“Girls aren’t really made of sugar and spice and everything nice.”

This is what Rupa Gulab’s I Kissed A Frog is all about. While “The Powerpuff Girls” may have taught us otherwise, I Kissed A Frog depicts the truth about relationships, friendships and people today.

Divided into three parts, the book is a collection of short but witty stories that will force you to keep going. Each part of the book follows a theme, “Love And Other Four Letter Words”, “The Friendship Diaries” and “Not So Grim Fairytales For Big, Bad Girls”, and stories from each part echo the same theme.

Now every girl has her choice of chiklits. I Kissed A Frog is a chiklit alright, but not quite the kind that you’re used to. If you’re expecting dark and mysterious, yet ridiculously handsome male protagonists or a toe-curling sex sequence, then save yourself the trip to the book store, this is definitely not a Nora Roberts novel.

But, here’s what you are going to get; realistic stories about women who have body issues, who fall for older men, and whose boyfriends turn out to be transsexual. In fact, these are the stories that should inspire you instead of stories of a fairytale romance that might stir up between you and that hunky cowboy you met on that trip. Get real! That’s never going to happen.

Simply written, the essence of the book really lies in its casual feel. The language is as colloquial as it could get and the sheer normalcy of the themes of every story is what keeps you engaged. There is never a dull moment.

A collection of short stories that are short, frank, and witty, Gulab’s I Kissed A Frog is an interesting read and a realistic representation of women and their relationships today.

So the next time you get dumped or are brooding over the fact that you’ve never had a boyfriend, pick up I Kissed A Frog, the perfect fix for that ridiculous fairytale brewing in your head. You’re Welcome!

Aishwarya Dravid

Image Courtesy [The Viewspaper]

Stand Up Special Review

Louis CK’s been a stand-up comedian for over twenty years, and won two Emmy Awards and a Peabody award for his show, Louie. A few months ago, HBO released the trailer for his new stand up special “Oh My God”. Since I’m a huge fan that’s seen most of his stand up performances, I was pretty excited.

I’ve always been interested in how stand-up comics come up with new material. And if you have seen his show, Louie, you’ll see a lot of similarities between the show and this recent performance. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing- it’s really not. The only difference would be the embarrassment he feels over his miseries, which isn’t there in the stand-up shows. This time, he’s got a mix of trusted old topics and new fresh material.

Once again, he manages to stump the audience with his brutal-yet-true observations.“Oh My God” makes you wonder about how lucky it is to be human and not be a part of the food chain — “You’re already having a bad day, You wake up, make breakfast, burn your toast but it’s too late to try again; you’re walking to work thinking ‘why do I even bother’ and then you run again cursing because there are cheetahs running to eat you at the train station.”

You know you love a comedian’s sense of humour when you laugh at every joke he or she makes. But there are some senseless moments –like when he makes a gay voice to please the audience because he drops some water from his glass — which suggests that this isn’t exactly a perfect performance. In comparison, however, “Live at the Beacon Theatre” was flawless for me.

Sex is always a topic in his comedy acts, which he somehow keeps fresh by sharing his own personal humiliations. Here, it’s not that strong but it’s still there and it’s still funny.

After talking about breasts for about five minutes, he also talks about how dating is an act of bravery for both guys and girls. “The male courage, traditionally speaking, is that he decided to “ask” a woman out. And if the woman says yes, “that’s her courage. How do women still go out with guys, when you consider that there is no greater threat to women than men? We’re the number one threat to women! Globally and historically, we’re the number one cause of injury and mayhem to women.”

A moment later he adds, speaking for all men, “You know what our number one threat is? Heart disease.”

But the one thing you should know about his observations is that they can get quite graphic and vulgar; if that is something that you can’t handle then you probably won’t fully appreciate his humour. For example, he talks about being forty five years old and says, “this happens to me a lot, I’ll be sitting watching TV and doing nothing and all of a sudden I realise, ‘I need to wipe my a** right now’ ”.

He does cover run off the mill topics like sharing your child’s videos on Facebook, and divorce being better than marriage. He hilariously talks about simple daily problems like being fat and having to put on socks — comparing Michael J. Fox’s difficulty to brush his teeth (Michael J. Fox has Parkinson’s disease) with his putting on his socks.

