Coke Studio Season 3: Press Conference.

It's safe to say that Coke Studio has become a summer staple for music lovers across Pakistan—and perhaps the world.  They load up their mp3 devices, computers, and phones with songs from the first two seasons, and nearly everybody has their very own personal favourite Coke Studio track.

Photograph by Kohi Marri

Just recently Coke Studio announced its highly anticipated return in a press conference.  It was attended by the house band, featured artist and the guest musicians; and members of the Coca Cola company as well. At its centre of all was maestro Rohail Hyatt, whose constant presence, influence, and guidance has churned out some of the most interesting music to be heard on the airwaves for a while now. It's interesting to keep in mind how Coke Studio came about and the core idea behind it. According to Rohail "I was making an album with Rahat [Ai Khan] and listening to the recordings, I realised nobody would hear see how this was all put together and made. I was sort of privileged to have seen the process and that's what is at the core of Coke Studio."

Coke Studio is not just interesting in its content, it is also interesting in how musicians are paired with each other to bring out some of the finest fusion tracks to be heard. Which is why this time around there are many musicians and many interesting combination of musicians. This year it features Abida Parveen, Amanat Ali, Arieb Azhar, Arif Lohar, Aunty Disco Project [A.D.P], Entity Paradigm [E.P], Fakir Juman Shah, Karavan, Meesha Shafi, Noori, Rizwan & Muazzam, Sanam Marvi, Tina Sani and Zeb & Haniya as the main artists.

Also returning is the house band, however with some interesting new additions this time around, Asad Ahmed on guitar, Babar Ali Khanna on dholak, Jaffer Ali Zaidi on the keyboard, Javed Iqbal on Violin, Kamran “Mannu” Zafar on Bass, Louis “Gumby” Pinto on Drums, Omran “Momo” Shafique on guitar, Saba Shabbir on backing vocals and Zulfiq “Shazee” Ahmed Khan on multi percussions. Newcomers include Sanam Saeed, Sikander Mufti, Zoe Viccaji. Guest musicians include husband and wife duo Ali Kazim on vocals and Noor Zehra Kazim on sagar veena and also welcomes back guest musicians Baqir Abbas on the flute and Sadiq Sameer and his rabab.

The renowned classical singer Tina Sani brings with her not only her voice but also an awe-inspiring presence. What was her Coke Studio experience like? "It wasn't strange or awkward. It just felt normal, we came in to play music and we did." The venerable artist added that, "To be very honest, I actually had a lot of fun doing this."

Arif Lohar, who collaborates with Meesha Shafi, said that "Coke Studio is a beautiful panel whereby we can share cultural activities." The cultural icon added that, "I think this is a brilliant step by Rohail Hyatt not just in terms of music but also in terms of national pride as well." He added that it was important to bring older artists into the limelight for newer generations.

For Omran Shafique, it was exciting being here third time around. "It doesn't get old," says the Mauj frontman, "It's as exciting as it was." Omran enjoys being one of the few musicians who are not only part of the house band but have also been a part of Coke Studio as a part of a band as well. Which does Omran prefer? "I enjoy being in the house band more, simply because it helps me to interact with more musicians, which has always been a goal of mine."

Also this year sees the Aunty Disco Project get their break in Coke Studio. What's it like for them to hit the big time? "It's absolutely terrifying," says Omar Bilal Akhtar, in a good way of course. The band was disappointed in not being able to make it last time around and Omar is quick to address that. "I think our expectations were out of whack, last time around. We needed to be in this position, in our career, to be a part of Coke Studio."

EP returns not only to the limelight in general, but also makes an appearance in Coke Studio along the way. "I think it's an enormous opportunity  and it's something with great meaning,"  says the EP singer, Fawad Khan. However, it's not only Coke Studio that the band have been busy with. "We're going to be releasing our first video [from the upcoming album] very soon, it's in the editing stage at this moment," said Fawad.

Qawwals Rizwan and Muazzam recalled when they were called for the project. "When Rohail bhai called us, it was a great feeling and when we showed up to perform it was an even greater feeling," said Rizwan and Muazzam. The duo, who have been signed to Peter Gabriel’s influential Real World record label, were also excited about playing fusion music with some of the best musicians. "They're all professionals," added Rizwan and Muazzam, "who play some of the best music around."

Tanseer Daar from Karavan added, "It takes you away from your routine, it's something that will stay with me forever now." And what about the band itself? "The album is out, we're doing another video soon."

This is a very special return for Noori to Coke Studio. Their contribution and collaboration last year were extremely well received with a memorable performance with the venerable Saieen Zahoor. How can one top that? You make it a family outing. Joining the brothers are their parents, Ali Kazim and Noor Zehra Kazim—who brings with her a custom made, one of a kind instrument, the sagar veena. "It was an enjoyable experience, particularly it was because with my sons and my wife was playing," says Ali Kazim, father to Ali Noor and Ali Hamza. Was it last year's show that convinced him to come on the show with his sons? "To be honest, it was my two sons that convinced me, I'm not a trained singer by any sort and I admit I was a bit nervous." And adds, "My wife on the other hand is a trained classical singer and musician."

Finally, Rohail Hyatt himself shared what was it like producing Coke Studio for a third time around. "First time we had no idea what we were doing, but we did it anyways." He added, "Second time around it was iffy and difficult. We had a lot more of folk music in and it was very, very risky." However it seems that the second Coke Studio paid off as the third time around there was a very much relaxed atmosphere in Coke Studio 3. "But it was still as risky as ever and I wasn't trying to do another season 2." He also added that in the journey of Coke Studio if the first two was all about starting a journey and opening doors, the third one is about exploring. Season 2 explored a lot of interesting folk and modern combinations, in particular the epic combination of Noori and Saieen Zahoor, and the Zeb and Haniya track Paimona. Is this why they are more folk heavy this time around? "Oh we're not folk heavy, we're more balanced," Rohail said, adding that the key is not having more folk artists but having more combinations of different kinds of artists—thereby creating diversity. Coke Studio is an interesting concept and although it gets bigger and better how can it grow and evolve? "I think the next logical step would be to have these performances live," he said. "It makes sense."

Photograph by Kohi Marri

Finally, at the press conference, there was also a sneak preview of the third season. From what one heard it was clear that Coke Studio is fast becoming a musical experience that would rival even the greatest music from anywhere around the world.

Kamijee -- Jeevan

Kamijee’s understanding of the music genre and his experience is collected in his new album, Jeevan. It spans over 10 tracks of diverse compositions that are inspired by classical and contemporary music.

The album also features eight musicians across each of these tracks, which goes to show the diversity available in one album. According to his website, “Jeevan is an album that explores various themes. But mostly it is about our true companion that goes with us on the journey of life. This companion is time.”

The title track features Rahat Ali on supporting vocals whereas the track itself is a power ballad complete with prevailing guitars provided by Sayyam from the band Gurus Trilogy. It immediately sets the tone of the album and is clearly the track which has received the most attention.

The following track, Tum Ho Khafa, features Ali Raza on vocals. Though the track is more of the same, it is the vocal camaraderie featured on the track between Raza and Kamijee that plays out interestingly. The lyrics of the song are provided by Shoaib Mansoor.

Kamijee has a unique sound, and at the beginning of the third song, at the strum of the sitar (played by Imdad), you realise the effort he has put in to make each song sound unique. Again, Sayyam’s guitars under careful direction by Kamijee, bring about a powerful force within the song. This time they are accompanied by the vocal rendition of Mohammad Ali.

Na Janey features Glen John (Gurus Trilogy) on vocals whilst Sayyam continues to rock it out on the guitars. The track has a foot-tapping melody, making it probably the most infectious track on the album.

Arooj Aftab is featured on the ever-so-tricky English track. It’s not surprising that Kamijee ventures towards the English language on this album, he’s spent the last six years abroad and the album itself is available on iTunes and Amazon. Unfortunately, this is one track sticks out like a sore thumb. Not because it’s bad, but because it has a feel unlike any of the other tracks. But a good effort put into it nonetheless.

Half-way through the album is You & Me, a track that shows off the musical prowess of Kamijee. A pure fusion and progressive track, it is short and sweet, which makes you want to put it on repeat.

Rahat Ali joins in again on Har Dum, a special track as it features Oud Guitars as played by Naser Mua. The sound of the album changes drastically here and gone are the harsh, loud and rocking guitars. In its place is a much mellow sound as Kamijee lets us hear his melancholy side.

