Crook

Neeraj’s Kya slowly gets into your system and the folk song Chhalla (Babbu Mann-Suzanne D’Mello) is given due acknowledgement,but is not Punjabi folk at its best. KK’s Tujh mein,given the Pritam-KK track-record,is remarkably thanda,and the rock-oriented orchestration removes most of the appeal from the song. The lyrics are typical of the banner,more familiar now rather than extremely intense and meritorious.

On Sony Music,Rs 160

Ranjishen

Times Music,Rs 150

You can rarely fault Roopkumar Rathod’s singing,and this is true of this album – he offers shades and nuances so characteristic of him that it is clear that he goes beyond the composition and puts his own imprint on a song regardless of the composer,which in this case is Kuldip Singh.

Sonali Rathod gives her own flavour to Manzilon se nahin gila koi,in a composition reminiscent of Madan Mohan’s peak. The inflection she gives to the second line of the mukhda when the song begins is superb.

Lyrically (Rajiv Pal Singh ‘Rana’),musically and vocally,the stunner here is Chand taaron se,which should have been the lead track rather than the tepid Kaun kehta hai – this is the best non-film track I have heard since Dhanya dhanya naari jeevan from Sonu Niigaam’s Classically Mild. But one guesses that it is too much to expect such aesthetic senses! The couplet Keh bhi daalo ke mujhse pyar nahin / Kyoon ishaaron se baat karte ho is one to die for!

The rest of the tracks are average,the interludes are too long in general and needed some brevity. Otherwise the album is one of the better ghazal soundtracks in years. And the Rathods may take a bow.

Unheard Melodies

Universal,Rs 125

It is becoming a trend nowadays for music companies: now Universal comes out with unheard recorded songs of composers Sonik-Omi. The album shows mixed results though.

It starts out with a bang with three humdingers: Saath hum tum chale (Rafi-Chandrani Mukherjee),Maharaja (Lata Mangeshkar) and Paon mein zanjeer padi hai (Asha Bhosle). The decline begins with the fourth track and then there is only the occasional reprieve,like Mushkil se hota hai (Asha-Nitin Mukesh).

Asha (Rut thi rangili,written by Sahir Ludhianvi,no less) and Rafi (Pattharon tum mujhe) salvage these average songs with their skills.

Jai Shri Radhekrishna – Bhakti Geet

Music Master Audio,Rs 45

A decent if modest album of devotional songs to Lord Krishna,this album has lyrics and music by Suresh Jethva. Rajluxmi,Saudf Khan and Arun Daga sing the eight tracks.