Troubadour

Somalia-born rapper K’naan – real name Keinan Abdi Warsame – clearly doesn’t care much for critical credibility. He might have lived through a very real hell before fleeing his war-torn homeland as a teenager, eventually settling in Canada, but recent movements in his music career have included collaborations with Adam Levine of abysmal stateside soft-rockers Maroon 5 and British piano-indie lightweights Keane, and his Wavin’ Flag track has been adopted by a Certain Soft Drink Brand as their official World Cup 2010 song. On paper, this sounds like a whole other kind of hell.

But K’naan, to his credit, isn’t bothered by any sell-out-style accusations: “I wasn’t ever looking for any street cred,” he says on opener T.I.A., before referring to the daily risks of his childhood: “But these streets taught me to be street safe”. ABC’s follows in a similar lyrical vein, our protagonist remembering the struggle he went through before arriving at this highly profitable point in his life. The song’s kid-choir sing-along chorus – “They don’t teach us the ABCs / We play on the hard concrete / All we got is life on the streets” – is an early high, taking a bleak subject matter and giving it a breezy, summery spin.

While the contrast between his upbringing and where he finds himself today comprises much of the lyrical content throughout this expanded, ‘Champion’ edition of an album originally released in 2009 – it was shortlisted for the Polaris Prize, Canada’s equivalent of the Mercury – it rarely becomes repetitive. This appealing freshness comes courtesy of boisterous instrumentation, with a live-band feel reminiscent of recent material from Mos Def (who guests on America) and The Roots, and K’naan’s superbly studied flow, which never once trips over itself attempting to squeeze syllables into wordplay against their will.

Three versions of Wavin’ Flag is a bit much – the World Cup ‘Celebration Mix’ version gives the song a positive lyrical slant and raises the percussion level, and the seemingly omnipresent pop go-to guy will.i.am and cheesy dance guru David Guetta get in on the act with an album-closing remix that yawns its way to the bank. But since the song is many listeners’ entry point for this collection, it doesn’t hurt to add more bang for the newcomer’s bucks.

But Wavin’ Flag is far from Troubadour’s standout moment – with eight single releases drawn from its tracklisting, there’s plenty of quality here. Indeed, it’s of such a solid standard that one can even tolerate Levine’s some-people-call-this-soul? squeals… for the first couple of plays, anyway

1920: Adah & Rajneesh

Cast: Rajneesh Duggal, Adah Sharma

Director: Vikram Bhatt

Hell hath no fury like a woman possessed, discovers architect Arjun Singh Rathore when his wife Lisa starts behaving strangely after moving into an isolated mansion in Yorkshire, which, by the way, stands in for Palanpur in this film.

One night, he catches her slurping up the entrails of a dead cat, another night she’s talking in a strange voice and rocking the bed, but not in a good way.

The doctor’s convinced she’s suffering from split personality disorder, the priest insists something’s gotten into her — quite literally.
Turns out, there’s a spirit hanging around the house who has some unfinished business with Lisa. For Arjun, who has nothing to hold on to, not even his faith in God which he renounced not so long ago, it’s going to be an uphill task rescuing his wife from the stubborn spirit.

Even before you begin to complain about the dozen or so holes in Bhatt’s film, let’s remember that objecting to silliness in a horror film is a bit unfair, considering the whole point of the genre — the fun and the terror — lies in the suspension of disbelief.

That said, what I do have a problem with, is the repeated recycling of the same old moments from such films as The Exorcist and more recently The Exorcism of Emily Rose.

Too many scenes in 1920 are unabashedly borrowed from these films, including the now obligatory scene of the possessed victim levitating mid-air. How many times will we see that scene being repeated in horror films?
Remember, the best horror films are the ones that make you forget you’re sitting in a cinema, and transport you to the scene of action as if you’re out there running from the psychotic murderer, or hiding under the bed in fear of being discovered.

They’re the ones that set up a scene for impending tragedy, the ones that build up a mood of tension.

That’s what director Vikram Bhatt goes for in 1920 — desolate surroundings, a creepy house a sense that something bad is going to happen.

If it weren’t for such silly distractions as the Victorian era costumes and the Yorkshire landscape, the Rakhi Sawant item song, and even the bizarre flashback, Bhatt might have actually got it right.

In the end, it’s about what scares you and what doesn’t.

Let’s not forget, we’ve become accustomed to seeing dead people and psycho killers in the movies. We don’t get scared very easily these days. Which is why it’ll take a lot to make us jump out of our seats now.

