Mar 19, 2005 02:58 AM
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(Updated Mar 23, 2005 02:17 AM)
No one would bat an eyelid if MM Kreem?s initials actually stood for ?Melodious Music?, with due apologies to Maragata Mani! The first time I noticed MM Kreem?s music was after hearing the patriotic song played on TV some years back. ?Kho Jaane do?. This was sung by MM Kreem and Chitra. I was struck by the melody. It left a lasting impression on me.
As he has demonstrated regularly, melody is MM Kreem?s strength. Sur, Jism, Rog are testimonies to that. He gets involved in his music from the composing to the recording stage as he is his own Sound Engineer. I can?t imagine why he doesn?t compose that often for hindi films. Most of his work has been very good. As the other reviewers have noted maybe his PR skills needs to be sharpened. Only the Bhatt clan seems to have realized his potential.
He is one of the few MDs of the industry whose forthcoming works I eagerly look forward to: Tanuja Chandra?s Runway and Amol Palekar?s Paheli with SRK are his next projects. I hope that the SRK film helps to elevate this gifted but often neglected music director into the top echelons of the industry. I also find MM Kreem?s voice to be very soothing. All the songs that he has sung has been top drawer. Below are a few of my favourites. Some of them are obvious choices.
Awarapan Banjarapan(Jism)
I like MM Kreem?s version better than Kay Kay?s. Short and definitely sweet! This is a song rich in melody and pathos. The song starts off with the soothing sound of bells. MM Kreem as a vocalist does full justice to the song and inflects it with his own subtle touches which heightens the mood. Just listen to how he ends the phrase Dil jise chishe ko ha kehta hai, jehan uske ko kehta hai na. You can feel the singer?s angst here.
The orchestration is very minimal and stays in the background. The interludes are light except for a cello and violin interlude. I have listened to this song numerous times but can never get enough of it. I would recommend this song if you have had a tiring day and need to unwind. Dim the lights, turn the stereo on and enjoy!
Jaadu hai Nasha hai(Jism)
What a song!. Shreya Ghosal should be given equal credit for this beauty. She gives it her all and she mesmerizes us with her dulcet voice. Her songs in Devdas didn?t jump out at me but Jism was a revelation. MM Kreem?s composition is just superb. This is a simple melody with basically two notes used for the opening lines in the pallavi and three notes for the anu pallavi. Here too he uses very few instruments.
The guitar and keyboard dominates the interludes. Also the interlude where the drum beat comes to the fore conjures up an image of a lover?s beating heart. After listening to the opening lines Jaadu hai nasha hai you are hooked. A great song to go with the candlelight dinner!
Shreya also does an admirable job for Chalo tume ko lekar chale. Roop Kumar Rathod?s Shikayat Hai and Udit Narayan?s Mera Khawabon also make for easy listening. This is definitely not a one hit song album. You can play this album in Repeat mode and never tire of it.
Chup Tum Raho(Is Raat ki Subah Nahin)
Chitra and MM Kreem do the honours for this song. Its another slow paced number steeped in melody. Ungliyo ko ungliyo se, mausom ko shokhiyo se baat karna do is beautifully expressed. I liked the accordion piece after the first charnam. The saxophone piece with Bekhude ko bekhudi se, ashiqui ko ashiqui se baat karna do enhances the mood of teasing love. Chitra sounds very good and her accent is non-existent here. Great lyrics makes you feel the song and not just listen to it.
The other good song from this album is Mere tere naam naaya hai. This is sung by Chitra and SPB.
Maine Dil Se Kaha(Rog)
A winner from Kay Kay. Slow romantic songs seems to be his forte and he proves it again. Elegant lyrics to complement a very good composition. You have to listen to it a few times to really enjoy the song. This is another song with really no orchestration. The USP of the song lies in its melody. A song which will be appreciated more when you are in a blue mood.
Koobusurat is another song to listen to in this album. Definitely not in the same class as Jism but still good enough
Aa Bhi Jaa(Sur)
All the songs in Sur make for great listening. But this song is the winner. Here MM Kreem proves that he is capable of heavy orchestration. The song starts and ends with a violin piece. Lucky Ali and Sunidhi Chauhan lift up the song a notch or two with their rendition. Sunidhi reaches for the high notes with ease. MM Kreem also makes effective use of the violins to build up the crescendo.
I started appreciating Lucky Ali more after hearing this album. He does struggle a bit on the high octaves on a couple of occasions but manages to carry the album on the strength of his voice. This one is also a complete album where all the songs are good with Dil mein Jaagi and *Jaane Kya Dhoondhta hai being standouts.
The next five:
Tu mile dil khile(Criminal)
Kumar Sanu sings this with feeling. Good lyrics to go along with a good composition
Chalo Lekar chalo(Jism)
A naughty number by Shreya Ghosal. A seductive song
Mere Tera Naam(Is Raat ka subah nahin)
A very good solo from SPB . A song about love struggling against all odds.
Dil Mein Jagi(Sur)
Sunidhi Chauhan sings the pallavi without seeming to take a breath. I would think that this kind of song would be hard to compose. The playful attitude is captured in just the right way on the screen too.
Kabhi Shaam Dale(Sur)
The song starts off in a mellow mood and then takes off with the fantastic violin piece. Mahalakshmi sounds very good. I like the way the chorus is used to build up crescendo.
Don?t forget to rate and comment. Bad ones and good ones are all welcome?
Sunny