Yeh Shaam features Hamza Jameel on vocals as Sayyam returns for guitar duty. One of the poignant Vital Signs tracks, it has been covered on and off by various young bands. Kamijee’s cover doesn’t sound drastically different, however it does sound more rocky compared to the ballad that it originally was. Definitely an interesting cover to listen to.

And now for the remix. DJ Ali Mustafa provides a sped-up, remixed, popped up version of the title track, Jeevan. Clearly a bid to try on the Indian market, the song feels rather like a cheaper version of the title track which is light years ahead.

Finally, at the end of the album there is a track written especially for Junaid Jamshed. Allah Hu is a somber yet powerful number written by Kamijee himself. It sounds as if at the end of the album he is giving thanks for the chance given. It makes sense as this album is a worthy listen from start to finish.

SYMT - Direction Defined

The event attended by the local glitterati started fashionably late. Though once it started, it seemed like there was no stopping it as the band performed its single, Zamana, and the video for the song was also showcased. More songs were introduced and the event ended with a night of house music courtesy a DJ and a dance floor.

But that’s not what Symt is about. The band aims to be the next progressive and modern Pakistani rock band, and its sound is interesting to say the least: its rock, its loud and most importantly it’s catchy. Haroon’s vocals and Hassan’s guitars aren’t the only thing that had the audience’s interest piqued. Produced by Overload’s Farhad Humayun, the band’s rock sound is formidable if not loud. It resonates the same way Noori broke onto the scene with their first couple of songs, especially that of Suno Ke Main Hoon Jawan.

Joining Farhad is Mahmood Rahman also from Overload, taking over duty on the bass. Together, there is a certain harmony in the band. It may seem that Mahmood and Farhad are merely for support, however it is their contribution that makes the sound of Symt complete.

The upcoming album of the band is mastered by Shahi (Shahzad Hasan) and if Zamana is any indication of what the sound of the album will be like then Symt’s album will be something different, unique and a must-have.

Haroon’s singing is quite unique in the sense that his voice, though not as unique as say Atif Aslam’s, has the grunge and yearn of another Ali Azmat in the making. Similarly Hassan’s rock guitars riffs complement the Urdu lyrics (a feat very bands have achieved).

The video is directed by recluse director Kamran Yar Kami. His previous venture, Hamesha, remains embedded in the minds of viewers across Pakistan. Kamran uses the same translation with Symt’s Zamana and transforms it into a bright and eccentric video. As mentioned, the band does emulate the feeling Noori brought in with it when it came round, but Symt takes it a bit further and somewhat darker. This definitely exudes itself in the video, especially if you compare with it Noori’s where you had people dancing around with the band. Symt’s is much darker in tone but quite similar.

The event showcased a band that is eager to prove itself with a strong Pakistani rock sound that has evolved from bands such as Noori, Call and eP. To coin an overused phrase, it’s a breath of fresh air amid an industry that seems to find itself troubled with the times and record label issues.

2010 is already becoming a busy year for Ali Sher

Ali Sher is hard at work with Rafaqat Ali Khan for a series of collaborations; the first being 'Ishq'. The song comes at the heels of his third studio album Beetaye Pal, which enjoyed reasonable success with the masses but not enough to be labelled a massive hit.

But this time, Ali is once again giving Rafaqat's next album (Rafaqat is from the Sham Chaurasia Gharana and contributor to soundtracks of Bollywood hits like Krrish) and the first fruit of this labour is the song 'Ishq'. A song composed entirely by Ali, featuring Rafaqat Ali Khan's traditional kafi style of singing.

The track was originally written by Ghulam Farid Khan and heavily influenced and inspired by the Sindhi Bharwain raag. Ali's composition mixes east and west with traditional percussions and contemporary sound as well. The result is a fusion track intertwined with traditional and contemporary instruments, a groovy yet sombre beat - something Ali describes as "dark" - and the free flowing vocals of Rafaqat Ali Khan. The two had been planning a collaboration for quite some time and only recently did they find the time to work on this single.

"I've known him for a long time now and seen him perform numerous times and his command on the raags is truly amazing. I had spoken to Rafaqat bhai about collaboration a while back, and it was just talk but to work on this, both of us had to take out time to put this track down."

And that's not all. Currently Ali and Rafaqat are working hard towards completing at least two more collaborations. It's clear that they are really getting along.

"Totally, he's a very humble and down to earth person to get along with and it just comes naturally," says Ali about working with Rafaqat Ali Khan.

Though he has worked as a composer before (for the likes of Hadiqa Kiyani and others) when does Ali feel most comfortable? As a singer or a composer?

"I find that I'm more comfortable doing both," he says. "If I do one and not too much of the other, I feel that I'm not doing things right. Especially with my own music, I just don't think about anything else and go in on all fronts trying for the best composition and music for myself."

After having been part of the music industry since 1994, how does Ali Sher react to or treat criticism? Ali's last album-although enjoyed by listeners-wasn't too well received with the critics.

"Criticism itself doesn't bother me at all," he says, adding, "however, if it's baseless criticism, putting someone down just for the heck of it, well I don't agree with that." Ali adds that he enjoys hearing from his fans about what they thought of the music and wholeheartedly welcomes creative suggestions.

'Ishq' will be enjoyed by listeners here and abroad. It will enjoy radio airplay in Houston, London and other major cities around the world. Not a bad first step for Ali Sher in 2010 but can we expect giant leaps? Only time will tell.

Shiraz Uppal presents Ankahi

To say that Shiraz Uppal is a musician of diverse talent would be an understatement — he’s composed, mixed, recorded and mastered his latest album, Ankahi, all by himself. He’s also had the privilege of working with A.R. Rehman, not once but twice.

Before all this, he delivered Roya Re, a song dripping with the blues and melancholy that propelled him into the limelight, thanks to Mahesh Bhatt’s film, Dhoka (2007). Now, Uppal has returned with his third album which features the likes of Zeb and Haniya, Baqir Abbas, Kami and Ali Hamza of Noori, to name a few.

His first two albums, Tu Hai Meri (2001) and Tera Te Mera (2003), did well, but it was Jhuki Jhuki (2005) whose title track and Man Ja Ve made people sit up and take notice of Uppal’s music-making. And now on Eid-ul-Fitr, Uppal released Ankahi through Fire Records.

Ankahi starts off slow for a title track, showcasing that Uppal doesn’t want to follow a formula for opening an album. He’s joined on backing vocals by Zeb and Haniya, which adds a pleasant mix to the number.

Next, Rabba sounds like it’s been taken from or is part of an Indian movie soundtrack — you can almost picture the lovelorn hero scouring the landscape for his lady love. It is strangely melodic and its melancholy lyrics are accompanied by amazing flute play.

Munn Laga is where Uppal brings in the organic sound and mixes it delicately with the modern. Amir Azhar and Asif Ali carefully serenade with Uppal’s singing on bass and tabla and dholak, respectively. It’s a familiar track — not that it feels lifted or borrowed — as the composition pays respect to heritage and culture. Munn Laga is particularly refreshing in the sense that in an age where more and more Pakistani musicians jump on the guitar, drum and trance bandwagon, Uppal mixes the old with the new and keeps it focused at the same time.

There are two Roya Re tracks here with the first one from the film (the fact that Uppal put it on the album shows that he wasn’t afraid of it overshadowing the other tracks). The second subtitled Original Version is a stripped down, basic version of the original. Whereas the film version required the track to be big, the other one starts slow and then picks up at the chorus. It’s the same yet different because of Uppal’s careful composition. He did the original to prove he could withstand the Bollywood test and now with the original he’s out to prove that he can compose and sing on another level, too.

If there was anybody on this album who could overshadow Uppal it would be Baqir Abbas’ flute on Tere Bina. Abbas’ flute is like an undercurrent to the song, flowing through it in the background. And just when you think it’s gone, it’s back again. The only slightly annoying part is where Uppal interjects and sings a few verses in English. Clearly the song could’ve done without it.

Pehla Pehla Pyar is particularly well-composed. It has just the right beat and the mixture of backing vocals and guitars. Kami’s guitar here is particularly noteworthy, not too much and not too little, always there helping to carry the song ahead.