But 1920 makes a sincere attempt. There are moments in the film’s second half that might genuinely spook you. These moments, however, are few and far between.

It’s the endless back-story and the film’s lethargic pace that do the most damage here.

Debutants Rajneesh Duggal and Adah Sharma who play the film’s protagonists are ordinary at best, and the supporting players aren’t much better.

1920 is for fans of classic horror. It’s not quite a classic itself, but sets up a chilling mood nevertheless. Hence two out of five for director Vikram Bhatt’s 1920.

Rating: 2/5 (Average)

Artist: COLDPLAY

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They’ve got the commercial clout, but now they want the cred. On their fourth album, the members of Coldplay refract their gazillion-selling pop/rock through a more nuanced lens, drafting producers Brian Eno and Markus Dravs to help them craft more diverse, experimental music. Radiohead they ain’t; “42″ sounds like three different songs awkwardly stitched together in ProTools, and often the layers of production seem to come at the expense of memorable melodies. Two of the best songs are instrumentals: opener “Life in Technicolor” is a propulsive heart-melter that deftly straddles the acoustic/electro divide, and the effects-drenched “Chinese Sleep Chant” finds Coldplay discovering its inner My Bloody Valentine. The rest is closer to the Coldplay we know: a competent blend of heavily orchestrated redemption songs (“Viva La Vida,” already the biggest hit of the band’s career), swirly arena rock (“Lovers in Japan”) and life-stinks-without-you ballads (“Strawberry Swing”) likely to resonate despite the new bells and whistles.

Daniel Bedingfield is the personification of the latter, and what’s more he always has been. ‘What made me want to write songs? I can’t even remember,’ he explains. ‘It’s like breathing, my world has always been music, it’s all about having a creative expression.’

It may have taken the world a bit of time to catch up with this pop pioneer, but as the buzz accompanies Bedingfield’s debut single Gotta Get Thru This proves, the delay is over. Straightforward yet irresistible, Bedingfield’s pure vocals are reminiscent of Michael Jackson, as Gotta Get Thru This blasts along with an urgency that is compelling and also boasts a deep emotional edge. Played by long-term supporter UK Garage supremo EZ, Gotta Get Thru This effortlessly became the undisputed anthem of Ayia Napa this year, while its place on club and radio station playlists the length and breath of the land is already cemented.

With this overwhelming grassroots’ reaction, a record company bidding war was inevitable. ‘It basically blew up on the streets and then I found myself called straight in to all the MDs offices,’ explains Bedingfield. ‘It was really exciting. I’ve been planning for something like this to happen since birth, so it’s nice to finally be almost achieving your goals, I’m on the verge of something really exciting.’

Born in New Zealand 21 years ago – ‘That gave me my pioneering spirit. I love the otherness, it adds an extra dimension’ – Bedingfield grew up in South East London, educated at home by his parents, taking his first musical steps aged nine with sisters Natasha and Nicola in progressive R&B group The DNA Algorithm before graduating on to garage. ‘I took a break from the band and thought I’d mess around with garage,’ he explains. Since then Bedingfield has not looked back, an exceptional rise considering his cottage industry ethics.

‘It’s all done in my bedroom,’ reveals Bedingfield. ‘I made Gotta Get Thru This with one computer and a mike, that’s all I had, but if you’ve got a good idea you shouldn’t swamp it. If you turn it up loud in the club this track really punches you hard.’

However don’t be deceived by the humble surroundings. Despite his youthful years Bedingfield is determined and has filled that bedroom with some interesting influences. Sting, Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson all crop up, as does that of a great songwriter not usually cited by garage practitioners. ‘Lyrically Bob Dylan moves your soul,’ explains Bedingfield, ‘with a few words he can express extraordinary concepts.’ However for Bedingfield an influence is not simply about sonic syndication, rather inspiration is drawn on a philosophical level. ‘The Chinese have a saying,’ Bedingfield begins, ‘rather than emulate the masters you should pursue the same goals they pursue. That’s what I’m trying to do, find out what they were going for then go for the same things.’

With work on an album about to start and a live band to be assembled, don’t expect Bedingfield to be blown off course by cartoon pop distractions for his aim is true.

‘I want to do something totally new that will fit straight in the pop bracket but will make a real musical statement as well,’ he explains. ‘I just want to produce a classic album that’s going to be around for years.’ No small order, but at least Bedingfield has the convictions and belief to deliver.

