Hindi music album reviews

Dostana
Vishal–Shekhar
'Modern sound with a soul'. That's how Karan Johar prefers the music of his films and composers Vishal–Shekhar dutifully follow the producer's brief.

They have created a well-rounded urban, up-market, upbeat soundtrack with some soft emotional touches.

Vishal Dadlani lends his voice to the opening track - Jaane Kyun - a breezy romantic song spruced with catchy dance-beats and even catchier chorus I will be all right. Shankar Mahadevan and Sunidhi Chauhan come together in a robust Punjabi Bhangra-styled party song, claiming Dekhi lakh lakh pardesi girl; There's nobody like my desi girl! The party flavour continues unabated with Saleem's techno-aided Punjabi-number Maa Da Laadla Bigad Gaya and Sunidhi Chauhan's hot disco-song Shut Up And Bounce Baby.

The party mania then gives way to soft sentimentality in Khabar Nahi (Vishal, Shreya Ghoshal, Amanat Ali) – a contemplative romantic song, which begins with a Sufi-touch (Man Maula Maula Mere Maula). Shaan concludes the album with a mushy and mellow romantic ballad – Kuchh Kam.

EMI
Chirantan Bhatt
'Take a loan, take a loan on the spot; Take a loan, take a loan don't you stop'! The backup rap in the title song of EMI hits the nail on the head. It drills home the fundamental reason behind the current global economic meltdown! Even in Sanjay Dutt's off-key voice, this enjoyable satirical song makes its point about how unscrupulous banks lure naïve customers to take instant loans and then hound them to recover their EMIs. The fun continues with Ninad Kamat's Vote for Sattar Bhai – a comic song about the goon assigned for EMI recovery and Sunidhi Chauhan's sizzling item-number Chori Chori.

Chamku
Monty Sharma
Composer Monty Sharma must consider himself unlucky as once again his good musical score ends up in a film that failed to make an impression at the box office. The opening track Aaja Milke (by Shreya Ghoshal and Shail) is one of the year's best romantic duets. Richa Sharma's Kithe Jaawa and Bin Daseya and Kalpana-Parthiv–Shail's Dukh Ke Badri are folksy semi-classical numbers. Abhjeet-Vaishali Samant's fun-song Gola Gola and Anaida-Sawmya Raoh-Saleem's trance-track are the other offerings.

Pure gold
Lata Mangeshkar
This third 'Pure Gold' volume of melody queen Lata Mangeshkar's matchless repertoire features a fine mix of her popular songs from the 1950s, 60s and 70s. All-time classic numbers like Raina Beeti Jaaye, Piya Bina Piya Bina, Rangeela Re, Na Bole Na Bole Re, Tere Bina Jiya Jaaye Na and Unko Yeh Shikayat Hai not only show the legendary singer's versatility but also her ability to bring to life practically any type of song.