and finds its way to your heart. Blues purists may resent the rock-tinged feel of the song, but no doubt Eric is one fine bluesman who can convey oceans of emotion. This song alone is enough to attest to that.

Crossroads

This was the track that merited him the famous graffiti that said "Clapton is God". His years at Cream were some of his best which, combined with the genius of Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker, saw unprecedented experimentation with jazz progressions as no rock trio had ever attempted. Crossroads is a completely new take on the Robert Johnson blues standard, complete with those guitar pyrotechnics and extended improvisations that propelled Clapton to god-like cult-worship status in London's 1960s music scene.

Badge

Another selection from his years with Cream, Badge was co-written with George Harrison. The two had met some years earlier and from there grew one of the greatest friendships in contemporary music history, even withstanding Clapton's aching affair with Harrison's first wife Patti Boyd. Although more of a pop track than Eric's blues-purist preferences, Badge has become a standard in Eric's concert repertoires, perhaps as a fond tribute to George. Every performance of this song sees Eric bringing something different into it, and his solos have only grown more expressive with age, like something nearing perfection after 40 years in the making.

Have You Ever Loved A Woman

This is one of Eric's signature songs, way back from his Derek and the Dominos period. A Chicago-blues style tune infused with some excellent and heavy improvisations, Have You Ever Loved A Woman is legendary Clapton material. Here, he conveys painful and lucid oceans of emotion, again in reference to his unrequited love affair with Patti, pining the realization that "…she belongs to your very best friend." Whoever says that Clapton doesn't have the soul of a bluesman should have a listen to this track, and that would settle the argument once and for all.

Old Love

Written with renowned bluesman and his good friend Robert Cray, Old Love is a powerfully moving ballad that staged Eric's comeback as a bluesman in the late eighties. Shedding the experimental-mostly pop-material which he fumbled and languished in for the most part of the 70's and 80's, the arrival of this song shatters any doubts about him having outlived his glory days and reminds us mere mortals, who might already have forgotten, why Clapton is, indeed, god.

Cocaine

This J.J. Cale classic has been immortalized, thanks to Clapton's ingenious guitar playing. Who could ever mistake that opening phrase for something less worthy? It's not nearly as searing as his work with Cream or the Dominos, but Cocaine is nevertheless a good place to start when exploring Clapton's catalogue as a solo artist. Electrifying riffs rightly impact the audience of the pulsating highs and disarming perils of…cocaine.

I Shot The Sheriff

This piece of Bob Marley legacy became Eric's first number one in the U.S. He first got a taste of Marley when a session guitarist played an album during a recording session. Turned out that Eric couldn't get enough of it and ended up jamming to I Shot the Sheriff an entire day! Shortly after the release of his chart-topping cover version, Eric got a call from Bob himself and he shares that "I kept asking him if it was a true story - did he really shoot the sheriff? What was it all about? He wouldn't really commit himself. He said that some parts of it were true, but he wasn't going to say which parts."

Wonderful Tonight
This may be Eric's most overplayed standard, blaring through afternoon ‘rewind' radio programs just about everywhere. Even non-Clapton fans will have probably heard this song at one time. But discounting this fact - -let's face it - -this is about Eric's most tender, poignant ballad and the anthem of many a hopeless romantic. He wrote this song while waiting for Patti - -his future wife - -dress up for a party they were going to. Here is simply a beautiful song for a beautiful lady that inspired some of Eric's most creative moments in his four-decade long career.

Tears In Heaven

Where has that electric guitar-clad rock god gone? Eric dons an acoustic for this number, and shows the world that he can do music like his heroes before him have done - -stripped down, unamplified fingerpicking that draws from a very sincere, moving well of feeling. His performance of this song in 1994's Unplugged was his greatest success story since his downward spiral into drug addiction and his subsequent rehabilitation. Behind his triumph though, was an aching tragedy. Eric originally penned this song for his son Conor, then 4 years old, who died after falling off the balcony of his Italian lover Lori Del Santo's condominium unit in New York. This is Eric unplugged, as if mellowed out with age and a trove of experiences - -fragile, tender, yet intensely reflective.

Ghajini Music Review - Download Mp3 Free

Music : A. R. Rahman
Director : A.R.Murugadoss
Lyrics : Prasoon Joshi and Pravin Mani
Starring : Aamir Khan, Asin and Jiah Khan

Download Ghajini MP3 Free Click Here

Year 2008 will indeed go down as one of the most historic one for the lovers of quality film music as it will be remembered as the year when Bollywood's most revered and talented and extremely choosy music director, of this era, A. R. Rahman bestowed upon his fans four superlative albums. Starting with Ashutosh Gowariker's magnum-opus JODHAA AKBAR followed by ADA - A WAY OF LIFE, Aamir Khan's JAANE TU... YA JAANE NA and the most recent one, Subhash Ghai's YUVVRAAJ. Needless to add that all these albums were classy and a hit with the patrons of good quality music, barring ADA- A WAY OF LIFE (commercially). His long term association with perfectionist actor, Aamir Khan has always brought out the best in Rahman (RANGEELA, LAGAAN, MANGAL PANDEY and RANG DE BASANTI) and naturally expectations assume humungous proportions as his last album, GHAJINI, makes it to the stands this year itself. The Tamil version of GHAJINI had some rocking music by the top music director of South India, Harris Jayaraj. And with music maestro, A.R.Rahman at the helm this time around, with help in the lyrical department from the new age lyricist, the intellectually brilliant Prasoon Joshi (their RDB was path breaking), things can only get better. So, without wasting time let us check out the GHAJINI audio.

Sonu Nigam's cupid struck humming and mandolin strums commence 'Guzarish' as he serenades the listeners, transporting them into a beautiful make belief romantic world, through this stunningly striking love ballad. Much like the signature tune of Rahman's last romantic track from the album, YUVVRAAJ ('Tu Meri Dost Hai') this love ballad too relies heavily on Sonu's haunting background hummings to create the subtle love effect. Here though, Sonu Nigam is the guest vocalist and is present only for the humming part, which is incorporated in the beginning, in between and also in the end. But don't be disappointed as Rahman's new favourite, Javed Ali ('Jashn-E-Bahara') holds fort quite strongly with his crackling strong vocals. Javed Ali is a revelation here, as in 'Jashn-E-Bahara' his vocals were quite base and deep to match Hrithik while here Javed's superb voice modulations are in sync with Aamir's perfect and smooth ones. Only his diction presents a minor problem which needs to be corrected. This propositioning number becomes super special because of Prasoon Joshi's lovely lyrics which are simple yet they are awesome, as there cannot be a better word than the urdu word, 'guzarish', meaning request to appear polite and polished . 'Bas ek haan ki guzarish, Phir hogi khushiyon ki barish, Tu meri adhuri pyaas pyaas, Tu aa gayi man ko raas raas, Ab to tu aa ja paas paas, Hai guzarish.' A proposal which cannot be turned down at any cost, such is the effect of the number. So all you guys in love go ahead, it's our 'guzarish' to propose to your beloved with this number this Valentine day and you sure will succeed. An excellent, in fact, a gem of a track from the maestro.

Suzanne is the female vocalist who has been entrusted with the next number, 'Aye Bachchu' . And the number is just right for Suzanne, as she has become a sort of an icon for the songs that require full of attitude, westernized singing. But we are forced to say that if this number was by Pritam, one would have rated it as passable but this comes from Rahman, the musical genius and so, it disappoints. Nothing, but the best is expected of the maestro. May be in his defense we can say that the song is a situational one but it is a let down nevertheless, specially after a cracker of a start in form of 'Guzarish'. Prasoon Joshi's lyrics though situational and apt still disappoint. Once again it's Prasoon, the lyricist of RANG DE BASANTI and TAARE ZAMEEN PAR, so obviously the level of expectancy is much higher. The recent number on this line that we heard was 'Oop Oop Cha' (DRONA) and 'Soniya'(KIDNAP).