Kabhi Kabhi is a happy-go-lucky song where Uppal sings about all the positive things in life. It’s not him singing “don’t worry, be happy” but that’s the essential message we get to hear. It could’ve been much better but ends up sounding like a filler at best.

In Nadaan written by Noori’s Ali Hamza, the guitars and bass are all over the place, but in a good way. The track stands out as being the most jumpy on the album and it’s nice to hear Uppal taking this change of pace. Fareeha Pervaiz joins in on the vocals in Tum He To Ho and like Munn Laga, it is the old school sound of music in terms of arrangement and composition.

Shiraz Uppal is one of the underrated musicians in Pakistan and if you haven’t heard him before, well it’s about time you got started.

Nickelback: Dark Horse

You either really love Nickelback or you really love to hate them, but six albums later, they must be doing something right to have lasted for this long.

That something right could very well probably be one of the most commercial sounds to hit rock n roll (or metal even) since Bob Rock produced The Black Album for Metallica in 1991. The said sound is composed of repetitive chords, monotonous drum beats, and constant mentions to 'paperback novels' in the lyrics. If you don't mind any of the above, you'll be glad to know Dark Horse, the latest offering from the Canadian rock band is more of the same-but taken up a notch.

Produced by legendary superstar producer Robert John "Mutt" Lange - whose previous productions include the albums of Foreigner, AC/DC, Bryan Adams, Def Leppard and Shania Twain - give an almost clear indication that everything on Dark Horse will be radio friendly and as geared to the mainstream as heavy guitar rock gets.

The grizzly sound of post grunge is given a jump start with first track, 'Something in Your Mouth'. The guitars are raw, almost like nails on a chalkboard, with a continuous wail in the background. The riff is interspersed with a groovy middle but the combination seems to be too crammed and you feel like you've listened to two different songs at the same time. 'Burn it to the Ground' was featured on the Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen soundtrack and is characteristic of a Nickelback filler song because it shares the same structure to the track before it, but with just enough tweaks to make it sound slightly different. Unfortunately, this is probably one of the lesser lyrical songs of the band, making it sound more of an anthem for drunkards than anything. The saving grace for the song is the solo which albeit very short is could've been very interesting if explored further.

'Gotta Be Somebody' was the first single released from the album, and features another one of Nickelback's staple songs, the rock ballad. Chad Kroeger, the front man for the band, is at his true element here. After all he also sang the song 'Hero' for the Spiderman soundtrack. 'Hero' and 'Gotta Be Somebody' do share some similarities, but thankfully they aren't that much. This song proves that behind the grunge and behind the melodic rock, Nickelback can do so much better than it already is doing.

'I'd Come for You' is another ballad and the entire pace of the album slows down. The only thing that holds down this song are the cheesy lyrics: "I was blindfolded, but now I'm seeing, my mind was closing, now I'm believing." The song would make a befitting soundtrack to the next cheesy love story Hollywood throws our way.

The band makes it a point to pick up the pace after the previous track and 'Next Go Round' starts to hit the ground running. The harsh guitars and the throbbing drums sound like a freight train charging down at full speed. Again, like the previous songs, there isn't much lyrical substance going around here which is a shame really since the song has a very head banging thing going on for itself.

Just to prove that the band can do songs with proper substance and lyrical matter, 'Just to Get High' is just that. The story of a young man spiraling into a life of drugs and desperation, the tone and motif of the song equally desperate and melancholy. This is probably one of the few tracks on the album that save it.

'Never Gonna Be Alone' is what 'Photograph' was to the last album, the almost obligatory western track that the band feels that they have to do on each and every album. It's the kind of track that you'd expect from Shania Twain or LeAnn Rhimes, but Nickelback? On the plus side, it shows that the band wants to be diverse and not pigeon holed as a rock band.
About ten seconds into 'Shakin' Hands' you find yourself tapping your feet to it. The track sinks you in with its groovy beat but for some reason it never really takes off. The repetitiveness kills it.

The opening riff of 'S.E.X.', like the previous two tracks, are powerful and grab the listener in by the collar and demand to be heard. This is Nickelback's strength and why they're such a radio friendly band. Their music is simple and easy to listen to even if you don't appreciate or like rock music.

'If Today Was Your Last Day' sings the same tune as 'Gotta Be Somebody' or 'I'd come for you' but this one is considerably more feel good than the two. Also, much like 'Just to get high' this track saves the album from what would be a repetitive and monotonous demise.
The album finishes with 'This Afternoon' and it seems that keeping the best for last was probably a good idea for the band. This is a no-nonsense, easy going, feel good track about taking matters as they come and not have a worry in the world. It's almost like Nickleback saying they'll continue to making music the way they want to and won't give in to their critics.

All the Right Reasons was the band's previous release and spawned a plethora of singles, but this seems to be not for all the right reasons. The New York Times wrote about Dark Horse: "Nickelback's real crime isn't one of form. Rather it is that lurking beneath the band's undeniably pretty melodies are literal, wildly unimaginative and often insipid lyrics. Unlike, say, Hinder, which flaunts its brute sensibilities, Nickelback is quietly crass." And that was one of the better reviews they've gotten for Dark Horse.

That said, Nickelback has a very strong fan base, particularly among the listeners of bands like Creed (who are now defunct) or Alter Bridge or even Theory of a Deadman. These bands, along with Nickelback represent the new rock n roll sound, rising from the ashes of grunge and metal of the 90s and making a sound of their own for a generation of their own.

Nouman Javaid: Expect the Unexpected!

“I’ve been a struggling musician for nearly nine years now,” reflected Nouman Javaid. “I’m a self-taught musician with no professional training whatsoever.”

Javaid is the unsung Pakistani star of the Indian movie just out, Jashnn (The Music Within), whose music score has everybody talking these days. The film produced by Mahesh Bhatt and also starring Humayun Saeed recently had a select showing in Karachi. While they many not have liked the film overall, critics and audiences are nothing short of praises for both Sayeed and Javaid.

Originally from Lahore, Javaid’s journey has been long, tedious and at times frustrating as door after door was shut on him. His disappointment at not being able to find work locally echoes the frustrations of the many struggling musicians of Pakistan who are not given the chance or trust to make their mark. Finding no luck locally, he was advised to set his sights abroad. His first reaction was, “Why should I work abroad when I can work for and within Pakistan?” Then through a chance conversation with a friend he got his hands on Mukesh Bhatt’s phone number. He placed a call to the producer who told the young singer to email his song to him. A week later, Javaid got a call from the Indian producer, telling him that he loved it. When Mahesh Bhatt next came to Pakistan to promote his film Jannat, he met the young singer of the song Dard-i-Tanhai.

“When I met Mahesh, he asked me if I had any other songs and I told him about Mein Challa. He asked me to sing it to him right there and then. I sang it maybe six or seven times as each time he asked me to sing it again. Then he called up his brother right there and then and told him that he was taking my songs for Jashnn.”

Having struggled for nine years, Javaid was overwhelmed with Bhatt’s response. The floodgates had literally opened for him and he traveled to India where the songs were recorded. “They trusted me, they believed in me,” gushed Javaid, adding, “I just went in and recorded the songs as they were.”

He couldn’t believe how open and trusting they were, “I wasn’t taught by them, I wasn’t told how to record the songs, I just went in and did my thing and that’s very different from the reaction that I got in Pakistan where every single record company wanted me to record a particular song in a particular manner — something I’m not ready to do even now.”

Having delivered two popular songs — and that too across the border — he has now recently recorded his debut album. “I’m just waiting for the right deal,” he says about the complete change of attitude of record label executives. “They’re all now calling me up for a change, asking me to come over and bring my album to them.” For the moment, he hasn’t made up his mind who will release it, which by the way might or might not feature Dard-i-Tahnai and Mein Challa.

The once struggling Nouman Javaid is now well on his way to what might be the pinnacle of his career. He is open to collaborating on music, starring in movies and even appearing in commercials. “I have a few offers, but I’m not going to talk about them just yet.”

The one thing that I’ve also learned about him is that you can expect anything from Nouman Javaid. His initial songs reflect the hardship he felt upon the constant rejection of being a struggling musician in Pakistan. Now, since his luck has changed, what can we expect from his music? “To be honest, I don’t know. What I do know is that you’ll be hearing my album very soon and my fans can judge it.”

