Article Updated 30 March, 2006 01:21:15 AM IST   Gangster - A Love Story By Abid ©2006 Bollyvista.com   The Bhatts, along with director Anurag Basu have given us the unforgettable and still (extremely) popular musical score of 'Murder'. So it is obvious that as we sit down to tell you what 'Gangster' has to offer, we somehow have a premonition that it's going to be good if not grand. Let us now listen to the audio! The first number itself is a superbly composed love ballad, "Tu Hi Meri Shab Hai", which appears thrice in the album and since it's fantastic, no one is complaining! K.K. is simply amazing. His trademark high-pitched vocals are brilliant. The intermittent use of the chorus makes the track soar to dizzying heights. Sayeed Quadri's lyrics (like Pritam's music and K.K.'s singing), are superlative - "Tu hi meri shab hai, subah hai, tu hi din hai mera, tu hi mera rab hai, jahaan hai, tu hi meri duniya." Hats off to the team's effort! A new nomenclature after 'Lounge Mix', 'Club Mix' is the 'Euro Mix' of "Tu Hi Meri Shab Hai", by Bunty Rajput. The heavy use of Western musical instruments turns this soft romantic number into a breezy dance track, aimed at the youth, clubs, pubs and discos. The remixed "Tu Hi Meri Shab Hai" by Jatin Sharma is like what remixes are usually - a pacy rhythm and upped tempo, with lots of background interludes and English lyrics added. One feels that the 'Euro Mix' was better. Haunting background female vocals, high string guitar strumming and soft drumming commence the absolutely rocking (literally!) number "Bheegi Bheegi" (based of Gautam Chatterjee's Bengali classic 'Prithibi'). Full credit goes to the Bhatts for getting us acquainted with Atif Aslam, Najam Sheraz and Rahat Fateh Ali Khan (from Pakistan), to name a few. Now they have introduced us to the absolutely amazing pop sensation from the other (Eastern) side of India's border (Bangladesh) - the 'voice perfect' - James, a very reputed singer in his country. His rock style singing (without loosing his vocal controls and 'sur') is mind-blowing. Lyrics by Mayur are very apt and situational and depict the uncertainty, fear and mystery element very well. The chorus (used repeatedly) "Na jaane koi, kaisi hai ye zindagani, hamari adhuri kahani", haunts the listener, over and over again. Even after "Bheegi Bheegi" ends, one is left spellbound. Need we say more? Soft synthesized music, along with a beautiful harmonica piece, mark the beginning of the nice, pleasing to the ears romantic number, "Lamha Lamha". Abhijeet is good in his solo version. But to keep up with the fresh lot of talented singers, he should innovate a bit now and go in for new styles, otherwise he will fade away like some of the other once big names. The chorus in this composition too has been well used. The basic arrangement of the other version of " Lamha Lamha" is on similar lines to the first one, except that Sunidhi gives able company to Abhijeet. Next up is the rock based Sufi-styled composition "Ya Ali", sung by Zubeen, who hails from Assam. Though the tune is based on a Middle Eastern composition, what makes this track unique is the excellent use of violin and 'rubab', synthesized 'been' and bagpipes like sounds. It is basically a 'tasawwuf' song, (sung in the praise of the almighty, as akin to the beloved), that ends with Pritam's very own 'Dhoom' signature tune. The lyrics are situational, yet classy. Zubeen has done a good job, though not great, as his voice lacks the depth and feelings needed for this very intense composition. The album concludes on a very serious note, with Kavita Seth singing the semi-classical (a combination of 'thumri' and 'nazam' without 'alaaps') - "Mujhe Mat Roko" (reminiscent of Jaspinder Narula's "Na Leke Jao" from 'Fiza'). Kavita's voice, a huskier version of Begum Parveen Sultana ("Humein Tum Se Pyar Kitna" - 'Kudrat') suits this composition to a "T". Soft 'sitar' strings in the background provide the perfect backdrop to a heard before tune, maybe because it's a 'raaga' based composition and there can only be seven 'surs'! But it's the lyrics by Sayeed Quadri that stand out. Sample a few impact lines - "Usko paana hi meri zindagi ka maqsad hai, gar wo milta hai mujhe marke, to mar jaane do, mujhe mat roko." To sum it up, while listening to the whole album, we searched for at least one mediocre track, but found none! 'Gangster' is one of the best assortments of high quality songs to release during the first quarter of 2006. And with music's lucky mascot Emraan Hashmi as the leading actor (and that too in a Bhatt movie), the album will move only in one direction (on the popularity charts) - UP! And that is bad news for Himesh's 'Tom Dick and Harry' that was just about picking up. A must buy! Rating: 8/10   close   Print this Article http://www.bollyvista.com   http://www.bollyvista.com/article/a/31/6403