Thankfully, Rahman and Prasoon are back to their best with the next track, 'Kaise Mujhe', a classy romantic composition that has a mesmerizing effect on the listeners. The beauty of the number lies in its very smooth, slow paced melody and the lovely musical arrangements in the background. The superb use of 'sitar', piano' lend an air of romance, a number that can be effectively be used in a candlelight dinner by a couple in love or even in ballroom dancing. This is true blue Rahman, the Rahman we all love and revere. And his counterpart, Prasoon Joshi who has always been a superb support too is in full flow. His poetic prowess is diligently brought to the fore through this lovely love ballad. 'Kaise mujhe tum mil gayee, Kismat pe aaye na yakeen' No 'tukbandi' (rhyming words), here. Of course the two singers Benny Dayal (after a splendid JAANE TU... and YUVVRAAJ) and Shreya Ghoshal need to be mentioned, as it is their combined superlative effort that makes this one an outstanding track, though it may not be universally appealing .

Pearl Jam - One of the Best Live Bands; 10 Must Have Songs.

To download for free 10 best Pearl Jam songs click on the song name

They've been called one of the best live bands in the world today. If you've ever seen Pearl Jam in concert you'd understand why. No matter what town they're playing, when they're on stage, the electricity in the air is palpable. Lead singer Eddie Vedder is a cross between a shaman and a showman. His on-stage antics are not only engaging but serve as a powerful connection between the seasoned performer and the audience. The rest of Pearl Jam aren't too shabby either. Lead guitarist Mike McCready is an utter maestro on the axe, Matt Cameron pounds away on the skins with top-notch precision, and bassist Jeff Ament and rhythm guitarist Stone Gossard are not only brilliant musicians in their own right but, as the so-called founders of Pearl Jam, will always hold a special place in the heart's of die-hards. So what should you hope for when the setlist start to unfurl? Here's a list of the ten songs you should be hoping to hear should you ever see Pearl Jam in concert:

1) "Alive" - As an adolescent, Vedder was tormented when he learned that the man he thought was his father was not and that his real father was dead. Somehow he managed to turn that personal tragedy into the enormously popular 1991 song, "Alive". But only recently, on a VH-1 Storytellers episode, did Vedder admit that while the song was actually about a down-trodden man dealing with the "curse" of being alive, audiences misinterpreted the lyrics to be one of celebratory rejoice. As it turned out their mistake actually wound up, as Vedder put it, "lifting the curse" for him. The song is performed with great frequency these days and it's a spectacular sight to see the now content Vedder as he joins the audience in their life-affirming testimony

2) "I Got ID" - Pearl Jam originally recorded this song during their sessions with Neil Young and even without his physical presence on stage his raw guitar influence is still prevalent. Hearing the band grind away on this definitive rocking work of art (with the lyrics reportedly based on Vedder's experience with a deeply disturbed stalker) "I Got ID" is a rewarding experience for any audiophile. Perhaps one of the most beloved Pearl Jam songs amongst long-time fans, its intensity becomes obvious to even the most casual listener once its been heard in a live setting.

3) "Masters of War" - Okay granted, this isn't really a Pearl Jam song (let's give Bob Dylan his due credit) but Vedder's soaring vocals are so amazing and the delivery of this anti-war rant are so authoritative, it's hard not to get goose bumps whenever they bust out this rarity. Cameron also adds to the mood by allowing the songto build with the impending doom of a funeral dirge. It may be a volatile song during these politically divisive days but that only adds to the song's fervor.

4) "Parting Ways" - The grand scale of this stunning music is what really sets this song apart from any other tragic tale of lost love. Like many of Pearl Jam's best songs it's a slow burn, building up to an ardent crescendo. If you're lucky enough to get a guest violinist on this song, like the one who appears on the studio recording, it's simply an added bonus to this already intricately layered piece of music.

5) "Come Back" - "Black" may be the most well-known Pearl Jam song about loss and longing but "Come Back", a new song off their self-titled and critically acclaimed 2006 album, has already made quite an impression on audiences. Written as a tribute to Vedder's best friend, belated musician Johnny Ramone, its stark simplicity makes it all the more heartbreaking and vulnerable. By the time Vedder begins to wail away at the end, begging his friend to come back to him, you'll be lucky if you can find a dry eye in the house.

6) "Betterman" - Pearl Jam has become one of those bands whose legions of devoted fans will sing along loudly to whatever songs they choose to play on any given night. "Betterman", perhaps their biggest mainstream hit outside of "Last Kiss", has become the ultimate sing-a-long song at any Pearl Jam concert. It's reached the point where Vedder will simply stand back and allow the crowd to take over not just the song's intro but, on some occasions, even the first few verses. While the sound of 20,000 people singing in unison can produce a magical moment, it's nothing compared to the impassioned play between the members of Pearl Jam throughout this hopelessly catchy pop masterpiece.

7) "Release" - Part of the excitement of a Pearl Jam show is their ever changing setlist. These are not your average cookie cutter shows. Each night is crafted specifically to fit any given mood. As a result you're never certain if you're going to be greeted with a hard-rocking number or an emotionally charged one like "Release". Written in honor of the dearly departed father Vedder never knew, this beautifully crafted song can serve as a haunting opener to shows often filled with a slew of touching and deeply personal moments.

8) "Go" - It's a silly song essentially, especially after Vedder publicly admitted that it was written about his beat-up truck, but its the frantic, near punk frenzy that drives the crowd nuts with excitement. The fact that fifteen years into their career they're still able to pull off such a dynamic piece as "Go" with such confident ease serves as a reminder to fans of how truly gifted Pearl Jam are as musicians.

9) "Rearviewmirror" - Pearl Jam knows how to build to a dramatic climax but "Rearviewmirror" is perhaps their greatest example of that fact. This visceral gem progresses steadily before it explodes into a frenetic clashing of sounds and instruments. The ending usually comes equipped with flashing strobe lights that have to work overtime to keep up with the band's break neck pace. With the firm belief that music should serve as the real focus of any rock concert, Pearl Jam plays on a real bare bones stage. In other words, enjoy the light show. It's the closest you'll ever get to special effects at a Pearl Jam concert.

10) "Do The Evolution" - In the 2003 Pearl Jam DVD Live at the Garden, there is a moment during the fiery "Do The Evolution" where panic clearly creeps on to the face of the seemingly fearless Vedder. He informs the audience later that he grew nervous once he realized that the stage was violently shaking during that song. Having personally heard "Evolution" live a number of times I can testify to the fact that I'm not the least bit surprised - that song could get a room full of corpses jumping.

Ray Charles - Must have songs for your I-pod

Download my top ten Ray Charles songs free.... go to the list.

Choosing a top ten list of songs by Ray Charles is a little difficult. He has so many songs, in a variety of styles that span decades of work. The somewhat recent popular movie based on his life had me thinking of him and his many musical works.

Ray Charles was born Ray Charles Robinson on September 23,1930. He became blind as child for unknown reasons. While some speculate that his blindness could have been caused by glaucoma, there is no definitive answer. Either way, he overcame his handicap to become a well-known pianist, lyricist, and singer who bowled the world over. He sang everything. Rhythm and blues, gospel, country, and pop were encompassed easily in to his work. His simple Albany, Georgia roots inspired him with a gospel sound that continued to influence him throughout his life.

Like most people in generation X one of the first time I really took notice of a Ray Charles song was on the infamous Cosby Show television series. Whether I knew it or not, “Night Time is the Right Time” was a famous Ray Charles song. He was introduced to a whole new generation of people thanks to the Huxtable family.

I grew up in Georgia and was quickly exposed to many of Ray Charles songs throughout my life. The state song “Goergia on My Mind” is one of his best songs in my opinion. It is a love song to his home state and is known the world over. It hit #1 on the Billboard Pop Charts in no time.

My top ten lists of Ray Charles Songs are: Click on the song name to download

1. Georgia on My Mind
2. Mess Around
3. I Got a Woman
4. What’d I Say
5. Shake Your Tail Feathers
6. You are My Sunshine
7. Unchain My Heart
8. Hit the Road Jack
9. I Can’t Stop Loving you
10. You Don’t Know Me

“Georgia on My Mind” is a sweet ballad with heartfelt words describing the state of his birthplace. It sees nearly impossible to think that a song like this could be sung by a man with hits like “Mess Around” and “ I Got a Woman.” These are upbeat gospel blues inspired pieces that made him famous or infamous in his generation. His gospel takes on these songs offended as many as it inspired. A generation was changed when Ray found his own sound.