Speaking of fans and criticism in particular, Nouman is quite particular about both topics. “I always ask my fans to tell me what they think of my songs, of my singing.” And of criticism, “I appreciate well thought out criticism, to help me become a better singer. I don’t think anybody appreciates unfounded criticism.” Whatever the case may be — criticism or not — Nouman has fans on both sides of the border and even beyond. Through the course of his career he has struggled a lot, but now that he’s finally arrived on the scene, Nouman’s determined to stay.

Hadiqa: The Sky's The Limit

Hadiqa Kiyani’s latest album, Aasmaan, is aptly titled. If you think about it, the sky’s really the limit as far as she’s concerned simply because of the amount of distance she has covered musically in her career.

Her music may not be everybody’s cup of tea, but then again, how many Pakistani female musicians have actually performed abroad and alongside international artistes, won accolades, and have had a consistent career for the past 14 years?

Her first album Raaz was released in 1995 to much fanfare but she was quickly shrouded under the shadow of the late Nazia Hasan, who herself had only just stopped singing two years prior. Kiyani persevered and went on to appear on TV channels abroad, work with the likes of Bally Sagoo and appear on stage with stars such as Lisa Stansfield, Wet Wet Wet, Michael Learns to Rock, All 4 One and The Brand New Heavies.

All this and just after releasing her first album. Two more albums followed; Roshni and Rung, and during this time she also appeared on television and billboards across the country. Soon one saw her performing for international dignitaries at political and social conferences. She was also part of a rather interesting collaboration with guitarist Aamir Zaki in the form of an album titled Rough Cut. The English album for Hadiqa was yet another avenue of diversity since the singer has already sung in numerous dialects and languages.

Putting things into perspective, it would seem that her career is one of many firsts and no matter what happens, as bands break up and musicians come and go, Hadiqa has been a constant musical presence in the country and abroad.

That constant presence now takes the form of a fourth album, Aasmaan, albeit six years later. British producer JKD and Ifran Kiyani, her brother, act as producers for it. They establish a myriad of sounds, a dash of dance, a spatter of rhythm and blues, all added up to the distinctly eastern voice of Hadiqa herself with which she sings in Urdu, Punjabi, Hindko, Pushto and many other dialects. Thanks to her past experiences in the West, she can carefully blend that same voice from eastern to western effortlessly. Take Az Chashme Saqi for instance, a distinctly eastern poem penned by Allama Iqbal moulded by Hadiqa in song and a vocal performance.

There are good songs and there are songs that prove she can sing, and the same is the case with Sajna Sajna. The song proves that she can but knowing Hadiqa, we know she can do better. Sohnya features rapper Nas-T, whose sporadic interruptions make you wish Hadiqa had left him out. Nevertheless, Hadiqa is not one to shy away from experimentation which this track clearly does with it delving in funk and rap.

Tuk Tuk is a bouncy, tongue-in-cheek track all about being silly. The song will surely be a crowd-pleaser at live performances. Zara Zara shows indications of too much tinkering. It has diverse beats which rollercoaster through to being wired and techno, but it still sounds much better than its own remix which was clearly unnecessary. Baqir Abbas brings in his powerful and resonating flute on Wanjhli and Hadiqa brings her own singing up a notch to meet Abbas. Together on this track, the two of them take the album on another level. On Jab Se Tum, producer Irfan Kiyani joins in for a duet and the result is a sweet little number that also shines through the rest of the songs in the album. Could it be that Hadiqa sings best when she sings with others? These last two tracks are a clear indication of that.

This is Hadiqa’s first foray into the music scene in almost six years. Other than this, she has been around in terms of concerts and as brand spokesperson. Aasmaan is probably the most drastic image change for Hadiqa so far, and she’s taken on these changes throughout the course of her career on each of her albums.

Much like the changing of her image, her sound changes too, as this album shows that being away from making music for so long has scattered her direction on this album. It seems like she wants to go all over the place rather than concentrate on one direction or sound.

Perhaps this is yet another experiment by Hadiqa, who has crossed borders all her musical life. First by being a female musician in a predominantly male musician dominated industry and being a constant presence in it, then by performing abroad with musicians over the world and now by crossing borders within her own musical world where the sky is perhaps not the limit.

Kaavish: Full Circle, at last

Kaavish are finally ready to release the album that has been in the making for about six years. Once can only imagine the efforts put in by Maaz Maudood and Jaffer Zaidi (also former member Raheel Manzar Paul) for these past years, along with their current producer, Faisal Rafi. As a producer, Rafi was the captain of the ship that is Gunkali, so why did it take so long to reach the harbour of listeners? “The album in essence was redone; the original had been done in Jaffer’s home studio. Anything that is redone usually takes twice the time so that justice can be done to the original compositions.” He also mentioned that the entire album is played live and hence, the recording of the album was dependant on the schedules of the musicians.

For one thing, straight away upon listening to the album, you can actually tell that the hard work, blood, sweat and tears, put into it have actually paid off.

The band starts the album off with Chand Taare a track that sounds nothing like the rest of the album itself — though not in a bad way. This is the sort of song that you’d have in any commercial album but it’s pretty clear that the band are not comfortable performing this song, because this is not who they are. When we last spoke to the band (Kaavish: Speaking to the soul, October 5, 2008, published in Images, Dawn), they insisted on a need for such a track, to have it as their first track and so got it over quickly, perhaps so they could get down to the ‘real business’ of their music.

Things get really moody real fast with the onset of Chaltay Rahein. But it’s not sad, it’s the sort of melancholy track that reminds you of the bittersweet things in life and how no matter what happens, life goes on. Even the poignant lyrics reflect the sound of the track, “Kaisay kahein, kissay kahein, kehna ha kya, chaltay rahain.”

Sunn Zara is where things become a bit moody. The dark undertone of the keys is only kept alight by the powerful and mesmerizing flute. As the song picks up, the darkness is gone; thanks to the beacon of light that is the vocals. Jaffer’s voice is carefully placed so when he sings the listener hangs on to every word.

When Faisal Rafi spoke about the music being performed live, one would think about how different it would make to the sound. Bachoan and Tere Pyaar Main are where one notices that difference the most. These tracks are definitely slower than the first few tracks and perhaps for obvious reasons, we’re almost half way into the album and the band is settling into itself nicely. Out of the two, Bachoan is better, simply because it seems less overdone and tinkered with, rather than Tere Pyaar Main — which, although good, it seems as if too many cooks spoiled the broth on that one.

Where Jaffer went all over the place in Tere Pyaar Main, he seems very focused in Piya Dekho Na. In fact, his voice is the star of this track as it carefully serenades the music around it.

At this point in time, starting with Moray Sayyan through to Dekho, there is a distinct lack of variety of songs on the album. Nearly all tracks so far are classical, which makes the second half of the album sound as one continuous track. These songs are all great and have their own merits on their own, but just don’t sit well with each other.

Finally Dim Main Meray and Koi Hai Toh Sahee close the album; both the mood and the pace of the album change slightly as the band says goodbye to the listener. It is indeed a sweet parting, but after listening to the album in its entirety, there’s a feeling of emptiness — or something missing. Perhaps it’s the wait and the expectations that are to blame here; after all, this album was six years in the making. It is only natural for the listener to expect more.

Those expecting to find pop or commercialism on this album will be severely disappointed. Kaavish have already made clear they are about music at its purest form. Gunkali is all about Pakistani music at its core; it celebrates its history and heritage brought into a new era.

On another aspect, Rafi notes that in the time span of six years, the band itself has improved drastically. “The band has matured immensely through the recording and production process, their true potential is becoming more and more evident.”

Indeed, if this is just the first effort of the band, Gunkali is just the beginning of their journey.

Prodigy, Pariah, Pedophile or Prince?

If the death of Michael Jackson could be summed up into one word, it would be disbelief. But it is impossible to sum anything with Michael Jackson into one word. To say that he lived a full life would be an understatement. Michael Jackson was not just the Prince of Pop he was the venerable pillar of the music of this generation. Some of the children who grew up listening to his music would eventually become stars themselves, and if one looked closely they would see the inspiration of Michael Jackson in their music.

He was only 11 when he appeared on TV for the first time, as a part of the Jackson 5, but already he was making a mark for himself. After a string of hits with the Jackson 5, now the Jacksons, Jackson decided to venture on his own into the world of music.

