Krishna: a celebration of shri krishna and radha’s shringar
Shubha Mudgal
Music Today; Rs 75

Personally, the song that lifts one off one’s feet in this Shubha Mudgal album of seven songs celebrating the Shringar of Radha and Krishna is the very first one, Phool shringar. The first padas of which are sung, with the second set to ektaal, a rhythmic cycle of 12 beats. And as the slow, soothing start flows into the rhythmic beats of the lines, Phoolan ki chandrakala, one simply forgets the world and the only feeling left is the joy of being a Radha.

The feeling remains with the next song, Sakhi hariyaro sawan aayo, with its very evocative lines like Hari Hari Murali, Hari, repeated and intonated in Mudgal’s rich classical voice to express a range of emotions. Again, it leaves one feeling like a Radha with so many emotions waiting to be expressed to her beloved.

Just as well that there’s no flute used by Mudgal. Krishna’s flute would send Radha into such a trance that shringaar forgotten halfway, she would run to her beloved in half-done state itself! Without the flute to distract, Radha here lingers over just her shringaa.

cholo niyam mote
Rupankar, Manoj, Monomoy
Bhavna; Rs 40

It’s with a bit of a start that one realises the songs are over too soon. With five songs on each side, it’s not as if they are too few in number. Though the title song Chalo Niommate, which is the last number on side B, is barely a few lines, as is Hriday mandril domru guruguru on side A. Most of the numbers, by Rupankar, Manoj and Monomoy, have a lulling effect and numbers like Gramchara oei rangamatir poth leave one nostalgically yearning for a few more of ones favourite Rabindrasangeet numbers one grew up hearing. The blunder by Bhavna is not crediting any singer with the individual songs on the inlay.

Deepali Singh

rabey taari baani
Various
Supani; Rs 40

The tradition of combining Rabindranath’s poems and songs in a single album goes back a long way, but it’s not often that we are presented with one which can strike a perfect balance. That’s exactly where Rabey Taari Baani scores. Suchitra Mitra’s voice, because it cracks at certain places, lends a hoary, yet pristine, appeal to the poems. Pranab Mukhopadhyay’s is mellifluous in contrast ? especially in a song of such fervent devotion as Prathamo adi tabo shakti. Together, the two are able to transport the reader to the sensitive world captured in Kaviguru’s songs and poems.

juger hawa
Jajabar
Prime Music; Rs 42

The first thing that strikes you about Jajabar is how large the band is. There are eight members, in fact, and one isn’t exactly sure if there will be more cacophony than music in Juger Hawa.

But the fresh faces don’t disappoint, rather they come as a breath of fresh air. The songs run on catchy foot-tapping tunes; the lyrics are easy on the ears ? if a bit stale ? and the voices are good without being spectacular. The pick of Juger Hawa is Aamar sahaj pather kobiguru with its quirky take on Rabindranath’s Nobel-winning feat.

Satadru Ojha

Charkuthri
Chandrani
Prime Music; Rs 42

Charkuthri has everything ? festive drums, pastoral beats, Western interludes and the traditional tabla ? but good songs. The singer, Chandrani, relies heavily on her accompanists to lift her rather sluggish renditions and doesn’t seem to be at ease with her muse. Unfortunately for her, the music, though the highlight of the album, takes its own course at times and doesn’t quite complement her, either.

Chandrani doesn’t seem to be a natural at singing, but her voice has a good range and she feels at home with the high-pitch notations.

Overall, though, the effort to make a good music album must be complemented, and one can only hope that Chandrani’s next offering is better conceptualised. And, yes, Chandrani has to sing better.

Saikat Dasgupta

rabindranather nacher gaan
Mousumi Karmakar
Raga; CD Rs 60

A collection of nine songs ? Rabindrasangeet ? and they automatically make you to sway to the rhythm. These are songs that take you closer to the soil. These are songs that almost every child loves dancing to. These are songs that Mousumi Karmakar renders beautifully. The songs included are Aaj dhaner khete roudrachhaya, gramchhara ooi rangamatir path, Mamo chitte, Megher kole rod heshechhe, among others. The only complaint however is the accompanying music that often intrudes with the true flow of the song.

Madhuparna Das