Bachna Ae Haseeno - Music Review...

Music Review : Bachna Ae Haseeno

Director : Music : Lyrics : Starring : Siddharth Anand Vishal Dadlani, Shekhar Ravjiani Anvita Dutt Guptan Ranbir Kapoor, Katrina Kaif, Deepika Padukone, Bipasha Basu, Minissha Lamba Thoda success Thoda magic!!! The coveted Yashraj banner might be hoping for some "success" and lots of "magic" this time when their youthful ambitious project BACHNA AE HASEENO hits the marquee. It's the successful conglomerate of director Siddharth Anand and composer duo Vishal-Shekhar (V-S) this time and do they create the same magic as they did it in SALAAM NAMASTE? After a spate of mediocre musical releases, can BACHNA AE HASEENO revive the fortunes for the esteemed banner and put them in the race for top honors in the charts? Apparently it has everything going in their favor- peppy vocals, chirpy lyrics and a set of rollicking musical outburst that can really pulsate "haseeno" (Bipasha Basu, Deepika Padukone and Minnisha Lamba) to the beats of most eligible bachelor (Ranbir Kapoor). So without a moments delay, let us check it out! Soft and delicate guitar strumming, in a stream of refreshingly balanced chorals creates the mood of romantic tranquility in the air as eclectically paced KK and Shilpa Rao makes mood mushier in "Khuda Jaane". V-S are in great form as they imbibe lovable romantic hues of "My Dil Goes Mmmm" (SALAAM NAMASTE) with a pack of racy arrangements that gives it a ravishingly vigorous appeal. Anvita Dutt Guptan's romantic wordings infuses substantial amount of emotional palpability that really makes this a beautifully ushered love song. KK delivers a sure-shot chartbusting hit number where peculiar sounding Shilpa Rao makes a remarkable presence and appeal through her slender "n" svelte modulating rendition. It's disco time as the solitary remix number "Khuda Jaane (remix)" by Abhijit Nalani induces lots of pub-friendly disco beat stuffing in this beautifully conceived number. After dollops of subtle romanticism, its time for some "showstopper" style of pulsating music in a typical "pop diva" on floors type of hip-shaking soundtrack "Lucky Boy". V-S make stridently loud melodic appeal, similar to their hot female solo track "Mind Blowing Mahiya" (CASH) to deliver the desired gloss and grandeur. It's again their favorite Sunidhi Chauhan's racy vocals at the helm of affairs with rustic touches delivered in tandem by Raja Hassan and hip-hop emceeing by Hard Kaur. Sunidhi's rendition is authoritative in its vociferous flows and do expect some really seductive and eye-candy choreographic moves when it strikes big in its scorching visual display. V-S makes terrific experimental moves in creating "jadoo" (magic) with talented Lucky Ali as their first association delivers out bountiful of romantic surprises in mellifluously driven "Aahista Aahista," It's a mushy love track with a enchanting "lounge" appeal that gets synchronized to perfection with delectable electronic sounds, soft electric guitar strumming and subtle percussive elements. Silken voiced Shreya Ghoshal's sensuously erupted vocals gels well with Lucky's effervescent flows and smoothening arrangements. Composer Shekhar Ravjiani, along with Sukhwinder Singh and Himani Kapoor makes his first promising spark as a vocalist in a traditional Punjabi folk "bhangra" number, which emotes out folklore about everlasting lovers (“Mahi” and “Jogi”) in brilliantly composed "Jogi Mahi". This time V-S treadmill the conventional YRF (Yashraj Films) path of "bhangra" beat numbers as this celebratory track brings memories of tracks like "Aisa Des Hai Mera" and "Lodi" (VEER ZAARA). The highlight of this number is that it abstains from regular "hip-hop" culture and comes out as unadulterated traditional "bhangra" track. V-S makes bombastic use of high-pitched "dhol" that makes striking collision with thunderous percussions and conventional strings in delivering out folksy Punjabi feel. The frivolous "bhangra" mood unravels to new territories of enthralling amusement where flamboyant Shanker Mahadevan makes welcoming surprise presence in a boisterously pitched funky track, "Small town girl". It sounds as a "cool" cousin of "Pretty Woman" (KAL HO NA HO), where the stylish urbane boy outrageously woos a "small town" girl. The cheerfully chirpy lyrics gets a fine dosage of rigorously punched "dholak" works in flows of thriving electronic sounds in creating a youthful jovial appeal. Its double whammy for all "bhangra" culture lovers as this comes out as another thumping-jumping number that promises to be a big chartbuster in the coming weekends. The finale of BACHNA AE HASEENO comes out as a tribute to luminaries (Kishore Kumar, R.D Burman and Majrooh Sultanpuri) as their everlasting melody "Bachna Ae Haseeno" gets modish improvisation of upbeat hip-hop works and trendy westernized arrangements. It's a son-father melodic communion also where Sumit Kumar (son of legendary Kishore Kumar) makes innovatory audible moves along with Vishal Dadlani's rap works. Do enjoy some really infused chipper wordings and splash of fun frolicking beat patterns in this "retro feel" number, where zany disco beat fillers makes mood frenzy. Long Live Panchamda!!! After the spectacular musical success of CASH and OM SHANTI OM, Vishal Shekhar deliver a 100 percent entertaining album of hot "n" happening soundtracks that have no rough patches of mediocrity in it. BACHNA AE HASEENO will surely be a "breather" for YRF and hopefully their most successful album of this year. Do expect soundtracks like "Khuda Jaane", "Jogi Mahi", "Small Town Girl" and title track making their aggressive entry into charts while numbers like "Aahista Aahista" and "Lucky Boy" will be raising high on charts with good word of publicity and film's probable box office success. Worth-a-buy! Rating : 3.5/5

Love Story 2050

In last few weeks, music stands have seen the arrival of quite a few albums which have Anu Malik credited as a composer. While he has contributed along with other composers for Woodstock Villa, Anu Malik has run the show entirely for Hastey Hastey and Anamika. However, none of them can be termed as a true blue comeback for the man who once upon a time used to deliver countless chartbuster songs.

His last big album was Umrao Jaan but it bit the dust. Now with Love Story 2050 looking at hitting the screens, one can finally see Anu Malik indeed making a big comeback. Big, because creating a soundtrack for a newcomer is always a challenging task. In Bollywood scenario, music has always played an intrinsic role in deciding the future of a future superstar.

Picture this:-
- Anand Milind have done it for Aamir Khan (Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak)
- Nadeem Shravan have done it for Shah Rukh Khan (Deewana)
- Ram Laxman has done it for Salman Khan (Maine Pyaar Kiya)
- Rajesh Roshan has done it for Hrithik Roshan (Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai)
- Anu Malik has himself done it for Shahid Kapoor (Ishq Vishk) and Abhishek Bachchan (Refugee)

Have he and Javed Akhtar saab done it now for Harman Baweja? Well, to a good extent, yes! Though it could have been a little better, the soundtrack still has enough fodder to chew upon en route to the release of the film.

'Aa Gaya Hun Mein' is the opening track of the album which actually serves the purpose of announcing the arrival of Harman Baweja. Seemingly a stage number with a rock setting to it, this Kay Kay rendered track has an elaborate music arrangement to it but surprisingly the overall tune turns out to be just about average. Even a much spirited Kay Kay is slightly off the mark here as he sounds a little subdued.

Not a kind of number which you expect at the top of the heap, especially when a star is being created, 'Aa Gaya Hun Mein' has it's major hope now lying in the way it is picturised with Harman's dance moves managing to create some impact.

There was a time when Alisha Chinoy and Anu Malik had parted ways both professionally and personally. However, off late they seem to have sorted out their differences and started coming together more frequently. In Love Story 2050 they do so for a song which goes like 'Hey You Lover Boy, Will You Be My Toy'! Now thankfully the number is for an A-Grade project like this because if only such lyrics were heard in a film starring the likes of a Rakhi Sawant or a Sambhavna Seth or a perhaps in a music video of a Nandini Jumani, audience would have got completely different ideas!

