Yet another ''Stunner'' from A.R.Rahman. Review on Bose: The Forgotten Hero Songs

Though A.R.Rahman has always delivered something fresh in each and every album, there are some special albums which can be called as “Real Stunners”. You get more than what you expected in these albums. The music would be overwhelming and you will not listen to any other album at least for 10 days after hearing this “Real Stunner” kind of album. The surprises are more and it would take time to get out of the syndrome of listening to the album again and again. In the recent past, if there is one album which can be named as a “Real Stunner”, it was “Meenaxi” and now “Bose” album can also be appended to that list. If the new sounds, fusion and complex instrument arrangements were the surprise elements in “Meenaxi”, we have got a long list of surprises in “Bose” album.

First of all, it is a complete OST album. There are totally 20 tracks in which 7 of them are songs and 13 are instrumentals background score pieces from the movie. Hardcore ARR fans have always waited for such an OST album from ARR. Though we had “Warriors of Heaven and Earth” before, it wasn’t for an Indian film.

Orchestral Score

A.R.Rahman is an expert in using synthesized rhythms, loops and sounds for his songs in synch with the mood of the song, whatever the situation of the song may be. But I always wanted to hear from him, songs backed with live orchestrations instead of computer generated sounds. The orchestral music always has a long lasting life and soul in it. A.R.Rahman has finally quenched my thirst of listening to such an orchestral score in songs with this album. None of the songs have electronic stuff. The songs are backed with both roaring and subtle orchestrations that goes well in synch with the mood of the songs.

Not a mere song maker

By this album, ARR yet again proves to be a film composer rather than a mere song maker. ARR has done just what is needed for the movie. With grand orchestrations, melodies, rhythms and symphonies, he has created a unique sound for the movie that resonates the period, place and overall mood of the movie perfectly.

Versatility

The album reassures the versatility of A.R.Rahman. The journey starts with patriotic “Azadi” and then shifts to heroic “Kadam”, then takes a turn to melodious “Ekla Chalo”, then to powerful, energetic marching song “Hum Dilli Dilli” and then to mellifluous and nostalgic “Desh Ki Mitti”, and then takes a sudden shift to Islamic prayer song “Zikr” and reaches the roots through a soft and sweet lullaby “Ghoomparani” in authentic Bengali notes and finally transcends to a festive mood through smashing percussions and Shehnai pieces in “Ayutha Pooja” and then follows stream of background pieces among which a track called “Afghanistan theme” with authentic Arabic chants and notes widens the range and variety of music in the album further.

Now Coming to the songs..

Azadi

The song though sounds good; somewhere reminds us “Vande Mataram” song. The background rhythms are subtle version of that of “Vande Mataram” and even ARR singing and stretching “Azadi” in high pitch is similar to that of Vande Mataram. Inspite of all these similarities, the song has fresh tune and above all the “Jai Hind” Choir part is extraordinarily composed and performed. It truly elevates the song to higher planes but ARR could have made the lyrics understandable but this always happens when we try to use choirs singing in some language with notes in western classical. And I was bowled over by the way ARR merges the strings playing the same notes along with the choir when it repeats for the second time in the song. A true master he is there. As a singer, ARR does a fine job again in a patriotic number.

Kadam

One thing that immediately registered in my mind was the heroic solo trumpet theme in this song. It sounds as grand as any heroic theme of John Williams. The song goes energetic with powerful lyrics and usual military band sound in the background with Rahman touches here and there.

Ekla Chalo

ARR takes us to a completely different plane when the song starts with an unusual rhythm in the background. Fusion of strings with mild military band beats something we have never heard before. The main line in Bengali sung by Nachiketa Chakraborthy is unusually composed and it takes times to catch this catchy tune. Sonu Nigam does it again with his expressive singing. The orchestration that goes high along when Sonu starts high in some of the lines between proves how far ARR has matured in writing orchestral music and also you would hear a mild orchestration flowing in the BG from the start till the end which holds the mood of the song.

Hum Dilli Dilli

This song sounds very similar to ''Kadam'' song one but the orchestrations are grander and the tempo is higher suiting the rhythmic foot steps of soldiers marching ahead.

Desh Ki Mitti

It is the best song of the album and also going to be one of the best songs of the year. Sonu Nigam mesmerizes you again with his heart felt singing with a subtle sober in his voice. ARR uses lot of choirs along with orchestra to bring the nostalgic effect and yes it does it brings that to a great extent. The piano pieces scattered all through the track nicely blends with the orchestration and adds beauty to the song.

Zikr

It is an Islamic prayer song sung by a group of singers with A.R.Rahman taking the lead. His voice fits the mood of the song to T. The tempo gradually increases as it proceeds and the reaches the extreme at the end. The percussions along with the strings struck rhythmically in the BG are the elements that stop you from skipping this highly situational number.

Ghoomparani

It is soft sweet lullaby kind of song composed in Bengali style. Sapna Mukherjee’s voice is very sweet and especially sounds awesome when she sings “Nindhiya Rani sapnae de dho”. The flute pieces add the authenticity to the track. As always ARR nicely blends strings with the folk rhythms in this song too.

From now on follows a stream of background pieces which can be enjoyed well even before watching the movie. Among them the most I like is “Ayutha Pooja” and “Afghanistan theme”. “Netaji theme” is the orchestral version of notes from “Ekla Chalo” song. The themes of action sequences like “Hitler theme”, “War theme”, “U Boat theme” are of international standards. “Netaji Theme 2” with a solo cello playing a soulful tune sounds like a hymn to the fallen hero. And the full orchestral version of “Jana Gana Mana” is a fitting finale to a patriotic album. The national anthem has been orchestrated quite differently with lot of additional stream of strings in the background along with the main tune.

Definitely the album is not for everyone, but it is a treat to listen to who is open to any kind of quality music. Hope this album will be noticed and not forgotten unlike “Bose”.