Before he recorded his first album, Jackson starred in The Wiz (1978), a re-imagination of The Wizard of Oz, with music by Quincy Jones. The two of them formed a bond that would last a lifetime and after the movie, Jones co-produced Michael’s first album Off The Wall. The album went on to generate four US top 10 hits, including the chart-topping singles "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" and "Rock with You".

That album would eventually sell 7 million units, but Jackson felt the album should’ve had more impact and was unsatisfied with the result. He went hard to work on what would become the biggest selling album of all time; that album was Thriller. It spawned seven top ten hits, featured a sold out documentary directed by John Landis, a music video that was literally a short movie, and has since sold an estimate of 109 million units; a record that remains untouched to this date, even by his own future efforts.

It was shortly after the release of this album that Jackson appeared as a solo artist for the first time. It was during this performance that the people saw him perform his signature dance move, the moonwalk, for the first time. After that, Michael Jackson was everywhere. From newspapers to magazines, to toys and lunchboxes, if there was something else Michael Jackson was good at; that was building an image and marketing it.

But not all the coverage he got was good. During the mid eighties his eccentric habits would often grace the covers of tabloids. Whether it was sleeping in an oxygen chamber or befriending a chimpanzee called Bubbles, Michael Jackson single handedly helped spawn the tabloid magazine era. He is quoted to have said, “Why not just tell people I'm an alien from Mars. Tell them I eat live chickens and do a voodoo dance at midnight. They'll believe anything you say, because you're a reporter. But if I, Michael Jackson, were to say, 'I'm an alien from Mars and I eat live chickens and do a voodoo dance at midnight,' people would say, 'Oh, man, that Michael Jackson is nuts. He's cracked up. You can't believe a damn word that comes out of his mouth.’” And these words summed up his relationship with the tabloids. But they weren’t done with him yet. After the weirdness allegations, there were the child molestation charges—some say that Michael might have recovered from being called Wacko Jacko, but he never recovered from being called a pedophile. His fans never left his side. They had kept a vigil outside the Santa Maria courthouse during the whole of Jackson's trial in 2005. When it was announced that he had been cleared of all charges, they released 14 white doves to celebrate his acquittal.

His foray into movies was not sizable, but whenever he did it was a moment unto itself. He starred in Moonwalker, Ghosts, Thriller and Bad, which were music videos to singles but movies in their own right. He starred in the TV show Simpsons and guest starred in Men in Black 2. For the most part, Michael knew that although he could've gone in and made movies, they would not have been a good business decision.

Few people realize how adept Jackson was in terms of his own image and marketing. Even fewer realize the shrewdness of his ability to do business. It was Paul McCartney who would tell him about the benefits of owning record catalogues, rights to other musicians' music; McCartney himself was earning millions every year by owning a music catalogue of his own. Jackson listened to McCartney's advice and bought out the entire Beatles song catalogue for $47 million; a move that created a rift between the once friendly artists.

His extravagance did not end there. In 1987 he bought a 2,800 ranch for $14 million and named it Neverland. There he created a theme park and a zoo, a few notable establishments bringing the cost of running the entire facility every year to a staggering $4 million.

His death on June 25^th, 2009, leaves a gaping hole within the music industry. He had not released new music in a while, but his presence was always there. It would be an understatement to say he was a part of the music industry. Some say that the best selling album of all time, Thriller, single-handedly saved the entire music industry. His contribution to the music industry, whether it was his music or the inspiration he gave to the many music artists of today, can never be measured nor equaled.

He started off as a prodigy in music. He was also called a paranoid, a pedophile and even a pariah. Call him what you will, and each historian will remember him in their own words—and none of them will be alike, except of course, Michael Jackson’s own words.

I'm starting with the man in the mirror

I'm asking him to change his ways

And no message could have been any clearer

If you wanna make the world a better place

Take a look at yourself and then make a change

From Rome to Dhaka – Fuzon Rocks the East and West

Fuzon have been living up to their second album's title by journeying across the globe for various concert performances for bureaucrats, dignitaries and even the general public.

The band recently performed concerts in Rome and Dhaka, where they enthralled their audiences. These shows come in the heels of their recent India tour which was also very successful.

"It was an amazing experience," recalls Shallum. "Rome was a dream and so was Dhaka." Emu states that both the cities caught him off-guard, "I wasn't expecting the crowd to actually know of the songs and sing along as loud as they could; which they did!" Emu said. He added, "Both cities welcomed us with open arms, and we've made fans abroad." Rameez replied, "It was a fun experience, especially for the fact that we were performing for the ambassadors and all the dignitaries." And is Rameez at home now as the lead singer? "I'm much more comfortable now," said the singer, acknowledging the fact that he's not worried anymore about filling anyone's shoes. "The fans have accepted me and that's all that matters," said Rameez. Shallum added, "He's been getting great feedback from all over, even when we went to India before this and now Rome and Dhaka."

The band was one of three Pakistani acts performing at the Pakistani High Commission at Rome. "We were invited to Rome by the Pakistani High Commission to perform at a special concert highlighting the modern Pakistan and its music for western audiences. It was an honor to do so and exciting at the same time," Shallum explained about the Rome concert. Emu further explained the nature of the performance at Rome, "As Pakistani musicians or entertainers, it is our responsibility to promote a positive image of Pakistan, something that they don't see every day, especially on the news." Rameez added, "We just had to give them the best of us, as Pakistani muscians, and that's why we played the songs that we did." They performed Neend Na Aye, Tere Bena, and Dewanay.

In Dhaka, they performed two shows, back to back, one show for dignitaries whereas the other for the general public. Again, the band was met by positive feedback, from both audiences, but it was the second concert which had a very special performance by the band for the Bangladeshi audience. "We performed a very special song in Dhaka and the crowd there just went nuts," recalls Shallum. "Rameez's performance was a key factor there, he worked especially hard to get it just right," says Emu about Rameez's performance. The singer himself was quite shocked at the reaction, "The crowd wasn't expecting us to play a Bengali song, so when I started singing the first few lines, they just erupted with jubilation." The song they performed was a Bengali version of an old Indian tune, Dil Mein Hon Tum, Ankhon Mein Ho Tum, a version performed by the great Kishore Kumar entitled, Shoone.

Finally, after so much, what is next for the band? "We have a US tour coming up soon," says Shallum. "And after that we'll start focusing on our next album," says Emu. Which when they do, Fuzon should release their third album sometime in mid 2010.

Amanat Ali: Kohram

From being a successful participant of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Middle East — Pakistan Challenge 2007 and a finalist on Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Challenge 2007, where he placed third in the competition, Amanat Ali has come a long way.

He has garnered a lot of respect and praise, especially from across the Wagah border and notably from choreographer Farah Khan and ghazal singer Jagjit Singh. He has contributed to Bollywood productions by singing Khabar nahin for Dostana, for the film Bal Ganesh (with music director Bappi Lahiri) and also the title song for K.C. Bokadia’s Junoon.

After all this hype, it is his debut album, Kohram, which will reveal his true talent.

Albums by music contest winners can have a lot of preconceived notions attached to them; one-hit wonder being the most prominent. While Amanat Ali bagged votes from fans across the Middle East and the subcontinent, will these voters now purchase his Kohram?

The title track is loud but not in a good way. The catchy groovy rhythm dies amidst an avalanche of instrumentation frenzy. Clearly this was a bad decision since Amanat has a tremendous singing voice and it’s a pity to hear it drown amidst the ruckus. Teriyaan and Raha Jaye Na are pleasant listens, particularly the former. The ballad works because it puts the most important thing first: Amanat Ali’s voice. His vocals here make one realise why he was a part of the competition and why Bollywood is taking serious notice of this singer.

Rab Jaane is obliterated by the DJ whose overeager ministration distracts the listener from Amanat’s voice and the song quickly becomes monotonous. Thumri is yet again another example of Amanat’s talent, but the result here is different from Raha Jaye Na. Ultimately the song showcases his versatility.

Berung is a song that again suffers from too much tinkering. It starts off very moody and melancholy, but just when one sinks into the mood he’s jolted by the introduction of Spanish guitars in the first interlude. After listening to the first minute of Anymore I just couldn’t take it anymore. Like before, there is an abundance of flair but hardly any substance —Amanat’s voice constantly drowns amidst the tinkering.

