Indipop music by artists has almost reached its death stage in India and very few dare to come out with an independent album these days. There were a few bright spots in between when Adnan Sami's Tera Chehra and Kabhi to nazar milao,Himesh Reshammiya's Aap kaa Surroor and Kailash Kher's Teri Deewani were hugely popular.But,generally success stories have been very few and far between.In this context,the popular bollywood hungama content head Faridoon Shahryar comes out with his own ambitious ghazal album "Palkon ko Bhigoyen Kaise", which was released a few months ago and has gained a lot of appreciation.
Ghazals are a genre which have been out of favour since many years,but there was a time when ghazals of Jagjit Singh,Pankaj Udhas were used in films too.Faridoon attempts to bring back this genre with 8 distinct tracks.The music for all the tracks has been composed by Navneet Kedar and the lyrics are by Prof Shahryar,the great Urdu poet and winner of the prestigious Jnanapeeth award,who also happens to be Faridoon's father.Faridoon handles the mike for all the 8 songs.So,lets check out the album.
The first song is the title track "Palkon ko Bhigoyen kaise".The beginning is subtle and takes one to an olden era.Faridoon begins his rendition with a soothing feel and carries the whole song with utmost sincerity.The background is kept very minimal and works in the favour of the song.The soft whoosh effect is very likeable.The song is extremely hummable from the first hearing itself and creates an excellent impression with a haunting feel.Kudos to the singer and the composer for this brilliant track upfront.
My Rating:4/5
Next up is "Wo andheri raat ki", which is already in the list of my favorites along with the title track.Faridoon's voice has something very soothing which appeals to the heart and this one is another excellent track with very meaningful lyrics . As with the title track,the minimal instrumentation works for this track too and the melody does all the talking.At 2.37 minutes,this song is very short,but leaves an impact nonetheless.
My Rating:4/5
The next song is "Tum mere kitne paas ho" ,a breezy song which is most enjoyable on a long drive on a sultry evening. The singing is soulful as is the music. The song has a very likeable beginning with an instrumental piece which leaves a good impression. Overall, this one maintains the momentum of the album,which is surely treading an upward path.
My rating:3.5/5
"Kahin Kuch kam hai" again has a calm beginning and the lyrics are very poignant which touches one's heart.Faridoon does a superb work behind the mike and his singing makes the lyrics to register in one's mind more forcefully.This is a song which can be heard at any time of the day and carries a lot of feel and emotions which really lightens up one's mood.Another winner.
My Rating:4/5
Next up is "Naseem-e-soobh ro rahi hai”. This one has a stronger background than the rest of the songs , but one just wishes that the soothing mood of the album was carried forward.Nevertheless,it is quite a good song.Probably the very high standards set by the previous songs pulls down this one a bit,but taken as a standalone song without comparisons, this one works and Faridoon again leaves a good impression and shows one more streak of his singing abilities.
My Rating:3/5
“Khwaab se rishta hai hamara” brings the melody back and also puts the graph of the album back on its high pedestal. Special mention must be made of Navneet who creates a laidback background and puts more focus on the singer,which helps the song immensely and leaves a wonderful impact on the listener.The lyrics stand out again and Faridoon is as consistent as always and leaves one craving for more. One more track worthy of repeat hearings and just one word to describe the music,singing and lyrics: EXCELLENT.
My Rating:4.5/5
Next up is “Shab-E-Gham kya karein”.This one is really different from all the other songs in the album and is more fast paced and has a soft rock base. Though one prefers to hear more of Faridoon in the lower pitches, this one shows his versatility and does no harm to the quality of the album. Nice song for those who prefer different genres of music in an album.
My Rating:3/5
The next song “Maahe Ramzan” is a track which was added recently during Ramzan. This song has a different lyricist Aarefa Faridoon. The song carries a special significance for the occasion for which it has been designed. The musical arrangements impress again and Faridoon returns to his ‘signature’ style,which is very welcome and delivers the song with a lot of passion and soul and the results are there to see. The best line of the song is when he croons “Jazaaye khair maangte hai”,which sounds very catchy.Another very impressive song to bring this serene,soulful album to an end.
My Rating:3.5/5
After listening to the whole album, one can only say “Brilliant” to describe it. The songs have a lot of melody,depth and poignant lyrics aided by the extremely capable singing by Faridoon, which takes each song to a different level.Melody has taken a backseat in the songs of recent years and this album is a fine effort to bring back melody which is laudable.More than that, the team of Navneet and Faridoon have really paid a rich tribute to the genre of ghazals and their efforts must get due recognition and support. This album is like an oasis in a desert for those who seek melody. Very highly recommended!
Overall rating:4/5
Listen and download the music from Hungama.com or iTunes.
