The wait is over. For a music lover who was used to hearing a new Himesh Reshammiya album practically every fortnight last year, it was quite a wait [almost 6 months, as 'Aap Ki Khatir' (Aug 2006) was his last album] to hear the composer/singer again for a new project. Agreed that some of his last few albums were not as popular or successful as his work earlier in the year, a Himesh Reshammiya stamp still means a lot. With lyricist Sameer in and director Vikram Bhatt at the helm who utilized Pritam to the fullest for the score of his 'Ankahee', one expects a passionate musical score from this Aftab Shivdasani, Celina Jaitley and Amrita Arora starrer.
Himesh Reshammiya has gone for a kill in 'Red' by singing seven out of total nine songs (including remixes) in the album. For his fans, it is a bonanza of its kinds. But would his bashers have a field day too? Well, don't know about that but at least his fans won't be quite kicked with the final outcome.
It is a passionate beginning to the album in the way Reshammiya comes with all the required emotions for 'Afreen Tera Chehra'. Message of the song is quite simple - Come what may, I am gonna gain your love! Picturised imaginatively in a volatile manner, it truly brings the dark side of love with the music creating an all around haunting appeal.
Sameer's lyrics are of the kind that he used to write for Nadeem Shravan till about a few years back while Reshammiya sings well fine too a kind of punch that goes down well for the song's genre. A catchy track, it is a good mix of passion, sensuality and some true hot blooded love! Not one of your typical love songs crooned while dancing around the trees, 'Afreen' makes a good impact even in the remix version which only aides in rocking the proceedings further.
Passion flow continues with 'Aamin' which actually takes off from were 'Afreen' left. Yet another track which is about never ending love and desire for someone who means most to your life, 'Aamin' is based on sufi music with Reshammiya taking center stage once again as a singer. With 'tabla' being the most prominent instrument used for the song, the song is lightly paced though one misses the punch of 'Afreen' even when there is an attempt to create the base rhythm around the word 'Aamin'.
Since one is not quite kicked with the original composition, it is not with much enthusiasm that one play on the remix version of the song. Well, if you have heard half-a-century odd remixes of Reshammiya songs in 2006 and are still kicked about listening to more of them, then 'Aamin' may just manage to interest you.
It's almost an anti-climax when 'Ek Tum Hi' arrives, both from the situation and the music point of view. Let's talk about the situation first. While 'Afreen' and 'Aamin' were all about feeling so strongly about one's love and doing whatever achievable to grab it with both hands, 'Ek Tum Hi' is a retrospective song that challenges the very emotions of falling in love with that particular person. And this is the time one actually ends up wondering that there has been no female voice heard in the album so far. But more about that later.
Now coming to the music of 'Ek Tum Hi'. Though Jayesh Gandhi croons the number fine, the tune is so lukewarm in spite of a sufi base to it that one wonders how could the team of 'Red' agree to its placement in the album? As a situational number (which also comes in a remix version), it is expected to run as a part of the background score and the only high point of this entire 5 minutes composition is a brief reference to 'Afreen' that ignites the proceedings!
Harshdeep, who has earlier sung tracks like 'Udne Do' [Taxi No. 9211], 'Le Ja' [Karam], 'Sajna Main Haari' [Aap Ko Pehle Bhi Kahin Dekha Hai' and 'Uljalul' [Oops], sets the prelude for 'Dil Ne Yeh Na Jaana' before Reshammiya takes over from her in a matter of seconds. Yet another sad song in succession, it is about the pain and sorrow that comes as an after effect of love.
A haunting number that moves at a very slow pace with minimal background instruments, 'Dil Ne' concentrates on lyrics and voices with both Harshdeep [who arrives on the scene again towards the middle of the song] and Reshammiya singing with a heartfelt effect. A situational song with 'tabla' used to good effect yet again, it is not the kind that would make you hum it around the town but would at least ensure that you are glued to the proceedings.
After making her sing the song of her playback singing career in the form of 'Dil Vich Lagaya Ve' [Chup Chup Ke], Reshammiya reduces newcomer Akriti Kakkar to a mere background crooner. She practically gets to sing only 4 words - 'Loneliness Is Killing Everyone', which is also the title of the last song of the album that also appears in a mandatory remix version. The line comes after every minute or so but that's about it. Beyond that, it is Reshammiya who sings the entire track about loneliness and how it is a killer. From being subtle in 'Dil Se', he sings 'Loneliness' at a higher pitch and comes up with a fair number that is again only for the situation.
Overall 'Red' is not really an album that one would have wanted to be Reshammiya's first release of the year. It hardly seems to be an album that he would have composed after a 6 month break and instead appears to have been an assembly line album created in the first half of 2006 when he was coming up with soundtracks in dozens. Except for 'Afreen' which is the USP of the album, the rest barely pass muster.
Average.
http://www.indiafm.com/movies/musicreview/12902/index.html
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