Coming back to 'Lover Boy Will You', instead of being futuristic it in fact has a 80s feel to it. Perhaps Anu Malik does believe that the music of the era gone by would come back in fashion half a century from now and hence decided to create this moderately paced song which comes with a Western format! Yet again, one looks forward to how director Harry Baweja does something on screen for this tune.

Thankfully, one does hear something really refreshing the moment Shaan and Alka Yagnik get together to croon a dipped-in-mush 'Mausam Achanak Ye Badala Kyu'. Now that's a kind of number that really makes one look forward to what's next on store in Love Story 2050. An out and out melodic number which has both Shaan and Alka Yagnik at their romantic best. And yes, even though there are reference points that one can find with 'Kuch To Hua Hai' [Kal Ho Na Ho], one doesn't mind that at all. The best song of the enterprise so far!

It's the rhythm which comes at the very beginning of 'Milo Na Milo' that turns out to be an absolute killer. The sound which is currently being heard in the promos of Love Story 2050, 'Milo Na Milo' is a good mix of Anu Malik's sense of Indian melody amalgamated with Western arrangements. The spirited effort which was missing in Kay Kay's 'Aa Gaya Hun Mein' is compensated by Shaan in the way he goes about rendering 'Milo Na Milo'. Electronic sound is an integral part of the music arrangements here that adds on to the futuristic feel and setting of the song. This dance number has all in it to 'really' announce the arrival of Harman.

Kay Kay returns to the scene again and one sincerely hopes that this time around he cracks it just right. One always has high expectations from the most versatile singer that we have on the singing front today and there are no reasons why 'Meelon Ka Jaisa Tha Fasla' shouldn't turn out to be an interesting composition.

A number about 'distance hardly mattering when it comes to the matter of hearts', it is the sad version of 'Meelonn' which comes first. With Alka Yagnik as his partner, Kay Kay is better here this time around and makes this an overall decent situational track. 'Happy version' of 'Meelon Ka Jaisa Tha Fasla' is double the duration of the sad version and essentially keeps a similar pace. Expect a romantic outing at exotic locations for Priyanka and Harman when the song plays in the movie.

It is time to get back into a peppy mood with 'Sach Kehna Sach Kehna' which turns out to be one of the best songs of the album so far along with 'Milo Na Milo' and 'Mausam Achanak'. A Kunal Ganjawala solo about a man wooing his girl, this rhythmic number is core Bollywood in its appeal and in the process works quite well to have been picturised on a youngster. Kunal is quite effective in the way he keeps the pep factor on throughout with his rendition while Anu Malik too does well in making sure that the urban youth get into a liking for this dance number. Get this song on; it would surely help the sales of the album soar!

Finale of the album happens on a high note with the number 'Jane Kaisi Hai Teri Meri Love Story' coming in both the happy and the sad version. Yet another number which has a core melody feel to it, it has Anu Malik as well as Javed Akhtar saab at their romantic best. Reminding of 'Na Tum Jaano Na Hum' from 'Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai', though strictly in terms of the song's genre and setting, 'Jane Kaisi Hai Teri Meri Love Story' really managed to impress. Shaan sings in a way that he has perfected over the years and delivers what is expected out of him, both in the happy and the sad version, which is a tad slower. A good ending.

It isn't the best of the beginning for Love Story 2050 because neither 'Aa Gaya Hun Mein' nor 'Lover Boy Will You' make you believe that the songs have been composed for a newcomer's launch. However, the moment numbers like 'Mausam Achanak', 'Milo Na Milo', 'Sach Kehna' and 'Jane Kaisi Hai Teri Meri Love Story' follow one after another; you know that the album is only getting better. Makers of Love Story 2050 have done the right thing in bringing on 'Milo Na Milo' as the first song in the film's promotion. It would help if 'Mausam Achanak' and 'Jane Kaisi Hai Teri Meri Love Story' are the next to follow with 'Sach Kehna' being reserved for the final kill around the film's release.

Jaane Tu....ya Jaane

Would it be 'Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak' once again with the arrival of 'Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Naa'?
Music review

This is the first feeling one got the moment the first look of this Aamir Khan production was out. Marking the launch pad of his nephew, Imraan Khan, 'Jaane Tu…Ya Jaane Naa' seems to be another innocent love story in the offering sans any unnecessary mush, hence going truly with contemporary times. With pretty girl Genelia D'Souza opposite Imraan in this campus flick and A.R. Rahman as the composer, this Abbas Tyrewala debut directorial venture (he also doubles up as a lyricist here), 'JTYJN', is a promising flick arriving this summer. Does the music hold up to the promise? The answer is - Yes!

First things first - when the best of the best of 2008 would be written down, the number 'Kabhi Kabhi Aditi Zindagi' would definitely find a mention. Crooned by newcomer Rashid Ali who is being introduced by Rahman on Bollywood musical arena, the song is beautiful from the word GO, the moment guitar strings mark the song's beginning.

Rashid's voice is just perfect for an actor who is being launched in a youthful romantic entertainer and the singer utilizes the big platform to the fullest. While Abbas' lyrics go truly with contemporary times, it is a nice change to hear a Rahman composition in a truly mainstream cinema rather than the historical/period/issue based films for which he has been creating music for quite some time now.

In true Rahman style, he gets together a bunch of singers for the track 'Pappu Can't Dance'. Well, this is the track which is supposedly a spoof on Salman Khan's on and off screen image and has been making news in last few days. The song's beginning has a rhythm which has formed a part of the racy proceedings in the first teaser of 'Jaane Tu…Ya Jaane Naa' that had kick started the film's promotion a few weeks back.

Anupama, Benny Dayal, Blazee, Tanvi, Darshana, Satish Subramanium and Aslam come together to sing about this character called 'Pappu' who has seen all the riches in his life. Since the day he was born, he roams around in the best of the cars, has a body to die for, boasts of an impeccable style, but alas, can't dance to save his life. Hence the title - 'Pappu Can't Dance'. A fast moving fun song, which has a campus setting to it and also appears in a 'remix version', 'Pappu' is a song which should be fun when watched on the big screen.

It's a new sound at the very beginning of 'Jaane Tu Mera Kya Hai (Aditi)' that hooks you on instantaneously. This very rhythm stays throughout this song which is crooned for the female character of the film, Aditi, by yet another relative newcomer Runa. If the song's haunting tune wasn't enough, the way Runa renders the track makes it one as the sad theme of the song conveys what the protagonist is going through. A number about a girl remembering the times gone by with the boy she loved, 'Jaane Tu' is composed in a style, which is similar to that of 'Zara Zara' ['Rehnna Hai Terre Dil Mein'] and hence can be expected to grow over a period of time.

The song is later heard in a version meant for the film's male protagonist Jai and is titled 'Jaane Tu Meri Kya Hai (Jai)'. This time around the beginning is even more sombre and takes it's own time to reach the stage where Sukhwinder Singh comes around to hold the centre stage. The pensive mood is conveyed well yet again though this time around the version is even more sombre.

Guitar is at play once again in the number 'Nazrein Milaana Nazrein Churaana'. The best song to arrive after 'Kabhi Kabhi Aditi Zindagi', 'Nazrein' deserves to be the next song in line for promotion. Packed with youthful energy, the number has a Rahman stamp all over it and goes in perfectly well with the film's campus mood. In fact just one hearing and you are sure to carry the number along for your next camp fire outing.

Yet again, it's an array of singers - Benny Dayal, Satish Chakravarthy, Naresh Iyer, Darshana, Shwetha, Tanvi, Bhargavi, Anupama - who come together but never once does one feels like trying to find out the singer behind a particular line. A complete team effort which reminds of the number 'Sama Yeh Suhaana' [Goonj] when it comes to it's setting.

The album continues to become better with every passing song, especially so the moment the title song arrives. Surprisingly, instead of 'Jaane Tu…Ya Jaane Naa', it is titled 'Tu Bole Main Boloon', which are the opening words of the song. Sung by Rahman himself, the song is a funny take on how this guy and the girl have two different perspectives to everything, even though at the end what they mean is just the same! A bona fide jazz number with soft drums, saxophone and other associated musical instruments in tow, 'Tu Bolev' has an international feel to it in the way it's entire arrangements are done.