‘I create music from any kind of extreme emotion, that’s where my creativity is done. The music I make has to have a really powerful conviction, I can’t sing anything I don’t feel strongly about,’ he says. ‘Music is often the only way you can get your feelings down, I really enjoy doing that. I feel Gotta Get Thru This says exactly what I wanted it to say with a few words and I’d love to do that again.’

For now however, Gotta Get Thru This trumpets the arrival of a new talent and from club credibility to a million teenage walls the possibilities for Daniel Bedingfield appear unlimited.

‘It really seems the world is my oyster at the moment,’ he confirms. ‘I feel tremendously blessed.’

Artist: THE TING TINGS

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With lead vocalist Katie White, U.K. duo the Ting Tings have themselves a cheerleader more than a singer. But no matter, as “We Started Nothing” appropriately opens with a dashing display of dancefloor energy, and White is commandingly charming as she leads a chorus in “Great DJ” that’s little more than vowel sounds. But things get better from there, as the band’s U.K. No. 1 “That’s Not My Name” is a sassy singalong anthem. There’s some Toni Basil in the band’s retro, slinky grooves, but the Tings walk away triumphant, thanks to a last-minute jolt of guitar. The act gets punky on iPod hit “Shut Up and Let Me Go,” and “Keep Your Head” and “Fruit Machine” are filled with brazenly sharp new wave sounds. For an album of sugar highs, there’s certain to be a buzz kill or two (“We Walk”), but there’s plenty of fun to be had here.

Artist: Usher

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After a four-year break, Usher’s fifth set is bursting with grown man, true-to-life tales like leaving his player ways behind (“Before I Met You”), falling in love (“Something Special,” “Lifetime” and the title track), making love (“This Ain’t Sex”) and having a child (“Prayer for You,” featuring a weeping Usher Raymond V, his new baby son). Grown-up relationships drive “His Mistakes,” about a woman who is scarred by a past fling, the piano-and-drum-laden “Best Thing” featuring Jay-Z and “What’s a Man to Do,” which finds Usher belting about loving two women at once. Still, tracks like the naughty “Love in This Club,” the sensual “Trading Places” (“You get on top/ tonight I’m on the bottom”) and the Danja-produced “Appetite,” about his desire for sex, confirm Usher still hasn’t lost his young boy charm.

Music: Pritam

Lyrics: Sayeed Quadri, Neelesh Misra

Singers: KK, Kamran Ahmed, Richa Sharma, Rana Mazumder, Rupam Islam

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Whether it’s their movies or music, the Bhatts have always sought inspiration unapologetically! Their upcoming film Jannat too is no exception in both the departments. Loosely based on the Bob Woolmer murder case that made news post Pakistan cricket team’s ouster from the last World Cup, Jannat has Emraan Hashmi playing a match-fixer. With a film based on such a theme, one wonders how much scope the music will have. But when it comes to the Bhatts, rest assured, they can infuse music in any plot, melody being their forte. With Pritam being the composer, let’s not debate on the originality of the tunes, though one can surely expect an ear-friendly score. And with Pakistan as the backdrop, the Bhatts only get an easy excuse to use Pakistani voices in the soundtrack, something which they are quite fond of. Only this time there are new names on the credits and refreshingly so!

Track 1 – Zara Sa For the opening track, Pritam chooses his most dependable singer KK for a tune that has ample scope for the trademark KK ‘Ooooing’ brand of singing. Kishore Kumar had his yoodling and now seems like KK is soon building his oodling stamp. After Tu Hi Meri Shab Hain, Kya Mujhe Pyaar Hain and Labo Ko Labo Se, the Pritam-KK duo give you another mellifluous number of the same genre with Zara Sa . A couple of hearing and you soon take to the song effortlessly. Contrary to what the title may suggest, the Power Ballad version of Zara Sa is not a remix but a slower adaptation as compared to the original. While the original track cruises casually, this version stresses on every beat and note creating an added impact. KK’s singing and Pritam’s arrangements go in the mode of Scorpions’ popular English number ‘Still Loving You’.

