Brush up on your classics...
ewomack | MN USA | 01/15/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Here's a great collection of classic Bollywood songs. Most have 1960s or 1970s production values, but they sound like nothing in the western hemisphere ("Bollywood strings" appear in abundance). With a mixture of traditional Indian rhythms, instrumentation, vocal styles, languages, and classic western rock (with some english phrases thrown in here and there) the songs take on a style all their own. Most of the melodies will stick fast and forever to even the most musically insensitve brains. Likewise, the infectious rhythms will inspire the indolent to flail spastically. This is nothing short of adventurous party music.
These songs come directly from Indian movies. So, in a way, they lack their original context. This explains some of the speaking and the - what may seem like - bizarre interludes. Some of the sense is lost without the context, but the music suffers not one iota. Plus, without knowledge of the languages sung, many won't miss a thing around the context. Nonetheless, hopefully the music will inspire the desire to see the original Indian movies.
This disc also contains "Jan Pahechan Ho" featured at the beginning of the movie "Ghost World" (that also included clips from the original Bollywood movie). Many have been introduced to Bollywood through this song and this movie. But this one song represents only a small peek into the immense and fascinating world of Indian popular music. Keep exploring."