Ganesh Talkies and Someplace Else

Back when I was in Calcutta, I used to frequent the underground music scene. And it was worth it. There were some really amazing bands and musicians.And a goldmine of diversity - everything from freestyle jazz to death metal. And although I don’t care much about the latter, I have to admit that some of the metal bands in Calcutta are really talented. Calcutta has three major music venues, all of which you must check out, if you’re ever there – Someplace Else, Big Ben, Hotel Kennilworth, and The Basement.

Someplace Else was my favorite. It has introduced many of the best city bands including Cassini’s Division, The Supersonics, Hip Pocket, Five Little Indians and, more recently, The Ganesh Talkies. Formed in 2011, Ganesh Talkies is quite a unique experience, especially live. Dressed in typical “band baajaa” costumes, they belt out a funky mix of alternative-rock, reggae and ska music with a healthy splash of good ol’ Bollywood music. So, you enjoy going out dancing? The Ganesh Talkies are your guys. The line up consists of Suyasha Sengupta, the front-woman, Nabarun Bose on keys, Roheet Mukherjee on the bass (one of my local heroes) and Arka Das on the drums. If you keep up with the underground scene in the country the last two names shouldn’t be new to you. I remember pushing my way to the front of the crowd at a Five Little Indians show to catch a glimpse of Roheet and Arka. In fact, my own band played its first show at Someplace Else. Thinking about Someplace Else makes me wish I was back in Calcutta now. Talking about Someplace Else, Suyasha, the band’s front-woman says “Someplace Else in Kolkata is not just a venue, but truly the 'mecca of music' for music lovers. It's the only place that supports all kinds of live music and every time we play there it's a new experience altogether. Infact it was at SPE where we launched our debut EP last month, the gig also featured eminent musicians Bodhisattwa Ghosh, Tanya Sen and Sandip Roy.”

The band has recently released their debut EP, 'Three-Tier, Non AC' which includes 4 tracks. The EP has been produced, mixed and mastered by Neel Adhikari, of the Five Little Indians fame. In fact, they even have a full length album on the way. But - and I have to emphasize this point - if you ever get the chance to catch them live, try not to miss it. But if you can’t keep your curiosity in check till then, here’s a little taste of the Ganesh Talkies :

 http://soundcloud.com/ganeshtalkies/item-song-clip

The Sound Of Cinema

Ever since I’ve taken up music seriously, there’s been this one specific genre that’s attracted me more than the rest. No it’s not heavy metal or blues. It’s not funk or jazz. Not even electronica. No. Its film score soundtracks. Yes, that’s a separate genre altogether. Music has, surprisingly, always been more of a visual thing for me rather than auditory. So, the affinity towards film scores makes sense. Add to that my uncontrollable addiction of films and you’ll see it’s not surprising that my greatest music heroes are all film composers. Today however, I’m going to talk about only one of them – Clint Mansell.

I can bet bottom dollar that you’ve heard Mansell’s work even if you’ve never heard of the man. Darren Aronofsky’s go-to musician has done it all from Pi to Black Swan. From The Fountain to Definitely, Maybe. From Moon to The Wrestler. And in the unlikely event that you’ve managed to give all of those movies a miss, I’m sure you’ve heard the ridiculously popular theme from Requiem For A Dream, if not in the movie itself than in some TV commercial or show.  So, why him, you ask? Well, because, for me, he one of the few composers who actually hold ups the film and takes it forward with it. Usually, the primary function of a film score is to guide the audience how to feel. But Mansell does so much more. It actively adds to the plotline rather than simply maneuvering it. The Pop Will Eat Itself front-man has scored for every Aronofsky(one of the greatest directors of the last 2 decades) film. That itself is enough credibility to authenticate Mansell’s greatness. Whether it’s the 80s rock-influenced score for The Wrestler, with its distorted guitars and screaming feedbacks, the grand orchestral effort in Requiem For A Dream, the absolutely perfect electro-synth-pop in Moon or the soft, melody driven piano based score in Definitely, Maybe, Mansell’s done it all and how. But my favorite would have to be when he decided to team up with the post-rock band Mogwai(another favorite of mine) and the famed Kronos Quartet( two violins, viola and cello) to score for Aronofsky’s The Fountain (Hugh Jackman, Rachel Weisz). That soundtrack is half the reason why that is of my favorite films ever (the other, obviously, being that it is too good to not be considered of the best movies ever).

So, the next time you’re at the movies, pay a little more attention to what’s going on when your eyes are closed, and you may just surprise yourself.

