The debut album of this Pune-based band is simple, and ever
so memorable. Their sounds draw attention without any
ostentation whatsoever. Their tones are fluid, intimate; they
call for long-winded listens by campfires (real or in your head)
by yourself with hot chocolate or with the kind of friends who
don’t say a word when the song is on. The band wastes nothing ,
keeps their songs shorn of all but the warmest sentimentality.
On the first listen, you’ll think of Simon and Garfunkel and
Bread. When vocalist Pratika sings “Enjoy It While It Lasts”,
you’ll see why she lists Aretha Franklin and Etta James as
inspiration.
In 2016, I heard them at Nh7 Pune. I have no idea who they
were, but when they began I remember that both me and my
friends dropped ourselves to the grass before their stage. We
sipped our drinks in the shade, spread out our legs and stayed
for the whole set. Until this month, I didn’t bother to look them
up. My mistake. Find them, hear them, and I’ll wager that you
too, will stay.
Shenanigans (Arjun and the Teenage Men):
For a debut EP, Shenanigans works fairly
well. The music is comforting, safe and does
not devolve into anything mundane. The
lyrics, especially those of “Castles in the
Sky” are enough to induce interest and if you
are so inclined, lead you to a few winding
thoughts. “She” has some interesting guitar work. However,
despite how pleasant the experience is, it is not particularly
memorable. It is an excellent first EP, but the tracks do not
leave much of a mark unless you are really paying attention.
They may beckon your attention, but do not really compel it.
The entire album weaves a familiar musical tapestry. If you
have a lazy moment, it’s a lovely something to soak up with
a solitary teacup. You will not be bored, but you will be some
yards away from being enchanted.
The tracks, however, seem to have a hard time standing out
from each other. You start with one, you get pumped, and three
songs later, you feel like there is a certain effect that is looping
back into itself. The lyrics are deliciously provocative but they
get lost in the somewhat unchanging narrative. The music
is angry, potent and laden with crushing satire. It rampages
through sensibilities embalmed by comfortable, myopic
consumerism, but it could have used a few more smidgeons of
variations while doing so.
Believe in You (Raja Kumari):
There is no dearth of incredible women
for little girls to look up to. Raja Kumar is
one of them. An Indian-American artist
who has been lauded for her songwriting
prowess (collaborations with Fall Out Boy,
Fifth Harmony, Gwen Stefani and Iggy
Azalea), she has now stepped up to hail her cultural roots with
the magic of her passionate artistry. Interspersed of shots
of her as a child, dancing at the feet of Nataraj at the Malibu
Hindu Temple, her single is a powerful reminder that beautiful
cultural identities can be fused with breathtaking sensitivity.
She struts fearlessly, singing of conviction in the self. What is
more striking than the immediately catchy beats, the infusion
of classical India instrumentation and the emancipating words
is the video.
As an artist, Kumari is, in turns, irreverent, defiant, ecstatic
and sensual. However, she is perpetually in love with herself,
her art and her history. The video has her stand in glory
entirely her own – unashamedly a woman of colour who is
perfectly aware of her emotive and creative depth. She is a
departure from all that we are accustomed to seeing as worthy
of celebration. Her music is overwhelmingly inspiring, and the
best way to qualify the effect it has on you is best defined by the
mantra she chants in the song:
We Abuse a lot, So What? (Punk on Toast): Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu
The four piece punk rock outfit asks a valid
question. Much of their third album asks
valid questions. Tough, scary ones that are
frighteningly relevant these days. They do
it in the guise of incredibly high-octane,
unrelenting, breathless punk progression. “May all beings everywhere be happy and free, and may the
thoughts, words, and actions of my own life contribute in some
way to that happiness and to that freedom for all.”
WS
(Source : https://www.gaia.com/article/lokah-samastah-
sukhino-bhavantu)(Source : https://www.gaia.com/article/
lokah-samastah-sukhino-bhavantu)
The
Score Magazine
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