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MUSICBOX: The lion sleeps tonight
Tall and extra slim, Ali Sher has recently dropped his latest album, Mann marzi. For the most part, it has received a mixed response from the market. Even Jawad Bashir’s video featuring ZQ couldn’t quite create the necessary hype, or boost album sales. That’s not to say that the music is below par; rather, one feels it is only geared towards a certain market. The album does boast of some noteworthy tunes with a couple of well-composed tracks.
Chan sajna opens the album. It is a Punjabi track in which the background music is dominated mostly by eastern instruments such as flute and dhol. The overall feel of this track is quite rural. Now all it needs is a video set in a village with a typical country belle skipping about in open fields to satisfy the masses. The second track on the album is Main tay mann lae haar, another Punjabi number that features even more traditional instruments. A little faster then the previous track, it showcases Ali Sher’s singing talent more effectively. The song holds its own but just barely, if compared to today’s other chart-toppers. Moreover, the video is very slick and trendy and frankly doesn’t match with the traditional lyrics.
Wohi rastay is slower and more nostalgic. Pyar ki sada and Zindagi ki lehr are two songs that sound like they were supposedly put on the album as a last resort. Ali Sher does his best to sing these well, however, he misses the mark by quite a bit. The desired effect is just not there. The title track, Mann marzi, where the singer wishes to get a life partner of his choice, may leave his wish unfulfilled because he needs to add more expression in order for his appeal to sound earnest.
The whole album sounds like it was put together in a hurry, as Sher’s roar mellows quite a bit by the time it reaches the listeners. But all is not lost because there are shades of musical competence in this record and one is sure the lion’s roar will be more amplified the next time he’s out on the prowl.—Azeem Haider
Stand, climb and fall
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Back in 2000, when the world of music was going through the metamorphosis from pop to hard rock and rap-metal, Lifehouse, a bunch of guys struggling since 1996 and led by a teenager, made it big with the release of their debut album, No Name Face. The album reached No. 6 on the Billboard charts and achieved double platinum status, with the gem of the album, Hanging by a Moment, being the most-played song on the radio in 2001. That album was brimming with astounding stuff such as Sick Cycle Carousel and Everything.It’s hard for any band to recoup the success of a smash debut. But Lifehouse has managed to do that – if just. Stanley Climbfall, their sophomore effort, may not be at par with the first one, but the momentum created by their debut record ensures that this one does well too. The impression one gets is that they are experimenting with the new album; trying to come out of their star-studded shells and go for something radically distinct. This is confirmed by Jason Wade, the 22-year-old singer-songwriter-guitarist as well as founder of the group when he says “this record really reflects where we’re at right now. We didn’t need to duplicate what made the first record special because this one is just as special in its own right. We didn’t want to give people the same thing; we took a chance and tried to make what we do better.”
The album kicks off with Spin, a smashing, up-tempo alterna-pop tune that takes you to dizzying heights. Take Me Away and Out of Breath are easily the standouts of the record, reeking strongly of the stuff their debut album was soaked in.
As for the title track, in Wade’s own words, “Everyone has their ups and downs, and after a lot of wordplay, a song we’d written called Stand, Climb, Fall was transformed into an everyday character named Stanley Climbfall, who goes through those kinds of changes.”
Ultimately, this one’s a concept album, dealing with tackling adversity, which is subliminally evident in each track. Their tone is thick and reflective, in the vein of the better post-grunge, alternative pop/rock outfits.
Fans of Lifeshouse must definitely check this one out. Others may have a hard time liking Stanley Climbfall and might want to go for the first album instead.—Saqib Khan
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