The Eraser – Thom Yorke

I’m sure you know who Thom Yorke is. No? He’s the guy with the fragile, tenor voice singing in all of those Radiohead albums you love. Now, did you know that he has a solo album out? Yes, it’s called The Eraser. And I’ll say it right now. It’s not a Radiohead album. Although, from time to time, you couldn’t help but wonder what would’ve happened if Yorke took all of it to the band. On the other hand, I’m glad he didn’t. Cause The Eraser is a hell of a record.
If I had to use just one word to describe the album, it would be “grey”. I guess that’s not all that surprising knowing that it’s Thom Yorke. The 9-track record relies mostly on “beats and electronics”, as Yorke puts it. And, I have to point this out, The Eraser is a complete album rather than just a compilation of songs – a tactic which, unfortunately is used widely in the industry nowadays. The record freely explores the vertical while always maintaining the same plane, never losing sight of the broad message. The Eraser, as a whole is a ghostly voice singing the melancholic songs of a man living alone in a dimly lit room. Unearthly sounds rising straight from the core of this earth.  Some tracks like The Clock has a lack of symmetry that makes perfect sense. Others, like Analyze, Black Swan and Harrowdown Hill (named after the woods where Dr David Kelly committed suicide) reverberates the existentialist and absurd thoughts that have been floating around in the universe. Then you have And It Rained All Night, which looks on as New York is submerged in a post-Katrina wreckage: there's a compelling tension between the ambivalence of the lyrics - "how come it looks so beautiful?" - and the music's repeating misery. Or the minimalist beauty of Atoms For Peace posing a contrast to the sweetened motif in the chorus. Or the beautiful synth swell at the beginning of Cymbal Rush where you can almost see the majestic volcano eruptingin slow motion; the bright lave lighting up this otherwise dull, overcast day. And even the sad realization of the truth hidden behind the title track. The Eraser is, without a doubt, a specialist album. But within its limited scope of structure is a sad beauty that will take you to a parallel universe, where the music will envelope you until you realize that you’re the only one there. You’re all alone.
Standout songs: Atoms For Peace, Harrowdown Hill, Black Swan.

The Empyrean – A Beautiful Album By A Beautiful Soul

Don’t ever confuse between John Frusciante, the ex-Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist and John Frusciante, the solo artist. They are two completely different entities. Beyond the reach of pop charts and radio formats, Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante has carved out a parallel world as a solo artist over a series of intensely personal and brilliantly realised albums. The title takes its cue from a term used by Dante, Milton and Keats to describe the highest point in heaven. Frusciante describes it as a concept album (about two characters that exist in the mind of one person over the course of a lifetime) but esoteric knowledge is not a prerequisite to understanding it. On repeated listens, the record reveals itself as a veiled narrative about the struggle to create, the desire for achievement and validation, the temptation to exist. Much like the rest of his solo work, The Empyrean serves as a snapshot of philosophical and spiritual outpourings from the man’s own head. He calls it a concept album (about two characters that exist in the mind of one person over the course of a lifetime), but it essentially boils down to a narrative about the struggle for validation through creation, of facing loss and death amidst a celebration of spirituality. 

The opening song - well instrumental piece actually – Before The Beginning, is Frusciante’s rendition of Eddie Hazel’s epic masterpiece, Maggot Brain.  Every song that follows, however, is a testament to John’s significant growth as a composer and singer since his blizzard of releases in 2004. His guitar virtuosity has never been in question, but John also seems to have grown leaps and bounds as a vocalist as well as a studio artist. John’s cover of Tim Buckley’s Song To The Siren is a gorgeous, sad understatement that’s entirely free of guitar, relying on the sparse, delicate narrative. The minimalistic use of analog synths make this gut-wrenchingly melancholic and desperately lonely.  “I’m as troubled as the tide” doesn’t sound as pretentious as it should, coming from a spirit such as John’s. Given the context, it’s actually heart-breaking. Track 3, Unreachable, builds up like the most intense orgasm you’ve ever had. A beautiful voice, powerful bass riffs, ending with emotionally charged layers of guitar solos – it’s almost the perfect song, like Stairway To Heaven.

Talking about the album, Frusciante said, "The Empyrean is a story that has no action in the physical world. It all takes place in one person’s mind throughout his life. The only other character is someone who does not live in the physical world but is inside it, in the sense that he exists in people’s minds. The mind is the only place that anything can be truly said to exist. The outside world is only known to us as it appears within us by the testament of our senses. The imagination is the most real world that we know because we each know it first-hand. Seeing our ideas take form is like being able to see the sun come into being. We have no equivalent to the purity of that in our account of the outside world. The outer world appears to each of us as one thing and it is always also a multitude of others. Inside to outside and outside to inside are never-ending. Trying and giving up are a form of breathing.”

Notable Songs: Before The Beginning, Song To The Siren, Unreacheable and Central

Four Singer-Songwriters You’d Not Heard Of

(Elliott Smith, circa 1997)

1.       Elliott Smith – Born in Nebraska, Elliott Smith was one of those special musicians who burn so bright that they burn out quickly. Many believe that true art comes from misery and if that’s anything to go by, Smith was probably one of the saddest men on earth. Haunted by the ghosts of drug addiction, alcoholism and paranoia, he died at a young age of 34. But not before leaving behind a body of work filled with angelic falsettos and piercing lyrics.
Notable tracks: Between The Lines, Waltz #2

2.       Ben Howard – Benjamin John Howard is an English singer-songwriter, born in West London. A big fan of Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan, Howard has so far had only one record release but if its anything to go by, there’s a lot of promise from this 24-year-old.
Notable tracks: Promise, Old Pine