After a brilliant 'Kabhi Kabhi Aditi Zindagi', Rashid Ali returns with 'Kahin To Hogi Ho' where he has Vasundara Das for company. Yet another beautiful number which carries an Indi-pop feel to it, this love song has such a serene feel to it that one can't help playing the number on a repeat mode. This is a kind of a soft romantic number that you wish to preserve in your iPod and play it your loved one at the first given opportunity. A brilliant number which makes it two out of two for Rashid Ali!

The soundtrack here is unlike a conventional Bollywood score and instead introduces a style, which goes with the contemporary youthful setting. 'Jaane Tu…Ya Jaane Naa' is an album, which deserves to be bought this season. With 'Jannat' being the only album which is registering good sales and no other album from past or present matching it's performance on the stands, 'Jaane Tu…Ya Jaane Naa' by A.R. Rahman comes as welcome relief.

In an era of experimental cinema, new genres and talents have surfaced who have made huge impact with their indifferent and immaculate talents. If low-profile films like ANWAR brought Mithoon to limelight then AAMIR promises another impressive musical composer in the form of Amit Trivedi. This unconventional psychological thriller brings another consequential name in the musical fraternity.

Upcoming Amit Trivedi makes a striking introduction to the album by rendering out pious moments of spiritualism in melodious piece of 'Sufi' quawalli dedicated to God Almighty in enchanting 'Ha Raham (Mehfuz)'. After Mithoon's brilliant composition 'Maula Mere Maula' (ANWAR), this melodic piece comes out as another refreshing surprise with some great philosophic wordings like ('Sone chamak mein, Sikko khanak mein, Milta nahi, Milta nahi, Dhool ke zarro, Mein dhunde koi toh, Milta wahi, Milta wahi). Murtuza Qadir's impeccably developed vocals bring out spiritually refined sentiments in air that is well concocted with Amit Trivedi and lyricist Amit voices. It has serene shades from Rehman's beautiful composition 'Piya Haji Ali' (FIZA) that stay on in senses till its last beat. This devout number is presumed to be imposing background score that will certainly be appreciating 'emotional' quotient of the flick. Impressive!!!

Amit Trivedi makes himself full throttle as lead soloist in earthen folksy track 'Chakar Ghumyo', song about trials and tribulations of lost protagonist finding his way out in whirlpool of emotions. It has folksy attributes of Ila Arun's popular Rajasthani folk track 'Ghagra Ghoomiyo Re' in its substance but sounds too loud and recurring in its customary arrangements. Do expects twists and turns in the tale with some haunting noir narration in its background when this run loud in theatres. Amit's lyrics sound unsophisticated and crude in its flows but will be finding its major takers among interior audiences.

If you have liking for daunting tracks like 'Ash Tray' and 'Jab Bhi' (NO SMOKING), then this dark noir stylized rip-roaring and pulsating 'Haara' is going to impress you. Amit Trivedi pelts out an intimidating number that comes with reverberating sounds, instrumentals depicting the distressing state of mind of the demoralized protagonist. It's an out and out situational track that will be making its relevance in its cinematic displays.

'Phas Gaya (Never Mind)', another haunting and pulsating track comes in the voice of another upcoming singer Neuman Pinto with rigorous set of westernized arrangements. It has the nerve-racking situational feel where protagonist gets entrapped. The song has typical western feel composition that could well be experienced in RGV's stylized loud and dark shaded tracks like 'Jo Darr Gaya Woh Marr Gaya' (DARNA MARNA HAI) and recently heard 'Johnny Gaddar' (JOHNNY GADDAR). Neuman's invigorating vocals makes impact in its piercing flows but do expect it to making its sound moves in compelling situations of the film.

Amit Trivedi's second most impressive work comes in the form of delectably poised emotional track 'Ek Lau' that showcases captivating voices of Shilpa Rao and Amitabh. It has soulful rendition that talks about the flare ('lau') of life in beautifully conceptualized Sufi musical works and cultured poetic verses. Shilpa delivers remarkable performance in low octaves with a sanctimonious backdrop of tranquil-feel arrangements. Amitabh's expressively poetic lyrics are epitome of divine serenity as it transforms listeners into ambience of spirituality in its relaxing musical appeal. This poignantly melancholic track holds significance for its quality melodic substance that gets epitomized in its brilliant teamwork displays. Soul-stirring!!!

After couple of enlightening vocal tracks, 'Climax Theme' comes out as the only instrumental number that is beautifully amalgamated with soulful 'alaaps', relaxing 'lounge' impact and significant violin works. Marianne D' Cruz makes resounding impression in outstretched 'alaaps' that emotes out in the form of inspiring 'Gregorian chants' in lingering backdrop of haunting orchestration. The latter part has melancholically paced violin works by Jeetendra Thakur that plays in tandem and adds layers of pathos and serenity into it.

Commercially speaking, AAMIR won't be holding any great surprises for its classy appeal, low promotion and bleak face-value but tracks like 'Ha Raham (Mehfuz)' and 'Ek Lau' will be drawing major attention from class listeners for its remarkable quality display. Even folksy tracks like 'Chakkar Ghumyo' and instrumental 'Climax Theme' will be working well for small sect of listeners. After the successful arrival of new composers like Mithoon, Gourav Dasgupta, Bappa Lahiri and Mithoon, Amit Trivedi along with lyricist Amit holds great promise of becoming notable figure in the marquee.

Rating -3/5

Coldplay - Viva la Vida

When Coldplay sampled Kraftwerk on their third album X&Y, it was a signifier for the British band, telegraphing their classicist good taste while signaling how they favor the eternally hip to the truly adventurous; it was stylish window-dressing for soft arena rock. Hiring Brian Eno to produce the bulk of their fourth album Viva la Vida is another matter entirely. Eno pushes the band, not necessarily to experiment but rather to focus and refine, to not leave their comfort zone but find some tremulous discomfort within it. In his hands, this most staid of bands to shake things up, albeit politely, but such good manners are inherent in Coldplay’s DNA; they remain courteous even when they experiment. With his big-budget production, Eno has a knack for amplifying an artist’s personality, as he allows bands to be just as risky as they want to be — which is quite a lot in the case of U2 or James and even Paul Simon, but not quite so much with Coldplay. And yet this gentle encouragement — he’s almost a kindly uncle giving his nephews permission to rummage through his study — pays great dividends for Coldplay, as it winds up changing the specifics without altering the core. They wind up with the same self-styled grandiosity, they’ve just found a more interesting way to get to the same point.

Gone are Chris Martin’s piano recitals, gone are the washes of meticulously majestic guitar, replaced by orchestrations of sound, sometimes literally consisting of strings but usually a tapestry of synthesizers, percussion, organs, electronics, and guitars that avoid playing riffs. Gone too are simpering schoolboy ballads like “Fix You” and, along with them, the soaring melodies designed to fill arenas. In fact, there are no insistent hooks to be found anywhere on Viva la Vida and there are no clear singles in this collection of insinuatingly ingratiating songs. This reliance on elliptical melodies isn’t off-putting — alienation is alien to Coldplay — and this is where Eno’s guidance pays off, as he helps sculpt Viva la Vida to work as a musical whole, where there are long stretches of instrumentals and where only “Strawberry Swing” — with its light, gently infectious melody and insistent rhythmic pulse — break from the album’s appealingly meditative murk. Whatever iciness there is to the sound of Viva la Vida is warmed by Martin’s voice, but the music is by design an heir to the earnest British art-rock of ’80s Peter Gabriel and U2; arty enough to convey sober intelligence without seeming snobby, the kind of album that deserves to take its title from Frida Kahlo and album art from Eugene Delacroix.

That Delacroix painting depicts the French revolution, so it does fit that Martin tones down his relentless self-obsession — the songs aren’t heavy on lyrics and some are shockingly written in character — which is a development as welcome as the expanded sonic palette. Martin’s refined writing topics may be outpaced by the band’s guided adventure but they’re both indicative that the band is desperate to not just strive for the title of great band — a title they seem to believe that they’re to the manor born — but to actually burrow into the explorative work of creating music. And so the greatest thing Coldplay may have learned from Eno is his work ethic, as they demonstrate a focused concentration throughout this tight album — it’s only 47 minutes yet covers more ground than X&Y and arguably A Rush of Blood to the Head — that turns Viva la Vida into something quietly satisfying.