Track 2, 6, 8 – Judai After Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Atif Aslam and Mustafa Zahid, Bhatts introduce a new voice from Pakistan in the form of Kamran Ahmed who writes, composes and sings Judai. Staring off with mellow guitar strumming, the song grows on you with an instantly infectious tune. Kamran’s voice has that typical texture distinctive of our neighboring country singers. An un-credited female voice plays in the background which in most probability belongs to Richa Sharma as she takes the lead in the female version of the same song. The usually rustic Richa Sharma sings on rather lower notes and sounds somber in Lambu Judai. But she gets to be her usual self intermittently in the alaaps which is reminiscent of ‘Rabba’ (Musafir). With no difference in the musical arrangements, the male version ends up being more appealing than the female for the texture of the vocals. The Kilogram Mix (whatever that means) of Judai is just modified with faster pace to be a dance track.

Track 3 – Haan Tu Hain by KK is as cliched a composition can get with the beats in the background dating back to the decade-old Nadeem Shravan tabla treatment. Neither KK’s singing nor Pritam’s instrumentation succeed in uplifting this conventional track. Complete lacklustre!

Track 4 – Door Na Ja Rana Mazumder who has only sung for Pritam till date sings Door Na Ja , a slow number with sturdy instrumentation. With heavy electric guitaring, this one is essentially designed as a rock number. Though the music and singing seem to get out of smooth sync at places, this one ends up being a decent composition.

Track 5 – Jannat Jahan Electric guitar continues to rule Jannat Jahan which qualifies to be the title track of the film. Another Bengali singer Rupam Islam goes head-banging ballistic in yet another rock number from this album. The lyrics by Neelesh Misra speak about the magic and madness of money and serves as a good background theme piece for the film. The spunk in Rupam’s singing and Pritam’s guitaring enlivens the energy of this track.

Guitar is one prominent instrument that defines the music of Jannat thereby giving it a ‘rocking’ feel. Bhatts have constantly upgraded themselves on the musical scene and continue their legacy of chartbusting compositions.

Jannat’s score is harmoniously heavenly!

Downloads:

01. Zara Sa – K.K
02. Judai – Kamran Ahmed
03. Haan Tu Hain – K.K
04. Door Na Ja – Rana Mazumder
05. Jannat Jahan – Rupam Islam
06. Lambi Judai – Richa Sharma
07. Zara Sa [Power Ballad] – K.K
08. Judai [Kilogram Mix] – Kamran Ahmed

Artist: Jewel

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Jewel has been a pop chart fixture since 1995, but ever organically rooted to make her move to country a convincing transition, and the format has already embraced top 15 single “Stronger Woman.” Her seventh album and first full-length country project, “Perfectly Clear,” is not only persuasive, but down-home, old-school country. It’s not just the addition of steel guitar that sells Jewel’s passage, but the whole of her delivery and lyrical themes. Potential hits abound: Best are the searching, chug-along “I Do”; remorseful ballad “Everything Reminds Me of You”; the uptempo, playful “Rosey and Mick,” about a long-term imperfect relationship; and the mannered “Anyone but You,” which sounds like a Tammy Wynette classic. Jewel continues to surprise and inspire, and “Clear” is an ideal transition for the 34-year-old Texas dweller.

Artist: Opeth

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Opeth’s U.S. profile is at a tipping point, as the Swedish progressive band is ready to break into the metal mainstream if it keeps playing its cards right. “Watershed” reaffirms the quintet’s style of transposing driving black metal with interludes tender enough for children’s ears. The flute-tinged opener “Coil” is positively rustic, with frontman Mikael Åkerfeldt dueting with Natalie Lorichs. Yet, even when pushing its heavier alter ego, the boundaries are blurring into each other. The determined riffs of “Heir Apparent” dissolve into lightly skipping guitar notes, and companion track “The Lotus Eater” winds through several jam incarnations that bring Opeth’s psychedelic ’60s influences to the fore. Then, sighing lament “Burden” picks up for the next decade, following traditional prog patterns from the ’70s. A substantial addition to the band’s catalog.

Artist: Ashanti

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As the title suggests, “The Declaration” is in many ways about womanhood and empowerment, which is why Ashanti chose to work with producers and collaborators outside the Inc. family. On the synthy, Darkchild-produced “So Over You,” Ashanti croons about getting past a former relationship, while the Jermaine Dupri-mixed “Good Good,” featuring elements of Michael Jackson’s “The Girl Is Mine,” finds her confidently belting about her abilities to please in bed. Ashanti continues to celebrate her femininity on tracks like the sensual, Robin Thicke-assisted “Things You Make Me Do” and the bass-heavy “Girlfriend,” where she teases about all the things she’d allow her love interest to do if they were a couple. Meanwhile, “Mother” is inspired by Ashanti’s close bond with her own mother, and “Shine” is aimed at motivating young women.