Rock On

Goosebumps. That’s what some voices do to me. And that’s exactly what happened when I first heard ‘Mitwa’: remember SRK and Rani, roaming the streets of New York, sharing a vibe which gets deeper with each glance? That song from ‘Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna’ is still high on my playlist, and it’s the one I turn to when I’m all love-lorn and mushy!Shafqat Amanat Ali sang that one, and a couple of other Bollywood faves (’Yeh Hausla’ from ‘Dor’, ‘More Saiyaan’ and ‘Tere Bina’ from ‘Hyderabad Blues 2′). Till then, he was better known as the former lead vocalist of Fuzon, the popular Pakistani band which combined classical, rock, jazz and sufi elements in a completely sub-continental, completely fresh sound.
His just-out debut solo album ‘Tabeer’ is outstanding: the music is all self-composed, and has been playing in a continuous loop, in my home, and in my car! Of the nine tracks, the one I liked best is the haunting ‘Khairheyan De Naal’, which talks of lost love and parting. The soft, romantic ‘Naina’ puts me in the mood for love; so does ‘Rang Le’, the use of the accordion giving it an almost Parisian feel — you know, the guys-on-the-accordions who strum softly as you dig into your coffee-and-croissants in a Paris street-side cafe.
The real test of a singer is when he can carry off a tune without too much accompaniment: ‘Bulle Shah’ has just the flute backing the song. Fabulous. You can also see Ali trying his hand at old classics: his ‘Dum Ali’ is yet another version of the classic ‘Mast Qalandar’ composition, all energy and motion. And ‘Kartar’ — Raag Darbari with electronic beats — is a fine example of marrying the classic with the modern. No wonder he’s called the Rockster Ustad!
‘Tabeer’ means fulfillment. And that’s indeed what I feel — from head to tingly toe — every time I finish a round of listening.