Hindi Review

    KUCH KUCH DIL MEIN  Jaspinder Narula 

Though Jaspinder has an outstanding voice, the nine songs on her debut Pop album fail to make your feet move, sounding as they do like a mish-mash of Disco, Bhangra and ballads. All of them have been composed by Kenneth-Sanjeev, who, it seems, took their own time recording the songs. She sounds strong on the title track `Kuch Kuch Dil Mein', but kind of falters as the other songs come on. It's Disco time on `Hai Na', `Munda Tu Hai Punjabi Sona' is out-and-out Bhangra, while `Lad Gayee Akhiyan' is a soft and mushy ballad.If only the production quality matched the standard of her voice.

CHORI CHORI - Anaida

Folk music is the hot new thing, going by Anaida's latest, in which she swings to some great Rajasthani tunes written by Illa Roshan, the mother of Rajesh Roshan. At least it's not her usual Pop crap. Some of the tracks here are outstanding, but that could be because they're Folk tunes. `Oonchi Neechi (Zara Dheere Chalo Ji)' sets the mood and Anaida follows it up with `Kachchi Kali'. In fact, it's worth buying the album for just these two songs. On the flip side, there are two Bhangra Pop tunes, `Ankh Maar Gaya' and `Umer Umer', both of which are your regular Bhangra Pop numbers. Now, if only Anaida's voice could sometimes match the nice tunes, she could finally start posing a small problem for Alisha.

         RUK JA BABY
Bobby Cash

An insipid album of Pop by Bobby Cash, assisted by composer Jawahar Wattal of Bhangra Pop fame.The singer himself sounds like he would be more comfortable singing in English, but because of the usual reasons, is singing in Hindi. So you have boring tracks like `Dharke Dharke', `Hum Tum Kho Jayen', `Meri Jaane Jaan', `Chaaye badal' and `Yaar Yaar Nachangay', a Bhangra number.Avoid.

        RE DEEWANI
Ram Shankar 

Leading Qawal Ram Shankar sings eight Qawalis on this superb album. Music has been composed by Gopal Khanna, but it is the quality of Shankar's voice which lifts the album. The composer's work is evident only on the title Qawali, which is also the best of the songs. Other songs which stand out are `Piya Ki Gali', `Jab Mohabbat Mein Dil Toota Hai', which is a sad song, `Sharaab Choot Gayi', which is a fun song, `Bahut Bewafa' and `Tera Bichada', both of which are slightly on the low side. But after his outstanding last album, `Yaaro Duwa Karo', one had expected a lot more from this talented singer. `Re Deewani', though good, fails to meet expectations.

TERE LIYE - Indranil

Eight love songs, which are neither here nor there, but in-between. Indranil, apparently, is a leading Bengali singer. What he sings here in his pleasant voice are rather introspective love songs, even on the Bhangra Pop `Jaldi Chal, Chal Chal'. Other tracks include `Chalna Chalna', `Tere Liye to Dil Pagal Hai', `Tere Liye Tarse', and `Yeh Fiza, Yeh Zameen', which is the best track on the album. Though nice, Indranil still has a long way to go.

28 SUPER NON-STOP-Remix Vol 4

Tabun is a bad remixer, going by the remixes on this album. Side A opens with Sukhwinder's `Chal Kheva Re Kheva', which is nicely uptempo. But things go downhill from there onwards with tracks like `Nazuk Nazuk (Pardesi Babu)', `Dil Ka Raja (Himmatwala)', `Sona Kitna Sona Hai (Hero No.1)', `Telephone Booth', `Jhatka Laga Diya (Hindustani)', `Ruk Ruk Ruk (Vijaypath)' and `Oonchi Hai Building (Judwaa)', etc. There's more of the same rubbish on the other side.

PYAAR MEIN KABHI KABHI

The first song on this film album is `Musu Musu Haasi' sung by Pop singer Shaan, which is based on a Folk song from the North-East. It's a catchy song. The only other bright spot is `Woh Pehli Baar', also sung by Shaan, which is about first love. Mahalaxmi sounds quite bad on `Tumne Na Humse'. All that the three composers, Vishal, Shekhar and Salim, seem to have done is copy the odd Western tune here and there, but in a listenable way. The album has all the makings of a big hit, going by the song sequences and the marketing.

    DEEWANA - Sonu Nigam

This is Sonu's third album released in the last nine months, apart from all his film songs! Which makes him our busiest Pop singer. `Deewana', actually, according to Sonu, was the first album he had recored with T-Series, but they decided to sit on it becasue they thought it wouldn't sell. It is being released now because he has become famous! The music and songs on this album, which has lyrics by Faaiz Anwar, however, are anything but your average Pop song; this is more like Filmi songs, with orchestral arrangements and the works. The best out of the eight songs is a love song called `Mujhe Raat Din'. And though most of the other songs sound kind of similar to each other, they're still very listenable, particularly the melodious `Dil Se Dil Tak Baat Pahunchi' and `Is Kadar Pyar Hai Tumse'. More music for Sonu fans.

BAM'S NO. 1 - Remix

A Remix album of 18 hit songs, some Western and other Indian songs. There's Asha Bhosle's `Bas Ek Bar Kahin Ek Bar' and `Yeh Mera Dil' and Preeti Sagar's `My Heart Is Beating'. Plus Bali Brahmbhatt's `Gabbar Mix', all in some nice Dance grooves.

R2R