Halka Halka and Roye Teri Yaad Mein are near misses. Whereas the former is slightly better — again because Amanat’s vocals are left on their own — it’s the latter where things fall apart. It sounds more like a Sonu Nigam track than it does Amanat Ali’s. Granted he’s just discovering his voice, but mimicking others will get him nowhere.

A techno addition that succeeds where all others fail is Wari Wari Jawaan. Although it has a catchy loop, listeners might get bored with the repetitiveness on the track. Tum Se He (Maa), another hidden gem in the album but not as mellow as the previous songs, is an enjoyable number nonetheless. The cover of Tujhse Naraz Nahin (a 1983 classic by Panchamda) was one of Amanat’s staples on the show. And it’s great to hear him finally perfect this track right down to a T. Thankfully, the instrumentation and production is at a minimum so that one can truly appreciate the talent that is Amanat’s.

Too many cooks spoil the broth and the same could be said for the amount of lyricists on this record: Asim Raza, Mubashar Hassan, Amanat Ali, Saaji Ali, Shahbaz Khan and Faisal Sheikh. With each writer pulling in different directions, its obvious Amanat would have had a difficult time focusing in one direction. And what’s sad is that most of his songs lack actual poetry and meaning. Most of it is just filled with clichés and film clichés at that.

The problem with this album is that he relies too much on a Bollywood-type approach to music and heavy input from techno DJs.

While Kohram is better than any other debut from Amanat’s league, it doesn’t match his potential. He simply spreads himself too thin all over the album. Trying desperately to be the Jack of all musical trades just isn’t cutting it for him, at least not yet. The kind of music here is probably best used to introduced artistes in India (or particularly to Indian film producers) but it won’t stand with the other great Pakistani acts that Indian music followers have grown to admire and respect.

The album falls short on many levels mainly because Amanat tries too hard to grab our attention. Some would say that this is Amanat’s leap towards the big league, when in fact it probably is the first step of a journey of a thousand steps. With careful guidance and attention Amanat can complete the journey in swift strides and with relative ease.

In short, Kohram is a disappointment. However, knowing Amanat Ali this is just a stumble in the journey of the young singer that will ultimately take him and his vocal talent round the world.

Piracy Ahoy!

It’s the elephant in the room that no one wants to talk about, except the few whose toes the mighty animal steps on. And those toes belong to musicians and artists across Pakistan through the years.

Music piracy and copyright infringement is rampant in Pakistan. Walk along the busy streets of the city, and you’re bound to come across a shop or even a stall selling illegal DVDs and CDs. Though we have record labels and even distribution outlets, piracy is as rampant here as it is off the coast of Somalia – albeit on a different medium and level.

In the last 25 years, Pakistan has become one of the global hubs of audio and video piracy. The country is ranked by International piracy watchdogs within in the world's top 10 pirate nations. And this ranking will climb onwards unless there are drastic measures adopted to put an end to illegal copying. Some watchdogs are even referring to Pakistan as “the new China.”

The International Federation for Phonographic Industries (IFPI) represents the recording industry worldwide, with a membership comprising some 1400 record companies in 72 countries and affiliated industry associations in 44 countries. IFPI's mission is to promote the value of recorded music, safeguard the rights of record producers and expand the commercial uses of recorded music in all markets where its members operate.

In 2005, the IFPI wrote a letter to the then Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, in which the organization stated that illegal replication facilities in Pakistan were doubling their copying capacity every 18 months. In a list compiled by IFPI, the top 10 countries where piracy is “at unacceptable levels” are Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Pakistan, Paraguay, Russia, Spain, and Ukraine.

Also, thanks to advances in technology, the medium of piracy is also advancing. Where there was one video cassette with one movie, now we have one DVD filled with 10 movies. Where we had audio cassettes with one album of one musical act, we now have a CD filled with the entire collection of the artist in MP3 format.

Piracy is not confined to physical aspects such as CDs or DVDs. Thanks for formats like MP3 and its respective playing devices, people now have the choice of not paying at all for their music by downloading it for free.

With such easy access to music and movies, and nearly free of cost, why would anyone want to pay for it in the first place? There have been efforts in recent times to establish proper channels both in the music and movie industry, but competition against piracy which is free and more easily available has always been a one sided battle.

The solution to piracy will not come from abroad, it will start right here at home. Though our music industry is still in its early stages and record labels are just started to learn the ropes, it will be industry and labels that will bring a fighting chance against piracy.

On the topic of copyright infringement and royalties, things aren’t much different. This nation has produced venerable legends in music, with songs that have shaped eras and touched the hearts of millions. These legends have indeed been overlooked, not just the fact that they haven’t been given the proper credits or copyrights, but because they have literally been overlooked. Instead when their songs “conveniently” become “inspiration” for new hits across the border, their name and hard work fade into the shadows of history.

Artists like Sohail Rana, Nisar Bazmi, or even Alamgir, have been overlooked as mentioned in Lost Icons, Lost Cause (IMAGES on Sunday by S Faruqi), have either left the country altogether or this mortal realm.

In the big picture, we ultimately forget that out of all of the parties involved, all the artists and companies around the world, it is Pakistan that gets hurt the most. When artists and labels in Pakistan ultimately find it not feasible to continue producing and making music, they will leave the room and leave the elephant, that is piracy, by itself.

One of these days, the elephant is probably going to be too big for even the room to handle.

The Magic of Music and Politics

Music and politics make nitroglycerine cocktail. It is nothing short of explosive, spreading like wildfire and fueled by the controversy it carries.

Whether it was the rhyme and satire of the bard or the pop song that rallied a returning politician, the combination of music and politics always brings out the best and worst in the masses.

And although we may think this is a relatively new concept, it has been around for quite some time now. Take the example of nursery rhymes, particularly the case of Four and Twenty Blackbirds and Yankee Doodle Came to Town. Both rhyme and song are deeply political in their meaning, and became embedded within the culture of their respective nations, namely Great Britain and the United States of America. And now it has become a part of their history.

Ultimately, the controversially political songs of today will shape the history of tomorrow. The more popular the song, the more it will shape history. Hence it is important for the song to strike a cord with the masses, such as Say it Loud (I’m Black and I’m Proud) by James Brown. During the racial turmoil of the ’60s, Brown came up with this theme that has empowered Black Americans for decades. Say it Loud dictates the need for respect and black self-reliance. This made Brown not only an icon in music, but the face of a movement that defined that era. Later on, Marvin Gaye’s 1971 hit, What’s Going On, depicted a nation’s division over the Vietnam War, racism and inner city struggle.

The ’60s and ’70s were ripe for political songs. Issues such as war and racism provided much ammunition to the ever-ready politically charged musician. As these times went by, old issues gave way to new ones, but war would remain constant for all musicians.

The Cold War era had its fair share of hits, too. Michael Jackson’s Man in the Mirror (1988) and 99 Luftballoons by Nena (1983) depicted a bleak future devastated by nuclear war.

Jackson’s venture into songs filled with political statements was short lived. Instead, he delved more towards social commentary and making statements about the current state of affairs. Songs like Black and White (1991) and Heal the World (1992) talked about issues like racism and ultimately the new issue at that time, global warming.

Now in this day and age, political forces have made use of music too. Take 1997’s Labour Party victory in England for example. The party re-branded itself as New Labour and more importantly it carried a theme song. D:Ream provided its song, Things Can Only Get Better, for the party’s soundtrack and ultimately it made more and more people aware of it. The song gave it a sense of accessibility to the people towards the Labour Party, something it’s opponents — the Conservative Party — didn’t have. And some say that it’s because of the song, Things Can Only Get Better, that the Labour Party won its first election in nearly 18 years!

Closer to home, music and politics have a different relationship. Some mixes are good, whereas others not so good. Columnist and music journalist Nadeem F. Paracha recalls that first ever incident: “Nazia and Zoheb Hasan’s first album, Disco Deewane (1980). It was a massive hit but soon attracted the wrath of the information ministry of Gen Ziaul Haq and the Jamat-i-Islami. Accusing the brother-sister duo and their music of ‘misleading the youth of Pakistan’ and as ‘un-Islamic’, both Nazia and Zoheb were banned from performing on the state-run PTV and Radio Pakistan. The ban was only lifted in 1982 after they met with Gen Zia and promised to “keep their music within the confines of acceptability.”