'HARD CANDY' DELICIOUS NEW MADONNA ALBUM

SCHEDULED TO BE RELEASED ON WARNER BROS. RECORDS

Madonna's 11th studio album for Warner Bros. Records "HARD CANDY" had a global release on April 28th, 2008 and a US release on April 29th, 2008 it was confirmed by her label. "HARD CANDY" (the follow up to Madonna's "CONFESSIONS ON A DANCE FLOOR" which debuted at No. 1 in 30 countries and sold over 8 million copies), has been described as a brilliant up-tempo collection of 12 songs in which Madonna remains ensconced in club mode but this time adds an urban hip hop beat in collaboration with musical partners Timbaland, Justin Timberlake, Pharrell Williams of the Neptunes and Nate "Danja" Hills. The debut single, the pulsating "4 Minutes" was released at the end of March.

"The title is a juxtaposition of tough and sweetness...kind of like I'm gonna kick your ass but it's going to make you feel good. And of course, I love candy" laughed the material girl.

Madonna, a multi-Grammy-award-winning singer, songwriter, producer, cultural icon, world renowned stage performer, video visionary, children's book author, director and documentary film maker has sold 200 million albums in the course of her unprecedented two decade plus career and is slated to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on March 10th.

In Tribute: Al Wilson

On any list of underrated soul singers, Al Wilson has to rank near the top. Wilson, who died this past Monday of kidney failure at the age of 68, had one big hit in 1974 with “Show and Tell,” a peerless piece of smooth early ’70s soul that reached number one on the Billboard pop charts, in turn defining his career and suggesting that he was a one-hit wonder even though he followed it with a few hits over the next few years (”I Won’t Last a Day Without You/Let Me Be the One” in 1975, “I’ve Got a Feeling [We’ll Be Seeing Each Other Again]” in 1976). Like many seeming one-hit wonders, there was a lot more to Wilson than that one hit, and he never, ever stopped working — playing clubs and touring well beneath the radar of the mainstream, occasionally re-recording his hits (as he did on 2001’s Spice of Life), because that’s what you do when you’re a working musician. It’s unfortunate that all this hard work didn’t pay off in some kind of full-scale revival prior to his death, something like Arthur Alexander received before his death in 1993, since Wilson’s rich, nuanced singing — akin to a grittier Lou Rawls — deserved wider acclaim. What’s doubly sad is that there is a new CD out that showcases precisely why he’s worthy of such celebration. Kent, a division of the UK-based Ace Records, has just released Searching for the Dolphins, the first reissue of Al Wilson’s earliest recordings, containing all of his 1968 debut for Soul City records, Searching for the Dolphins, along with a bunch of singles he had for that label, Bell, and Carousel in the early ’70s.

“Show and Tell” is not on this disc — for that and his other ’70s singles, turn to Fuel 2000’s 2004 set Show & Telll: The Best of Al Wilson — but its absence is in a way a blessing, as it forces focus on Wilson’s depth as a singer and how these recordings are quite unlike a lot of soul of the time. Part of the reason for that is the presence of Johnny Rivers, the LA blue-eyed soul singer who signed Wilson to his own Soul City imprint and produced Searching for the Dolphins, encouraging Wilson to pursue a lush sound that encompassed mellow Californian pop, folk, jazz, rock & roll, and soul, something that was sonically closer to what Rivers was cutting at the time, but hardly a pop sellout. After all, one of the highlights here is Wilson’s first single (and only UK hit), a hip, swinging version of Oscar Brown Jr.’s “The Snake,” a groovy dance number that deservedly became a Northern Soul staple; it’s not the only funky moment here, as it has a rival in a version of Holland/Dozier/Holland’s “Shake Me Wake Me (When It’s Over).” Also on this album is a slow-burning, late-night reading of Jerry Butler/William Butler/Curtis Mayfield’s “I Stand Accused” and the terrific “Who Could Be Lovin’ You (Other Than Me),” an early Willie Hutch song that strikes a precise balance between the aforementioned funky moments and the luxurious singer/songwriter material that comprises the rest of the record. The title song is an allusion to the Fred Neil ’60s standard “The Dolphins” and Wilson also sings two Jimmy Webb songs (”By the Time I Get to Phoenix,” “Do What You Gotta Do”) and a pair of Johnny Rivers hits (”Summer Rain,” “Poor Side of Town”), all of which have a smooth, rolling feel as reminiscent of folk-pop as it is as soul. All taken together, Searching for the Dolphins is a unique record, a place where many divergent strands in ’60s pop converge in a way that is perhaps easier to appreciate now than it is then.

As good as this album proper is, the Kent/Ace CD gets really interesting on the bonus tracks, almost all of which are considerably less soft than the LP itself. Sometimes this does mean harder, funkier sides, as on a pair of Willie Hutch tunes from 1967, “When You Love (You’re Loved Too)” and “Now I Know What Love Is.” (Hutch also is responsible for folkier, poppier “Getting’ Ready for Tomorrow, a ‘68 single with nearly baroque harpsichords that’s closer in feel to Searching for the Dolphins than anything else here.) Sometimes, this hardness means that Wilson dips into down-n-dirty rock & roll, as on a phenomenal version of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Lodi” from 1969 that has a thicker groove than CCR’s original, filled with greasy slide guitars and horns. This isn’t the only time Wilson rocks it hard: he bizarrely replicates Dave Edmunds’ version of “I Hear You Knockin’,” right down to the phased vocals, slide guitars, piano punctuations, and exultations of ’50s rockers in the solo section (funnily enough, he leaves out Smiley Lewis, who had the original hit with this), and even more bizarrely, it works, as Wilson invests this blatant steal with down-home soul A better example of his daring is “Sugar Cane Girl,” a Daniel Cohen song that rocks as hard as CCR, while being funkier. It’s a hell of a song and a lost gem, but it’s also clear why this and “Lodi” didn’t click at the time — they’re fully rock and fully soul, so they didn’t fit comfortably in either format. More of their time was the dirty fuzz funk of “Falling in Love with You” and “Bachelor Man,” a quite wonderful evocation of swinging singledom in the early ’70s thanks to its cascade of strings and harpsichords, all adding up to a loungey vibe scaled toward television. These didn’t sell either, but hearing them next to the driving rock & roll, the jazzy northern soul, the deep soul, and the sun-bleached folk-pop found elsewhere on this disc, it becomes clear that Al Wilson was capable of singing anything; he just didn’t catch the right breaks that would bring him to the top with these singles. Once he did, just a couple years later, he didn’t stay at the top long enough to truly show his versatility. Still, anybody that has now heard of Al Wilson due to his passing should seek this set out, as it proves that he was a superb soul singer who cut music worthy of his talents. The rest of the world is still getting around to realizing just how good this guy was.

Satyagraha at the Met

Philip Glass’ Satyagraha is nearly thirty years old, and it’s proving to be one of his most durable creations. Metropolitan Opera director Peter Gelb calls it Glass’ greatest opera, a masterpiece, and based on the impact it makes in the Met’s vibrant new production, co-produced with the English National Opera, it’s hard to disagree. Satyagraha is a Sanskrit word meaning “truth force,” or “strength through truth,” which Gandhi coined while living in South Africa between 1893 and 1914, working for equality for the country’s Indian population. The philosophy of non-violent resistance that Gandhi and his followers practiced became the model for many of the most successful liberation movements of the twentieth century. The opera focuses on six pivotal events in Gandhi’s life during that period, preceded by a scene from Hindu mythology. The scenes are not arranged chronologically, and the opera’s Sanskrit text, taken from the Bhagavad Gita by Constance de Jong, consists of philosophical reflections rather than dialogue, so the opera obviously doesn’t conform to conventional narrative structure. Each carefully constructed scene makes sense as a dramatic unit, though, and the effect of the whole is powerful.In this production, director Phelim McDermott and associate director and designer Julian Crouch tweak or forego some of Glass’ original stage directions, and the success of their alternate vision is a testimony to the opera’s durability — this is a work that can stand up to a variety of interpretations. Most significantly, they’ve ignored Glass’ original conceit that the events of the opera transpire in a single day, from dawn until night. This production begins in darkness and ends with a bright blue sky. It’s a political statement and an optimistic assessment of the world, given the fact that Gandhi’s vision of peace is so far from being realized, but it’s all the more poignant because it points to the fact that his message is no less needed today than it was a century ago.