One of my favourite bits of the show is when he describes a day in the courtyard of the building where he had just moved in. He starts talking about how in his first week he went to the courtyard looking as if he didn’t live there (looking like shit), and a guy came to question him about the same thing. Louis then started messing with him and eventually “invented a new way to hurt somebody’s feelings”.

What’s so hilarious about his act is that whatever observations and outlooks about life he does give are bittersweet yet truthful. He says that at his age, he’d rather prefer sitting on a chair than standing up and f***ing.

The last twenty minutes are the most hysterical and messed up part of the show. The whole “Of course, but Maybe” routine is my favourite, as he really stretches the audience’s imaginations while talking about good thoughts and bad thoughts, covering risky topics such as slavery. If this came from any other comedian he’d easily be susceptible to boos, but not Louis CK.

If you’re a fan, this new material won’t be a huge surprise considering what boundaries he’s already crossed but it’ll still be worth your while. And if you’re still discovering him, you might find him a little shocking at first, but his spotless, unconventional observations and uncomfortable hypothetical situations, which most people wouldn’t dare admit they were thinking,  are refreshingly amusing.

He’s not exactly at the top of his game here as he does lose the crowd’s attention during certain jokes but its good fun to see him turn 360 degrees, walk on a completely round stage, and talk about the bittersweet misfortunes and riches of life.

“Oh My God” is the latest addition to Louis CK’s stand-up specials after “Shameless”, “Word- Live at Carnegie Hall” and “Live at the Beacon Theatre”, and is one hell of an entertainer.

Akhil Thakur

Image Source [http://www.indiewire.com/static/dims4/INDIEWIRE/776ce70/2147483647/thumbnail/680x478/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fd1oi7t5trwfj5d.cloudfront.net%2F61%2F4a68a0580611e19869123138165f92%2Ffile%2FJ_D0X7404AFlat.jpeg]

Album Review

Sigur Rós is an Icelandic Post-Rock band that has produced some of the most unusual music I have ever come across.

Coming from Iceland, the band was formed in the year, 1994. The band uses some pretty standard instruments like the guitar, drums, bass and keyboards, yet somehow ends up creating a distinctive, extraordinary sound. Guitarist and vocalist Jónsi often uses a cello bow to play his guitar. One of the most unique things about Sigur Rós, is Jónsi Birgisson’s vocals, which in fact, sound quite similar to Radiohead’s Thom Yorke. Even though he sounds feminine in some tracks, it doesn’t change the fact that Jonsi’s vocal skills are beyond exceptional.

While most may not know how to pronounce it, Ágætis byrjun simply means “an alright start”. It sure is a humble name for a remarkable album.

Within two years of its release, it was considered among the greatest albums ever; lining up with bands like Radiohead at concerts. Even the Rolling Stone Magazine placed it as number 29 on their “Best Albums of the 2000s” list.

Almost all their songs are sung in Icelandic, so there is no point in going to look for lyrics. In fact they’re a mix of English and Icelandic, known as “Hopelandic”. This type of music is made only to listen and dream about. The places or things you can dream of while listening to this album are absolutely limitless. So it doesn’t matter if you don’t understand what he’s singing, as long as you can feel the passion in the song.

Extreme hype can often send mediocre albums up to the top, but this album has a certain balance to itself—classic yet contemporary, mournful yet exuberant, slumbering yet inspiring— all the hype it gets is justified.

I read somewhere that Iceland’s musical talents (Iceland is a really small country) are bigger than what we find in other continents, I think this fact is more fascinating than strange.

When people talk about an album or a song being unique, they overuse that term. Agaetis Byrjun is so oddly original that there is no album that sounds quite like it, and I doubt if there will ever be; even by Sigur Ros themselves.

The songs may look simple on paper, but it’s the execution of each and every note that makes one imagine vivid scenarios.

The basic elements of the band’s song are remarkably simple. Since Jonsi primarily sings in a very high falsetto (method used to heighten one’s vocal range), the vocals sound more like an instrument than a traditional singer. The acoustic guitar brings a rusty touch to the spiritual songs, while the electric guitar is played using a cello bow, sounding as if the band is trying to communicate with the whales.

The introductory track is a riff from the song “Svefn-g-englar”, which means “angels or sleepwalkers”.

Similarly, the last song on the cd, “Avalon”, is a riff from the title track “Ágætis Byrjun“, and is a bit slow.

