Well, thats one use to 'word of the day' emails. Hmm maybe self should blog a blog everyday based on the 'word of the day' in my inbox that day huh? Well, the point is, its a music review blog [hey HOLD IT RIGHT THERE..did i permit you to leave..did i??]. Admittedly [calmly composing self after hysterical outburst] self hasnt established any credentials to write one. I know I know, Jack of all blogs and master of, hey waittaminute. I dont particularly like the phrase "Jack of all trades". Why? well coz (a) umm..i can claim its coz its a guy's name..but the female version of it, if i were to insist, ends up being jackess [oh well you get the hint] and mistress [not very complimentary]..well i just think its mean to all Jacks..and (b) its made to sound like its a bad thing..which its not. Kinda like the Jack who plays all the time, hey, HEZ getting by you know?
Aaanyways, self has proposed to write albums i come across recently: first up is predictably M.I.A [Arular]..so lemme yoodle on..
M.I.A--didnt wanna go into the history of the singer et al, but methinks one HAS to, to explain it. Allright a one-sentencer on the artist [if you know me, sentences can take years [figuratively and literally]]
"So Mathangi [Maya] Arulpragasam is dotter of tamil tiger freedom fighter [try saying it over and over again. I did, for 3 minutes..tamil tiger freedom fighter]and lived in srilanka before running to tamilnadu when riots broke out, then to london- Major culture shock or wotever i guess, the official statement is that she used music to express herself"
The tamil tiger-chennai-london connection is important coz her music reveals a fairly strong political statement, U.K undergroup rap and what i would frankly call 'dappanguthu' of chennai streets [one of my favorite music genres--ARR could never replicate it exactly, but illayaraja did a great job of it methinks]. Never a fan of anything gansta rappish, this was a great one to introduce me to it, coz
a) the tribality of the scores- while to an unindian ear, it might sound exotic african [well some reviewer called it east bengalish indian but hey, whoz me to criticize]
b) the TAMIL LYRICS!! who would've known there would be tamil in it..rocked my senses out [once i got used to her accent that is].
c) the blasting rhythm of the music--once you get into the mould, one cant help but move and groove and all that jazz, albeit in complicated tribal indian manner.
Mind you, the music takes some getting used to --the newer beats, the undecipherable lyrics [initially atleast]and the sheer noisiness of it at certain times. Maya's vocals are husky, deep and dark--if that were possible in a voice. its not exactly kid-time lyrics, but its got enough spunk to be a club-grooving album or a gals nite album. You pick.
Check out the story on the artiste:
Here is amazon with her CD
And hey, herez an idea. Below are albums, all of which I've either listened to recently or plan to. Let me know which one I should listen/write on next, and i promise to [hey comeon..i need SOME pressure to blog]. I promise i know nothing of music, so couldnt possibly have a bias/preference.
Anoushka Shankar's Rise
Asha Bhonsle The Kronos Quartet
[both of the above are nominated for Grammys]
Bluffmaster
Rang De Basanti
Coldplay--A rush of blood to the head
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