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MUSICBOX
Second time unlucky
Khadija Haider was pretty much an unknown entity before her first single O Dilbar Mere put her on the map. The girl (rather young woman) had all the reasons to be happy, as the number was doing reasonably well on the charts, primarily because of her sweet vocals and composition. But what after that?
Chahat, her proper debut album (DClassified was a remix record) is now out but there is very little hype surrounding it. All 14 tracks seem to have a similar Punjabi taste. To sum up, the album is a mixed bag, with few really tuneful ditties and mostly monotonous and mundane numbers. Despite this, one cannot help but praise Khadija’s singing potential.
Punjabi Dil is a weak opener with the usual loud background score. Two uplifting numbers, Aaja Way Aaja and Pyar Yehi Hai Kya, follow close behind and loosen up the atmosphere a little bit. They are more appealing than the rest of the tracks because they are less dependant on overdone music and more on Khadija’s soulful voice. More lyrical maturity is seen in Chand Ho and Pagal Pan. These two Urdu songs are the pick of the lot, with the combination of different kinds of background music being the winning ingredient. Khadija sings these romantic numbers with the panache of a seasoned singer and one wonders why she hasn’t come up with more songs like these.
Ho Kay Juda and Dholna are again average. Their quality borders on mediocrity, mainly because Khadija steps down a bit as far delivery is concerned. Her claim to fame, O Dilbar Mere is also included in the album and is by far the piece de resistance of this compilation as her new tracks do not even come close to this one in terms of quality.
One feels that because Khadija took out this album so soon after DClassified, the quality has suffered. Moreover, without proper marketing the music company may be in hot water. They must realize that having bells and whistles attached will not be enough for the album to sail through the market. It must focus on the singer’s ability and not the fact that she has reinterpreted or been inspired by foreign trends. Better work is expected from Khadija Haider in future as she has plenty of talent waiting in the wings of those vocal chords of hers. —Azeem Haider
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Love unlimited
This proves to be one of those instances when a soundtrack not only carries a candle to the movie but also outclasses it in many areas. With its unique blend of ingeniously placed music, the original soundtrack or OST of Love Actually is a splendid addition to the music collection of any adult contemporary music aficionado. The record features great singles from many artists and provides a hodgepodge of sounds that will soothe variegated palates.
The lyrical quality of this soundtrack is inspirational and soaks the listeners in upbeat vibes. The entire collage of songs is soulfully rich in matters of the heart and the resulting mosaic of music is one most will be able to identify with. To put it in plain terms, this is one OST that will have you hooked since it provides an extensive range of musical flavours including Norah Jones, Eva Cassidy, Joni Mitchell and Texas among many other distinguished names.
The flick stars popular Hollywood names like Colin Firth, Hugh Grant and Keira Knightley. As the movie itself courts romance, the soundtrack follows the same lines and tells its own passionate saga of love. The Trouble With Love Is, from Kelly Clarkson’s album Thankful, is a genuinely warm track. The Miss Independent and American Idol winner has no qualms about airing her views about love. Here With Me from Dido’s album No Angel has a ballad-like quality and appears to be a very personal track with a fluid rhythm. Chick power gets a further boost with Norah Jones crooning Turn Me On from her album Come Away With Me. The Grammy Award winner sings like a nightingale with a voice laced with lots of soul.
The Calling shine with their phenomenal single Wherever You Will Go. With its seasoned guitar riffs and anthemic chorus, this is one number alone that makes the album worth buying! Too Lost In You from British girlies the Sugababes also has an addictive tune that will have you humming along.
This OST is truly a prize catch for everyone and will teach discerning listeners the alpha, beta and gamma of love, proving to be a gentle reminder that love, actually, is all around! —Taimur Saleem
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