Ultimately, it would be songs like Dil Dil Pakistan by Vital Signs (1987) that would pave the way for a smooth relationship between music and politics. But in 1988, when Benazir Bhutto returned from exile, she brought with her a powerful weapon that would literally unclamp the clamped environment of Military rule. That weapon was a song called Jiye, Jiye Bhutto Benazir. Shazia Khushk recorded the famous Balochi song in a rundown studio in Karachi’s Lyari area. “The song became a massive hit and became an important part of the PPP election campaign for the November 1988 elections,” remembers NFP. This was perhaps the first-ever incident where local politics used the sway of music to turn the tide of an era. Political parties have not looked back since, and over the years many more soundtracks have accompanied various political marches and campaigns.

Junoon is perhaps the pinnacle of Pakistani music bands. Along with Vital Signs, few have ever achieved the level of fame these two bands have. Junoon’s politically-influenced songs seemed like they would be the band’s undoing. Their songs were often subject to censorship, which led to their eventual ban from the state-run electronic media. Songs like Ehtesab (1997) hardly even saw the light of day as music videos, though now thanks to the likes of YouTube it can be remembered as a historical piece of commentary on those times.

Though we came to see the might of military rule once again in October 1999, this time around there was more leeway in terms of what was acceptable and what wasn’t. What was acceptable and what did do incredibly well was Shehzad Roy’s Laga Reh. Roy’s track from the album Qismat Apnay Haath Mein, is a satire that pokes fun at the establishment and bluntly attacks it too. The song received a moderate airing, but was quickly spread through portals like YouTube and became the talk of the town and ultimately the nation. He has since recorded a new video of the title track from the same album, which picks up exactly where the last one left off. Again, the tones of the video are sharply political and satirical.

Both Roy and director Ahsan Rahim continue exactly where they left off in Laga Reh, when the former is surrounded by a group of armed guards that look like a cross between men in black and a Swat team. In it, Roy is captured and brought to prison where it seems that he is joined by others who share his views and opinions. Like all prison stories, ultimately there is rebellion and then a prison break. The short action sequences — with almost over-the-top violence — reflects how desensitised society has become, and how news items like prison breaks or riots have been the norm.

Finally, in the video, Roy meets the men incharge, who decided his fate. And just when we think that Roy has escaped their clutches, Ahsan shows that he may be able to run but thanks to state-of-the art drones and military intelligence, he can’t hide.

The video is almost immediately compared to the numerous prison videos that have come before it, such as Elvis Presley’s Jailhouse Rock or the comedic number from the Austen Powers’ film. The production of the video is elaborate and doesn’t seem like a cardboard cut-out of a prison. Ahsan creates a stark comparison between the all-black establishment and the brightly-coloured orange boiler suits of the prisoners.

As conditions and state of affairs continue to deteriorate all around, Roy remains determined to get his message across. It’s interesting to see what he will do next, but from the looks of his previous work it surely will stir up controversy and debate… and be the talk of the town.

It is too soon to see the ramifications of such videos yet, but if current popularity has any say in the outcome of history, music and politics will mix even more yet. In an era where politics uses as many avenues it can to reach the people, it is ultimately the words of song and rhyme that will attract the attention more, than speeches ever will.

It is a matter of relation between the human psyche and the written/spoken word and perhaps it is comic book writer Alan Moore who describes this relationship the best. In his documentary on his views about the modern world, writing, art and entertainment, he states: “Words when written or spoken well can have an almost magic-like effect on the listener. They are literally the spells that conjure up images and feelings within the human psyche.”

Indeed, if anything, the combination of music and politics can be described as magic. Whether it is good or bad remains for history to judge.

Two Girls and a Guitar: Zeb and Haniya's Debut Album

Who would have thought that two ladies and a guitar would cause so much stir in the Pakistan music industry? Here is a review of their recently-launched debut album.

The cousins two discovered their inkling towards music at an early age, with Zeb having trained under Ustad Mubarak Ali Khan since 1998, and Haniya discovering music and the guitar at college in the United States. It was here, in one of the abandoned basements of a university dormitory, that songs like Chup came to life. The response they got was overwhelming and the cousins took it from there.

From abandoned dorm basements to coffee shops, Zeb and Haniya have worked their way into record stores countrywide. Their freshman release Chup is a myriad of jazz, blues and rock with a pinch of folk thrown in. But have they matured from their live performances into a field where anything close to a woman is either token eye-candy or the so called damsel-in-distress?

In an outstanding display of chivalry, it was some of the top male musicians in the industry who held the door open for these ladies: Mekaal Hasan, Shallum Xavier, Louis ‘Gumby’ Pinto, Omran Shafique, Hamza Jafri, Sameer Ahmed and Sikander Mufti (from Co-Ven), are just some of the musicians. Fulfilling the duty of brass instruments here is Hildegen Øiseth, an established Norwegian Jazz musician. His trumpets serenade the songs and their lyrics, and quite frankly if you remove his contribution to the album, it would sound incomplete and unfinished. These gents did everything from contributing music to help on production details on this album, and one wonders if there was a case of “too many cooks spoiling the broth” here.

Thankfully, under the careful eye (and ear) of Mekaal Hasan, everything is in proportion. Shallum’s input on the guitars clearly pays off. He doesn’t come in and make everything stronger, in fact the guitars are lighter, carrying the vocals instead of leaving them behind. The same goes for Gumby, who doesn’t come in smashing at the drums, he adapts to the group’s sultry sound quite easily, and the rest follow on. Likewise, each other contributor brings their own style, but adapts it to the group’s.

It was certainly an interesting move to release Aitebaar first and not the title track, Chup, for their music video. This bluesy track is filled with a groove that, although upbeat, reflects the subject of the song. Although the music video to this track is talk of the town, it sadly is nothing but a glorified Khattak dance. Yes, the dance is good, it’s great, and not to discredit the hard work and efforts put in by Saqib, Josh and Omar, but it distracts the viewer away from song which is a shame because this is probably the second best track on the album.

Not to cast as a stereotype, but what girl group album is complete without a ‘girl power’ track? Rona Chor Diya is where the duo attempts to channel the likes of Destiny’s Child’s Survivor or Gloria Gaynor’s I Will Survive. Thankfully though, the girls don’t break the glitter out or some insane beats for that matter, the track is simple, guitar-based with interesting lyrics. This track is more about empowerment rather than power.

Paimana Bitte is a gem of a track. Originally a Pasthun/Darri folk song, the girls get everything right here. It’s the kind of track you’d want to listen to after along tiring day at work. With its almost lullaby-like vocals and careful trumpets by Øiseth, this track is about yearning and love, and is the perfect number. Ahaan showcases the singing talent of the girls; the song feels like a continuous and catchy sigh and speaks of stealing glances and hearts. She Na Sakay is probably the most upbeat track in the album with an almost swing like feel to it. Kahan is its complete opposite, starting off with a simple drumbeat and just drones on and on. Kabhi Na Kabhi is a poignant track, carried through by the vocals and the smooth and sultry trumpet provided by Øiseth. Chal Diye can be best described as a slow acoustic ballad that soothes the listener into the lyrics.

Though the title track starts off the album, I’ve kept its critique for the last for two reasons. Chup is one of the two songs that defined Zeb and Haniya, and the original version was much chirpier than the one on the album. This is probably where Zeb and Haniya fans will disagree on. Should they have settled with the original track and not tampered with it? Or did the “jazzed up” version live up to the original. To be fair, the group is now releasing their first record and with such talent involved, it would be a shame if the track was left as it is. The previous track suites the smaller environment of coffee houses and colleges, whereas the new track is all set for the big league. The essence of the track is not lost though, which is a good thing. Also with Babar Shaikh all set to direct the video for the track, it will surely be an interesting watch.

The album closes on Ban Key Touri Jogan, a track that starts slow but picks up a very fusion-like sound, showcasing the singer’s tutelage of classical music. Now their act is in the big leagues with the likes of Ali Azmat, Fuzon and Mauj (to name a few) who have either recently released new albums or are in the pipeline — the duo has some heavy competition awaiting them. But they already have good help and support, their tracks are fan favorites on the radio and they attract healthy crowds in their shows.

The album itself does not let down but there is some disappointment in seeing how Pakistani record labels market their bands. If one were to visit Zeb and Haniya’s website, they get a much closer feel to the group’s music than the one depicted on their album. The picture on the back of the album, for example, is a much more relaxed and truer image of the two women than the one on the front — juxtaposed in darkness and big, bold, manly letters. Clearly the record label needs to let their bands be true to themselves.