Interestingly, in the song “Ny Batteri“, Orri, the drummer, uses a cymbal which he found on the side of the road — a car had run over the cymbal and this gave the cymbal a very clash-y quality which somehow works with the song.

In my favourite song “Hjartad Hamast (Bam Bam Bam)”, the band experiments with a funky bass line and a harmonica, and creates a truly distinctive Sigur Ros song.

The vocals in “Svefn-n-englar” are so exquisitely out-of-this-world that you’ll wonder if it’s even humanly possible to sing like that, and he particularly outdoes himself in “Ny batteri” and “Olsen Olsen.” This track is so spectacular that it would seamlessly fit into J.R.R. Tolkein’s fantasy world — a must listen track.

Even when you can’t understand him, Jonsi Birgisson carries so much emotion that you’ll need no further explanation.

Different moods in the songs make the album seem more like a musical journey than a collection of songs. The best parts of the album will completely absorb you into the song.

Trust me when I say this— when you finish the album, you’ll most likely get out of a dream zone and sit back, amazed, with head full of thoughts and reach for the repeat button.

This is an album that is hard not to like, no matter what your musical preferences are. Nearly every song in the album is a highlight and every time you listen to it— be it after a week, a month or a year— it’ll effortlessly bring you back to that ethereal zone. The album can easily represent their best work and if they do improve, which I don’t believe is quite possible; it must be something incredibly exceptional and unreal.

Akhil Thakur

Image Source [http://deadleafonafence.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/sigur_ros-agaetis_byrjun-frontal.jpg]

The National’s rise to international acclaim has been slow and traditional; they’ve produced some good albums, done many tours and have grown with each album. The reason I chose to write about this album in particular is because this one is possibly their best album yet and also because their new album Trouble will find me is up for release in the month of May.

First of all, they’re as Indie as they can be; their music is said to be similar to Interpol and Broken Social Scene; their song lyrics are mesmerising and music is ever progressive. Every song has a tale and every tale has characters with backstories just like us. The music isn’t exactly upbeat, but is still somehow reassuring. If you’re feeling bummed out or just plain morose for some mundane reason, The National has a cure. The following lines are from “Conversation 16”:

I’m a confident liar

Had my head in the oven

So you’d know where I’ll be

I’ll try to be more romantic

I wanna believe in everything you believe

I was less than amazing

Do not know what all the troubles are for

Fall asleep in your branches

You’re the only thing I ever want anymore

Once you get used to the heavy baritone in the vocals, you will begin to gradually embrace this band; for love and loss, for highs and lows. Matt Berninger’s vocals are still the band’s most recognizable quality; despite sounding fatigued in almost every song, his voice still has that depth of expression, which commands the listener’s attention like no other vocalist can.

After the previous two albums Alligator and Boxer, they’ve come up with an album that will easily be ignored by anyone. The album has a subtle charm to itself, and if you give it a little time, you’ll be rewarded with tracks that colour your waking existence.

The album may sound dull to most of you, but each track brings a nuance of beauty and tells its own story. The song writing is again at praise here, and it’s not masterful or ground-breaking, but each story is narrated with a sense of sincerity.

The lyrics are indeed bold and even though they may seem indecipherable, there is a genuine sense of honesty in what Berninger is singing. The songs aren’t exactly summer driving or holiday music tracks, but they have some gorgeously slow, creeping, gloomy melodies.

To really understand the growth in their music you have to listen to their previous two albums. Alligator had a brash and impulsive sound, with a feeling that their period of carelessness was about to end soon; like a young adult having to realise that she has to grow up sooner than later. Boxer was the beginning of responsibility, of recognising the things gone by and being slightly nostalgic about it. There isn’t any childish silliness in High Violet; it’s got a completely different attitude filled with melancholy.

The drumming in the first two songs is exceptional- the opening song “Terrible Love” is very chilled out and soothing till the point the chorus comes in with all its pent up energy, ergo the drumming.

The next track, “Sorrow” has the line “I don’t wanna get over you” but Berninger sings it differently by sounding lifeless, which is exactly how you feel in that situation.

“Anyone’s Ghost” has really nice humming echoes in the background of the chorus, which gives it a haunting atmosphere.

“Little Faith” has some really mellow bass sounds in the background, which is another example of how High Violet is superior to its predecessors.