The stage design is very much integrated with the opera’s concern for the liberation of the poor. The primary materials of the set are corrugated iron and newspaper. Instead of using flashy stage effects, the directors have many of the opera’s most memorable moments created by Skills Ensemble, a troupe of actors, puppeteers and acrobats who use newspaper, straw baskets and clear tape to construct settings as well as gigantic animals and human figures.
Each of the three acts is presided over by a figure who inspired or was inspired by Gandhi’s philosophy — Tolstoy in the first act, Rabindranath Tagore in the second, and Martin Luther King, Jr. in the third. For most of the opera, the back of the stage is lined with panels of corrugated iron, creating an atmosphere of poverty and virtual imprisonment, in which Gandhi and his followers work out their strategies of liberation. In the final act, we see prophetic images of the American civil rights movement, with police in riot gear savagely beating peaceful protesters, and Gandhi’s followers being arrested and led away. The iron panels drift away, revealing an expansive bank of roiling gray clouds. Gandhi remains onstage in front of a huge pillar at the top of which King, his back to the audience, is preaching to unseen crowds. Accompanied by some of Glass’ most serene and ethereal music, Gandhi goes up to the pillar and touches it, as if in benediction. The sky turns to brilliant blue and the clouds begin to dissipate — it’s a genuinely breathtaking moment. It’s spoiled a little when an image of Gandhi’s followers is projected onto the sky, presumably listening to King, (a detail that actually is in the libretto), but mercifully it doesn’t last long. In spite of that misstep, the final moments of the opera are a satisfying resolution of the struggles that preceded them.

The most frequent complaint about Glass’ music is that it’s too repetitive, and on a superficial level it can sound like the same thing over and over. On closer listening, though, Glass is in fact continually shifting the details of orchestration, meter, and dynamics so that the music is in a constant state of flux, giving it a larger architectural complexity. When allied with the apparent sameness of the surface, this complexity creates a synthesis of principles analogous to satyagraha’s combination of the principles of truth and strength. This deep structural connection between Glass’ music and the opera’s theme makes the subject the perfect vehicle for the composer’s aesthetic vision, and is one of the elements that gives the opera its emotional impact and sense of integrity.

One of the wonders of Glass’ score is the degree of expressiveness he’s able to evoke through the use of repeated patterns and very simple gestures. The twenty-minute opening scene is accompanied entirely by the repetitions of a four-chord progression, but the emotional range of the scene is huge, from the quiet serenity that opens and closes it to the furious raging of battling armies at its climax. Another example of the expressive depth of Glass’ apparent simplicity is Kasturbai’s solo at the beginning of the third act. It consists of exactly two pitches, a whole step apart, but in the composer’s rhythmically shifting text setting and poignant harmonies, it sounds like a soaring aria. Glass may be working within the restraints of a narrowed set of musical parameters and an unconventional narrative structure, but with Satyagraha, he has created an opera with the breadth of feeling, dramatic power, and emotional resonance to merit a place in the standard repertoire.

The difficulty of its music is a serious obstacle to it ever becoming a repertory work, however. Satyagraha is Glass’ first “real” opera, coming after Einstein on the Beach, which he had written for his own devoted (and small) ensemble of new music specialists, and the demands on the orchestra and chorus are staggering. It’s not a question of technical difficulty, because in small increments, the music isn’t generally hard, but it requires an almost superhuman level of sustained concentration that most orchestras and choruses aren’t used to. It’s the rhythmic element that’s the killer — its constantly changing meters of nearly-but-not-quite identical patterns are fiendishly difficult to keep track of. For the chorus, which has an unusually large role in this opera, there’s the added element of having it memorized, as well singing in a difficult language that has no relationship to any European language. Much credit goes to Chorus Master Donald Palumbo for his thorough preparation; the chorus sang with crispness and intensity, and with careful attention to details of dynamics. At the April 14 performance, in the first scene of the second act, the men’s treacherous laughing chorus threatened to teeter out of control, but a few brave souls hung tight and soon everyone was back on course. Dante Anzolini, making his Met debut in this production, led the orchestra of strings and winds in a luminous performance; he was absolutely clear in his beat, but he also had the flexibility to let the music breathe. His tempos in the slow sections tended to be especially broad, all to good effect. The last act, particularly, in which all the stage action is enacted in slow motion, benefited from his expansive approach; there were transcendent stretches where time felt suspended.

Except for the role of Gandhi, this is not a showpiece opera for singers, so it was not a star packed production. Tenor Richard Croft was a fully persuasive as Gandhi; he could both command attention with the kind of charisma Gandhi was known for, and blend seamlessly into the crowd of workers. He sang with admirable purity and intensity, and with a burnished warmth that made the character appealing. Other standouts included baritone Earle Patriarco as an especially resonant and stalwart Mr. Kallenbach, and soprano Rachel Durkin as Miss Schlesen. The last act duet with mezzo Maria Zifchak as Kasturbai, Gandhi’s wife, and soprano Ellie Dehn as Mrs. Naidoo, was radiant, one of the highlights of the evening.

Even if you’re not in New York, there’s a chance to hear a performance. Satyagraha will be aired on the Met’s Saturday broadcast this week at 1:30.

Distributing music independently online

"What is a viable business model for distributing music independently via the Internet?"

Klaus HeymannChairman, Naxos Group of Companies

Independent labels have several options when it comes to distributing their recordings online.
Regardless of what option they choose, a label should create its own digital files (WAV files that can be converted into other formats) and its own meta data -- it's not rocket science and a label knows its own content better than any third party.

Nowadays, it is very important to coordinate digital and physical marketing and advertising. Therefore, if a label has good physical distribution internationally, it should first try to work through its own network of distributors, provided they have the necessary experience and the right connections with their national digital service providers.

National distributors can create meta data in their local language, which is essential in markets such as Japan, South Korea, France, Germany and Spain/Latin America. Their distributors also know which albums to promote, or they can create special digital compilations aimed at their market.

If a label does not have good physical distribution, or if its distributors are not active in digital distribution, it must determine whether or not to use one or more aggregators (digital distributors).

Before making that decision, it is important to analyze which digital service providers (download sites) can actually sell the label's recordings. While aggregators can push content to a large number of digital service providers (DSPs), only relatively few may be able to actually sell the label's recordings, and the label may actually be able to deliver its content to these DSPs itself.

Otherwise, the label should look for specialized aggregators, which either specialize in the kind of music the label is selling or which cover specific territories. It might make sense, for example, to use one aggregator for North America and other English-speaking markets; another for French-speaking markets; another for Spain and Spanish Latin America; etc.

Some international aggregators are now setting up offices in overseas markets to establish better relations with local DSPs, but that's still very rare.

Working with different aggregators or supplying content directly to 10 or 20 DSPs may not be easy, but a label should only give its catalog to a single worldwide aggregator as a last resort -- it's like handing your worldwide physical distribution to a single exporter.

And even if a label works through an aggregator, it should still involve its national distributors so that they can benefit from or contribute to the digital marketing.

Klaus HeymannChairman, Naxos Group of Companies

Pink Floyd's Roger Waters backs Obama

Former Pink Floyd bassist Roger Waters is hoping US presidential candidate Hilary Clinton won't win because he thinks she will start a war with Iran

Waters hopes Clinton's opponent Barack Obama will beat her and run against Republican John McCain. Though Waters is British, he was upset when Clinton won a primary recently that kept her hopes alive in the race.

Waters said: "I'm a huge fan of Barack Obama. I was so disappointed the other night when the ghastly Hillary got Texas and kept the whole thing going. Please god, let's not have this woman.

"Hillary will want to make her mark and show that she can be just as good as a male president, and she will... invade Iran. Trust me. She voted to declare the Iranian Republican Guard a terrorist organisation. I would buy a whole page in The New York Times and fly Obama's flag."

