After seeing people’s status messages change faster than Ajit Singh’s loyalties in the trust vote, I knew I had to have a suno at this album. In one word, this album is all about .. rock (it would be just lame if it were something else). For the clueless people, rock also happened to be a genre of music before it got busy replacing every verb, adjective and adverb in English vocabulary.

Handling the music are the composer trio Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, back after Taare Zameen Par. For a rock album, I cannot think of anyone better in Bollywood (unless of course you don’t mind listening to the songs so long before liking them that you realise you have grown too old for this genre). But to top it all, we do not have Shaan and KK in the credits, and Shankar Mahadevan keeps his singing to himself for this album ! Wise.

This album gets straight to the point and sets the tone from the very first  strum of the guitar in Socha Hai. The best song is Sindbad Sailor hands down : good lyrics, melody and singing ! Socha Hai is probably the next best. The biggest surprise in this album was the Zehreelay sung by Suraj Jaggan, who after singing brilliantly must have needed truck loads of Strepsils. This song goes further away from the metalloids in the periodic table, but is a must listen probably for the singing. Rock On and Pichle Saat Dinon mein manage to hold the album tighter, while Tum To Ho and Ye Tumhari Meri Baatein bring in the softer side of rock. Phir Dekhiye loses its way to the Yashraj Camp.

This album is textbook rock, simple riffs, even simpler chord progressions, but the undercurrents of melody is where it wins.

The losses. The lyrics (Javed Akhtar) :

Aasma Hai Neela Kyun, Paani Geela Geela Kyun Gol Kyun Hai Zameen

doesn’t really speak rebellion. Even Koi Kahe from DCH was better. And of course, no self-respecting rocker would croon

Phir Main Aise Josheelay Geet Sunaoon

Mere Geeton Ko Sunke Sab Ye Bolen

And for those of you who didn’t know. This album was recorded in 5 days flat ! Unfortunately, that shows.

Lastly, a few words about the man handling the mike for 6 songs out of 9 in this album. Farhan Akhtar, the person who gave us the great Dil Chahta Hai and the even better Lakshya. Lets just say, this guy knows what he is doing,  which in itself is a rare occurence in Bollywood.

This album has Ehsaan written all over it, but Shankar and Loy help translate that to a good album. They continue proving themselves but are still looking for that one masterpiece.

This album surely joins the list of albums coming out of Bollywood recently that I have liked. The other I would recommend are :

Aamir (you have to listen to it to know why it is here).

Khuda Ke Liye (same as above)

A couple of songs from Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na.

Saawariya (I just discovered this album a few days ago. Incidentally, I also liked the movie. Yes, I have an  appointment with a shrink next week.)