Udaan - Music Review

18 July,2010 06:51 PM IST |   |  KASMIN FERNANDES

A year after knocking our socks off with the ultra-modern soundtrack to Anurag Kashyap's Dev.D, composer-lyricist duo Amit Trivedi-Amitabh Bhattacharya are going the other way on Udaan, an album about inspiration and dream catchers


Udaan
Composer: Amit Trivedi
Lyricist: Amitabh Bhattacharya
Price: Rs 160
'''1/2


A year after knocking our socks off with the ultra-modern soundtrack to Anurag Kashyap's Dev.D, composer-lyricist duo Amit Trivedi-Amitabh Bhattacharya are going the other way on Udaan, an album about inspiration and dream catchers.

Co-producer isn't the only new role Dev.D director is taking on with this Vikramaditya Motwani film. Kashyap also jammed with Bhattacharya to write the lyrics to this largely experimental record.

The music and lyrics run through with the innocent optimism of Iqbal (Salim-Sulaiman) rather than the reckless alcohol and drug-infused beauty of Dev.D.

Kahaani -- Aankhon ke pardon pe has an extended guitar intro that runs into 80 seconds before singers Joi Barua and Neuman Pinto take the mike. You can almost feel the self-doubt and conflict about the future that's going through the character's mind in the film, as the lyrics play out. Trivedi and Bhattacharya show their singing chops on Geet (kuchh naya to zaroor hai) that sounds like Ek Hulchul Si (Dev. D) all over again.

Trivedi is back on the microphone for the title track, with Pinto and Barua for company this time. The slow build-up of the song, the 50s Bollywood-cum-Coldplay delivery, and the liberating lyrics (Nadi mein talab hai kahin jo agar/ samandar kahan door hai? Damakti chamak hai sone mein agar/ toh jalna bhi manzoor hai), makes it an appealingly buoyant anthem.

The bar dips in Naav -- Chadhti Lehrein Laang Na Paye. Mohan joins a long history of singers attempting an O Maajhi Re. His earthy voice and classical turn do their best to sail smooth, but doesn't cut it in a territory that Kailash Kher would have been more familiar in.

Kashyap has given the rustic Motumaster lyrics that are quirky, funny and unconventional, but the track is not quite Ranaji (Gulaal). You hear a variety of sounds and noises packed in by a bunch of singers -- Raman Mahadevan, Bhattacharya, Bonnie Chakraborty, Kshitij, Shriram Ayyar, Tochi. Let's hope the picturisation makes more sense out of this blip in an otherwise impressive album.u00a0

Trivedi, Pinto and Bhattacharya join Nikhil D'Souza on vocals in Aazaadiyan -- Pairon Ki Bediyan, which is a strong contender for posterity in hostels and campuses. Composed in the same vein as Kahani, the avant-garde composer intelligently uses classical sitar strings.

Felix Hug has delivered a stunner in the three-minute piano theme (with back-up vocals by Barua and Pinto), which closes the brilliant album.

With no major stars in the film to give the music wider visibility and given its experimental nature, the album will require exceptional word-of-mouth to reach listeners' ears. With the music being launched only a fortnight before the film's release, this uplifting gem will have even lesser time for promotion than the run-of-the-mill tripe that makes its way to the charts.

"Exciting news! Mid-day is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
Udaan Music review Amit Trivedi