Regarding ARR's Voice ... IMO the writer needs to transcend the material
platform to be able to appreciate the divinity in his voice
--- On Tue, 30/6/09, Bivin Chandra <bivinchan...@yahoo.com> wrote:
From: Bivin Chandra <bivinchan...@yahoo.com>
Subject: [arr] MUSIC REVIEW: Connections | AR wrecks superbly crafted music
with average vocals
To: "AR Fans group" <arrahmanfans@yahoogroups.com>
Date: Tuesday, 30 June, 2009, 2:23 PM
What can be said about AR Rahman that hasn't been said before? Here's
something: His vocals don't cut it. Honestly, it's upsetting to have a
legendary composer push himself as a vocalist when there are great singers
around. A minor clarification - 'great' does not mean Sukhwinder Singh . Also,
it's obvious Rahman's trying very hard to put himself out there as a vocalist,
since he has 'handpicked' songs he has sung on.Percussion is king on Jiya Se
Jiya, a lovable tune dampened by AR Rahman 's voice right from the
start. Khalballi is a wonderful example of how some music should released
without vocals. Ever wished you could choke someone by just thinking about
it?Meherbaan from Ada's soundtrack is a classy song. The music is perfect, and
after a long time Rahman's voice sounds bearable. Surprisingly, it sounds
alright even when he goes higher on this one. Dil Se has kick*ss music, there's
plenty going on and it all fits right in. For those
who long for the Rahman of yore, you'll find some of him in here. Ek Mohabbat
'Vote For Taj' is like the other songs on the compilation. .. well composed.
Almost every track is Rahman attempting to show his mellow side, which is
terrible for this collection because there's very little here that actually
'connects'. By the time Pray For Me Brother comes on, you're ready to toss the
CD case at someone just to start a fight out of sheer boredom.The
fabulous Bombay Theme overshadows everything else on this compilation. Not only
has Rahman done the music a huge favour by not singing, but the composition is
also excellent. Bombay Theme is the only song on this collection that is full
of soul. The rest is stuff that will be praised to death because it has
Rahman's name on it.The instrumental version of Pray For Me Brother sounds
better than the original, but may very well be played while you're having free
lunch at a wedding. It's pretty pointless to
have a Club Mix of Jiya Se Jiya, and it's even more stupid to make something
like that, but then everyone wants to make money, yes?My only beef with Rahman
is that his singing is dull. He's bloody good at composing music, and manages
to sing with sincerity. But sincerity does not always ensure quality.'A Journey
Through Anthems', the CD says, but how many of these tracks can actually be
called 'anthems'? Sorry to break it to you, but except for Bombay Theme, there
is nothing else on this CD that comes close to being an anthem.What use is a
compilation that doesn't feature some of the artiste's best work? Is it an
attempt at showcasing his lesser known songs? Or is it an effective
money-squeezing exercise, considering fanboys will buy it anyway?The biggest
question here is, how many musicians who sing about peace and hugs actually
care? Do musicians and music labels not know everyone cannot be fooled and some
people can actually tell when an artiste
is cementing his popularity among the public that doesn't know better?
It's really not that hard to recognise a poseur, y'know?VERDICTMaybe the best
of Rahman's work has been kept aside for future compilations. Neat way of
ensuring the cash never stops flowing, but too obvious. And way too
pretentious. I bet all your Michael Jackson CDs have been dusted, so just
continue spinning 'em if you want to listen to songs about peace.RATING: 2.5/5
http://buzz18. in.com/reviews/ music/music- review-connectio ns/139782/ 0
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