3.       Devendra Banhart – The interesting thing about Devendra Banhart (apart from his completely non-American name) is the sheer volume of work he’s put out. In only 11 years of active recording, he’s put out 8 albums and countless singles. The New York Times described his songs as “free associative work” and I must admit that’s a rather nice way to describe it. His songs, although very lo-fi are always psychedelic and with pull you into a tunnel of hallucinations.
Notable tracks: Autumn’s Child, A Sight To Behold

4.       Tom Waits – Born in 1949, is an American singer-songwriter who is one of those musicans who is hard to get. You may not always know where he is coming from. Waits has a distinctive voice, described by critic Daniel Durchholz as sounding "like it was soaked in a vat of bourbon, left hanging in the smokehouse for a few months, and then taken outside and run over with a car." With this trademark growl, his incorporation of pre-rock music styles such as blues, jazz, and vaudeville, and experimental tendencies verging on industrial music, Waits has built up a distinctive musical persona.
Notable tracks: Ol’ 55, Diamonds On My Windshield

Book review: 45 days in a cancer hospital

Publisher: Leadstart Publishing

ISBN-13: 9789381576823

ISBN-10: 9381576823

No. of Pages: 298

Format: Paperback

Language: English

About the book:

Well- it was on long suffering and melancholic- but thanks to the thrilling plot. Medical novels especially those from overseas- have drawn my attention away from my musical pursuits. Alka Dimri Saklani in her debut novel 45 days in a cancer hospital – gives a thorough image of what transpires in a cancer hospital. Here I am focusing on the misery of the cancer patients. How they fight for life and finally succumb to their ill fate.

The writer has explicitly defined pain and trauma through the pages. But if we were to read just about saddening aspects of life- the book would have made me cry out loud. Interestingly- there is more. Good for me- I didn’t have to read about pathetic love lines- the suspense thriller tone received a warm welcome. The characters were well formed. Though at times, I wished for more on behalf of the cancer patients. Somewhere the writer could have involved them in finding the culprit. For example Dr. Anhsuman- seemed one such potential character- who might have played a greater role- but the workings of the evil doers out casted such opportunities. Similarly the presence of the nursing staff was too peripheral. I can understand the attachment of Dr Chatterjee with his Umeed Hospital. And was floored by the way the writer addressed his predicament.

Medical novels are hard to find in India. People are warning up to a few medical dramas aired on TV- but those are packed with high end story lines which hardly seat with the middle class psyche. Thus a book of the plight of the so called common man- does create a new avenue. Heard my teacher say one day- “One form of art influences- another”. If this is true- I would wish Alka Dimri Saklani  brain children-Ashritha and Animesh- have their casting and 45 days in a cancer hospital turn into a TV series- but with brushing and retouching at place. A good read otherwise- subtle and more or less compact.

The reviewer is a young man with a musical ear. His love for flute, guitar and tribal beats gives him the time to read out of the box books as well.

 

MUSIC REVIEW - Kisses on the Bottom

(c) www.gamerzines.com 

Paul Mc Cartney, a memorable name and one among the four famous Beatles member is as we know a musician, singer, songwriter and composer. His new album “Kisses on the Bottom” released on February 6, 2012 is his fifteenth studio album and his first since 2007's Memory Almost Full, breaks the mold of the typical standards album by a rock performer.

What if it rained?

We didn't care

She said that someday soon

The sun was gonna shine

And she was right

This love of mine,

My Valentine

As days and nights

Would pass me by

I tell myself that I was waiting for a sign

Then she appeared

A love so fine,

My Valentine …

….the lines from his album track “My Valentine” floats over you recalling moments of oneness on a fine breeze.

If only my love was here

I'd be taking the time to feel it

Washing over my body and soul

If only my love, only my love was here

I wish that my heart was strong

I'd be letting it beat, much faster

At the thought of you holding me near

I wish that my heart, wish that my heart was strong….

….yet another lines from his song Only Our Hearts absorbs the love and pain in his voice.

The album contains Fourteen (14) tracks that are intimate and tender for ages to come. Among these numbers, the tracks “My Valentine" and "Only Our Hearts" are written by the singer itself whereas the other tracks include other famous song writers. McCartney also plays acoustic guitar on "Get Yourself another Fool" and "The Inch Worm" but otherwise contributes only to vocals. The album also includes the lead track "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter”, originally a hit for Fats Waller in 1935.

Even at the age of seventy, his voice is almost as youthful as in the Beatles’ glory days .All of his songs has a ring of classic and marks itself to be the number one block buster in the US Billboard after days of its release.

His life long achievement include his name in the Guinness World Records as "the Most Successful Composer and Recording Artist of All Time", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100 million albums, 100 million singles, and a writer's credit on forty-three songs that have sold over one million copies each. In 2008, he received a “BRIT award” for Outstanding Contribution to Music, as well as an honorary Doctor of Music degree from Yale University. He also has won Grammy awards along with many other honors and in 2012, he became the last Beatle to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.