But a book can’t be judged by its cover and a band (in this case) not by its album cover. Zeb and Haniya are all set to be heard out loud and clear, across the radio, on the telly and on your music players. They will be anything but chup from now on…

Fuzon: The beginning of a Journey

Fuzon's new album, Journey, is quite aptly named. For one, it has been a long journey since their last (and first) foray, Saagar. The album that launched Fuzon into the global phenomenon that they are now, provided a string of hits for the band. But it also set a standard and created a high level of expectation amongst its fans, who eagerly awaited the arrival of this album.

The other reason why the name suits the album is because this marks the beginning of a new journey for the band, since the departure of Shafqat Amanat Ali. For the band, there is also a departure from their original sound, towards a safer and more accessible “pop” sound. Hardcore Fuzon fans might think of it as “selling out” but perhaps they won't think as such when they hear it. The album is a free-fall plunge for the band, this is all of the things they wanted to try but always felt restricted for one reason or another. Listening to the album one comes to the conclusion that anything can happen on this album and anything invariably does.

The album starts off with Neend Na Aye and it's pretty clear from the get-go that there's something different; most notably Rameez’s vocals and the full onset of pop rock. Though the song itself is a heart-wrenching tale of loss and emptiness, the sound is quite melodic and upbeat. This could have been called a formula song, but Emu’s and Shallum’s individual talents make it anything but predictable.

Suna Suna, Dil Nay Kaha and Lagay Na Jeeya are old school Fuzon tracks. Lyrically rich and vocally enticing, these are probably the songs that come closest to Rameez making a point that he has his own style. His almost crooning like voice yearns for each word that he sings. As usual, both Emu and Shallum rely on a subtle melody and soft guitars to carry these numbers across. The sound is raw and classical, and though this album marks a departure for the band in terms of music; these tracks prove they haven't left the building yet. Though all three are ballads and don't vary too different from each other, it is this exact fusion of niche poetry and powerful musical motifs that have made Fuzon what they are today.

Tu Kahan starts off exactly like Sara Routh’s You’re Never Gone. But the similarity ends there. It is upbeat, cheerful and almost retro in its purist sound but the lyrics are completely opposite, filled with hurt and longing. Dholna is something one would not expect from Fuzon. Abrar ul Haq perhaps but not Fuzon. Going back to the "anything happening on this album comment", it was meant for this track; it catches you out of nowhere and pushes aside any initial apprehension you may have about this album.

Kahan and Nawan are some of the few disappointments in this album. These tracks are either over produced or under, too much happens in them or not enough does. Clearly these are the filler tracks within the album. Parri is the most rock Fuzon have gone. More than anything, this song probably reflects the entire age of music that the band have missed during their album hiatus, between the Jal, Atif Aslam, countless Junoon albums and the likes of Noori, et cetera.

Continuing the rock motif and the last track on the album, Choo Lo is an uplifting track that could easily accompany any sports team on their way to glory. Samba-esque beat, accompanied some lively synthesizer action and add to that, just the right cords on the guitar, make this track complete.

All the while, both Emu and Shallum seem to exude a sense of confidence and ease through each of the tracks. Each track is carefully produced, keeping in mind that they have a new singer, so whether it’s the rhythm guitar or the arrangement of the song, Fuzon is working with their new singer

Coming to the subject of Rameez Mukhtar. It would be an incredible easy task to critique him by either saying he's not as well as Shafqat or that he's simply not Fuzon material. But to dismiss Rameez immediately would be a great injustice to what he has done in this album. Here's a man who has been given the auspicious task of redefining a band's vocal sound. He doesn't step into Shafqat's shoes or even try to replace them. He has his own shoes and it will take some time for people to appreciate Rameez's stride in the journey of Fuzon.

There is however an absence of any one track that truly utilizes Rameez's potential or even exploits it for that matter. There's a sense of playing safe throughout all of the tracks, granted though because this is but the beginning of their journey.

Through all of this, there is of course the question: is it any good? The answer is yes, it is definitely a good album. Does it live up to the hype and expectations from the same band that brought you Saagar? Nope, it doesn't. However, this is not the same band that brought you Saagar. Both Emu and Shallum have come miles from who and what they were back then. From Emu's experience and exposure through producing other artists to Shallum's foray into international outings, each of them bring something new and different to this album now. You also have a new singer, who doesn't imitate the previous one and has his own voice. Essentially, this is an entirely different band put together.

This brings me to the other reason why this album is aptly named. More than anything this marks the beginning of a new journey for Fuzon (a departure, if you will). Whether this journey will see them stride all the way through or stumble along the way remains to be seen, the true judge(s) being the fans.

(This review was originally published in the June 1st, 2008 edition of DAWN Images.)

Voliminal: Inside the Nine

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Nu-metal (nu-thrash metal, to be more precise) marauders Slipknot have unleashed a double DVD and CD collection of live performances and music videos. Though by no means a 'greatest hits' album, this behemoth of a collection is sure to keep thrash fans happy with a collection that quite literately mutes everything in the market.

A nine member band from Des Moines, Iowa; Slipknot shot to fame with their self-titled album in 1999. Ever since then they've hardly left any holds barred and let out a stream of heavy hits, stormed many musical festivals and redefined live performances along the way. They won a Grammy for Best Metal Performance in 2006, and have been nominated three times in different categories.

The album has a raw sound, particularly the harshness of each track combined with the intensity of each band member. Corey Taylor has displayed his versatility in the Spiderman soundtrack, but it's his day-job as the lead singer of Slipknot that truly exploits his ability to sing, or scream even. Guitarists Jim Root and Mick Thomson both craft exquisite riffs that are breakneck speed and filled with the crunch of metal and thrash. Sid Wilson's mixing and sampling adds the 'nu' to the nu-thrash, and his samples are haunting and yet almost cruel at the same time. Besides having a turntablist, they also have keyboardist Craig Jones and percussionist Shawn Crahan, both offering new layers to each of the songs and even providing backup vocals on some of the tracks. But the best performer of the bands is perhaps Joey Jordison whose drumming skills avalanches over everything else in the band. Jordison (who is also a producer for Marylin Manson) structures his beats and percussions in a very traditional thrash set-up, almost as well as (dare I say it) the great Dave Lombardo of Slayer fame.

Voliminal: Inside the Nine is an audible treat for thrash and speed metal fans, if that is they appreciate the fact that this is nu-thrash metal.

Volkerball: The People's Ball

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Fans of Rammstein rejoice. Not only has the German band’s Volkerball been released on DVD, it is also out as a double-live album CD. Cover your ears and walk away if you’re put off by very loud music, namely large crunchy riffs and even louder drums. Mix that with almost ghoulish sounding percussion, a dash of electronica and German lyrics (delivered by Till Lindemann, a very loud and very German lead singer), and that’s Rammstein — what do you expect from a band whose name literately means “battering stone”?

Volkerball is the closest Rammstein will ever come to a greatest hits album, simply because this band plays some of its best music live, and what better way to collect your greatest hits than on a live album? Tracks have been collected from their first album, Herzeleid all the way to Rosenrot, and each of them have been given the Rammstein live treatment.

Genre-wise Rammstein are essentially a hard rock/industrial band, but what very few people know is that they’re foremost a live band. They are at their best live, where they even change some of the song harmonics, giving the tunes fresh sounds. This remarkable live sound, first heard on 1999’s Live Aus Berlin, has been repackaged, this time with tracks most notably from the Mutter album. Songs like Sonne, Links 2 3 4, Feuer Frei!, and Ich Will, come off brilliantly. Engel and Los are good examples of how the band uses a ballad-esque tune and gives it the Rammstein treatment — complete with Lindemann’s gruelling vocals and those scary percussions provided by Christen Lorenz.

The downside to this double album is that the true essence of the live show is lost, as this is an audio only effort. Rammstein don’t just sound good live, they put up an amazing display of pyrotechnics and other acts on stage, something that even a DVD could not do complete justice to. For example Feuer Frei! takes on a whole new level when it is accompanied by streams of pyrotechnics by the band on stage. Another minus for the album are the newer tracks, like Amerika and Benzin, which are very weak and repetitive compared to the older songs.

Nonetheless, this album is sure to please industrial fans everywhere, and is a good buy if you’re interested in the genre or just Rammstein in general.