Hindi music album reviews

Billu Barber
Pritam
After creating rocking music in Garam Masala and Bhool Bhulaiya, composer Pritam comes together with director Priyadarshan for Billu Barber. The CD features as many as 15 songs but actually there are only 6 original tunes, which are remixed in various formats and voices.

Pritam uses his standard blend of fusion tunes, Hinglish lyrics and prominent backup vocals to create situational tracks that are unlikely to create an impression. If one discounts Ajay Jhingran's folk-styled fun-song Billu Bhayankar, the rest of the album is dominated by robust fusion-dance-tracks like Sukhvinder Singh-Sunidhi Chouhan's Marjaani Marjaani and Neeraj Shridhar-Tulsi Kumar's Hai Love Mera Hit Hit. The latter is more notable for its tacky lyrics.

KK, Rana Muzumdar and Suraj zestfully render a rock-styled number Ae Aa and O Khudaya Khair is a hummable romantic track, rendered once by Neeraj Shridhar and then by Soham, Monali and Akriti Kakkar. Rahat Fateh Ali Khan's Jaoon Kahan brings in some semblance of sentimental melody but is hampered by loud background beats.

Parvarish/Chhalia/Jagte Raho
Various Artistes
This album presents a delightful selection of songs of three famous Raj Kapoor-starrers from the 1950s and 60s. Composers Dattaram (Parvarish), Kalyanji-Anandji (Chhalia) and Salil Choudhury (Jagte Raho) gave their best tunes to these albums and that's why we got to swoon to the evergreen classics like Aansoo Bhari Hai, Masti Bhara Hai Sama, Baaje Paayal Chham Chham, Mere Toote Huye Dilse, Zindagi Khwab Hai and Jaago Mohan Pyaare.

Ada/Ashiana
Madan Mohan
This album presents songs from two of Madan Mohan's earliest films, both released in 1951. The composer's ability to create soulful and lyrically rich songs is evident in both soundtracks. Ada featured Lata-classics like Preetam Meri Duniya Mein, Aankhon Aankhon Mein and Saanwari Surat Man Bhayi. Ashiana had the Talat Mahmood-gem Main Paagal Mera Manwa Paagal and more Lata-classics like Mera Qarar Le Jaa, Tum Chaand Ke Saath and Mere Piya Se Koi Kah De.

Golden Collection – Suman Kalyanpur
Suman Kalyanpur
Suman Kalyanpur must consider herself unlucky for having a voice which often gave an impression of being a Lata Mangeshkar clone. Despite hit songs, Suman's career always remained in the shadow of the melody queen. With great songs like Na Tum Hamein Jaano, Haale Dil Unko Sunana Tha, Chale Jaa Chale Jaa and Mere Mehboob Na Jaa, this collection definitely shows that Suman was an original in her own right, but who never got her due.