हिमेश ने अपना ७५थ् गाना रेकॉर्ड किया.

हिमेश अपनी one man music industry के status को बदलना चाहते हैं। और इसी लिए उन्होंने decide किया है की अब उनकी हर नई फ़िल्म में वह एक नए सिंगर को मौका देंगे।

हिमेश को ऐसा लगता है की यह उनका मुसिक इंडस्ट्री के प्रति फ़र्ज़ है। और इसे साबित करने के लिए उन्होंने अपनी अगली फ़िल्म मुढ़ मुढ़ के न देख मुढ़ मुढ़ के में जेनिफ्फेर कोतवाल और निहारिका सिंह को मौका दिया है। उनका कहना है की सा रे गा म पा जज करते वक्त उन्हें कई ऐसी आवाजें सुनने को मिली जिनमे तलेंट था और iस शुक्रवार को उन्होंने अपना ७५थ् गाना रेकॉर्ड किया.

लता मंगेशकर का नया एल्बम टी-सीरीज़ पे.

संगीत के सुप्रीमो टी-सीरीज़ सुरों की मल्लिका लता मंगेशकर के साथ एक नया एल्बम लॉन्च करने जा रहे हैं। यह टी-सीरीज़ का लता मंगेशकर के साथ पहला एल्बम है। लता मंगेशकर भी अपने फंस को एक बार फिर से उनकी आवाज़ पे jhoomne को मजबूर कर dengi और ऐसा लगता है की यह टी-सीरीज़ के लिए एक fayade का सौदा होगा।

एल्बम के एक video में mona singh (jassi जैसी कोई नही) नज़र aayengi और isey direct कर रहे हैं अनुपम singh। लता जी एक बार फिर से अपनी आवाज़ और सुरों का जादू चलाने में kamyaab रही हैं। और यह एल्बम एक chartbuster होगा।

Let’s Get Ready to Rock

Fans of country and early rock & roll know that Germany’s Bear Family label is home to some of the most lavish and unbearably completist box sets available. (Only the insanely hardcore are advised to check out the complete recordings of Connie Francis from 1955-1959, especially since it doesn’t include her lovely album of Jewish songs।)

Even the label admits as much: “Bear Family is not a ‘greatest hits’ label, and we’re proud of it…even if our accountants aren’t।” But if you’re aching to hear everything recorded by subjects ranging from Johnny Cash to Rod McKuen (and don’t mind shelling out upwards of $200 for sets with more than a dozen CD’s), there’s only one place to visit.

But now a series of single-disc compilations, titled Rocks, is not only making Bear Family an unlikely paragon of brevity but also providing some of the best rock & roll compilations ever heard. Granted, each edition only features the work of a single artist, but then again, has the world ever seen a Jerry Lee Lewis collection that rocks as hard and as long as the very-appropriately-titled Jerry Rocks? What’s so special about this Jerry Lee collection? (Hint: it’s not the fact that they included “Great Balls of Fire” or even “High School Confidential।”) Jerry Rocks so much because it includes not just his early rock & roll but all of his best ’60s and ’70s killers as well, skipping entirely his admittedly great honky tonk material for only the upbeat and torrid sides.

The series is now close to ten titles strong — with volumes on Fats Domino, Roy Orbison, Carl Perkins, Bill Haley, and more — plus new editions have been released on Ronnie Hawkins and Bobby Darin. Also, a side series, titled Gonna Shake This Shack Tonight, presents country artists from Patsy Cline to Webb Pierce in all their rocking glory. And believe it or not, even Connie Francis gets into the act.

Mariah Carey Stays in Cruise Control on E=MC2

Two weeks prior to the April 2008 release of E=MC2 — Mariah Carey’s tenth album and the sequel to her big 2005 comeback The Emancipation of Mimi — the diva broke Elvis Presley’s record of being the solo artist with the most number one singles on the Billboard charts। Lots of publicity surrounded “Touch My Body” reaching number one, as well it should: busting an Elvis record is always news but this particular record served team Mariah well, as it paints Carey as being a diva that’s bigger and better than the rest. An unintentional side effect of this very record is that it also tacitly pointed out that Mariah has been around a long, long time: 18 years, to be exact, roughly two years shy of the two decades that it took Elvis to establish his record. Unlike Elvis — or any other major artist that’s been around for two decades, for that matter — Carey seems determined not to look back, to exist in some kind of eternal now, never acknowledging that she has a past, unless she’s wielding her divorce from her ex-husband/ex-record label chief Tommy Mottola for some kind of sympathy, something she does once again here via vague allusions to naivety and “violent times” on “Side Effects.” Mariah refers to that separation so often that it’s hard not to think of it as something recent but it happened a long, long time ago — well over a decade prior to the release of E=MC2, to be precise — but as the separation was the pivot point for Carey’s career, it’s easy to see why she keeps returning to it, even if the emotional heft of her singing about the pain has long since diminished.

After that separation, Carey restyled herself as a relentlessly modern R&B diva, chasing every passing trend in a given year, a move that often kept her on the top of the charts — apart from the post-millennial stumble of Glitter, of course — but had the side effect of making Mariah a musician who became progressively less mature with each passing year, culminating in the hazy soft-porn fantasies of “Touch My Body,” the single that broke Elvis’ long-standing record and will likely only be remembered for that achievement. Like so much of Emancipation and E=MC2, which is a virtual replica of its predecessor in almost every way, “Touch My Body” is all about sound, rhythm, and texture and not so much about song, something that helps sustain Mariah Carey’s run at the top the charts, but something that also pushes melodic hooks and in the process singing into the background. As Carey’s multi-octave voice has always been her calling card, the one thing that even her biggest critics grudgingly acknowledged her unassailable strength, this is a little odd — especially on the T-Pain duet “Migrate,” where she succumbs to auto-tune — but it not only makes Mariah modern, it also camouflages her slightly diminishing range, so it does have a dual purpose. Sometimes all this production good and occasionally it’s married to a full-fledged, hooky song, as on the excellent “I’m That Chick,” a sleek slice of Off the Wall disco that’s nearly giddy in its energy and melody, and perhaps on “I’ll Be Lovin’ U Long Time,” which also has a lightness that so much of E=MC2 lacks. Everything else pushes the rhythm and bass to the forefront and mixes Mariah into the middle, so it becomes a wash of sound — sound that is designed to be fashionable, but like so much fashion, it’s tied to the time and dates quickly. Which is why it’s misleading to judge Mariah based on her new record of possessing the most number one singles, as she’s not about longevity, she’s about being permanently transient, a characteristic E=MC2 captures all too well.

Coldplay Indulges Experimentation On Fourth Album

Coldplay lets its creative flag fly on its fourth studio album, "Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends," due June 17 via Capitol। "We're still obsessed with making songs that can be sung to the rafters," frontman Chris Martin says। "We just wanted to present them differently"To accomplish that goal, the group turned to co-producers Brian Eno and Markus Dravs, who adorn the material with grandiose embellishments the likes of which have never been heard before on a Coldplay album।"Viva La Vida" begins with a strident instrumental, "Life in Technicolor," built as much on an arpeggiated synth foundation as it is on an acoustic guitar melody. The same instrumental is tacked onto the final song, "Death and All His Friends," as a hidden track dubbed "The Escapist."In between, the band frequently breaks from verse-chorus-verse constructions, particularly on "42," which is comprised of three distinct, seemingly unrelated sections. "Yes" shifts from a string- and tabla-driven rocker into a shoegazer-y breakdown, while a funky groove emerges from out of nowhere in the middle of "Death and All His Friends."Elsewhere, Martin and the piano are at the forefront of the shimmering "Reign of Love," while "Cemeteries of London" conjures a foreboding vibe apropos of its title and "Lost!" swells with massive-sounding church organ strains.

Drummer Will Champion credits Eno with upending Coldplay's usual working habits in the studio. "Brian has this amazing ability to demystify wonderful music and make it seem very achievable," he says. "We weren't afraid to try anything."Coldplay recorded a number of other songs that did not wind up making the final track list, including "Postcards From Far Away," "Lukas," "Rainy Day," "The Goldrush" and "Now My Feet Won't Touch the Ground," but it's unknown if they will be released in some form down the road.