In “Afraid of Everyone”, the guitars sound a little edgy, with some stutters in his voice when he sings, “”Your voice is swallowing my so-so-so-soul”, and some superb backing vocals make it sound quite dark and ghostly.

“Bloodbuzz Ohio” is one of High Violet’s best tracks and also my favourite. The track has a tranquil feeling to it, but with some passionate drumming, it sounds equally lively.  The song has a truly magnificent chorus while addressing the money problems in adulthood, again showing his best work in times of confusion.

“Lemonworld” is filled with upper-class guilt -“Livin’ or dyin’ in New York it means nothing to me”, “This pricey stuff makes me dizzy”, “But it’ll take a better war to kill a college man like me”- and still has a catchy bit of “do do do dos” in the chorus.

“Runaway” is another of my favourites is something you have to really listen to with your ears open because it’s a heart-wrenching track.

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“Conversation 16” is immaculately charming, making something like “I was afraid I’d eat your brains, cause I’m evil” sound poetic. It sounds wrong, but it’s incredibly catchy and what’s amazing is that they’ve found a haven for such lyrics with such little effort. It has the best of everything: a great bass line, terrific drumming and the non-chalant guitar create the perfect aura for Berninger’s deep vocals.

High Violet is full of restless, personal songs and whether you have a hint of social anxiety or not, The National will make it sound like something splendid and relatable. But it’s not like all their songs are buzz-kills; they’ve got some glowing songs as well. The National have somehow continued to deliver albums superior to each other in a somewhat uninspired indie scene.  And I can guarantee that this band will surely continue to deliver quality music in the coming years.

Akhil Thakur

Image Source [http://blogs.villagevoice.com/music/the-national_high-violet.jpg]

An Installation By Camelliasuman

The year 2012 came to a morbid end with the Delhi Gang Rape Case that shook people in the capital, the country and the world. While people may never be able to erase the memory of the incident itself, it is important to remember and analyse the aftermath.

The Delhi Rape Case occurred on Dec. 16 last year and since then people around the country and women’s groups around the world have been fighting for the security of women around the world (India especially since it was ground zero).

Protests  were rampant all over the country, Delhi in particular, and these only increased once the victim lost her life battling her severe injuries on the  Dec. 31 Had you been in Delhi at the time, you would have seen just how angry the youth was and till what extent they were willing to go. Candle marches were organized to pray and pay respect to “Nirbhaya” and no answer from the government was good enough. Chief Minister Sheila Dixit was booed off the scene when she came to pay her respects and news channels around the country were showcasing the youth’s  voice.

It’s been four months, and the fight is still on.

Recently I attended the India Fashion Summit organized by the Indian Federation For Fashion Development. The theme of the summit was women empowerment and designers showcased their lines on and off the ramp. But the show stopper was an installation by artist Camelliasuman.

After having a brief chat with the artist, here’s what I gathered.

The installation was a depiction of the age old story of The Mahabharata; the epic tale that most people today see as the reason for the current state of women in India.

For those of you who do not know, The Mahabharata is an ancient Sanskrit text which holds religious, devotional and philosophical teachings that we hold in high regard even today; much like the ancient Greek poem, The Iliad.

Now, the reason why The Mahabharata is important here is because Draupadi (the female protagonist) was humiliated in the middle of the court when Duryodhana and Dushasana tried to strip her in public. However, they were not able to do so because Lord Krishna protected Draupadi’s honour by constantly increasing the length of her sari.

So, as one can see, the incident itself is shameful and humiliating towards women, but what most people forget is that The Mahabharata needs to be read as a text that imparts knowledge. The story of Draupadi is like any other story that provides you with a moral in the end.

What the artist’s installation at the summit failed to capture is the underlying moral and importance of Draupadi’s tragic fate. Just like the Christian belief that Jesus sacrificed himself to save mankind from damnation, Draupadi too embraced her fate to save women from being subjugated to such humiliation.

While the installation itself was creative, it did not jump right at you. With a painting in the background of the Pandavas, Draupadi and other characters, one saw a style that was quite similar to what one sees in Madhubani paintings; the depiction of a scene from an ancient text, where the characters itself were painted in an animated fashion.

In front of the painting lay a giant trunk that was covered with newspaper clippings of incidents, from across the country, where women were ill-treated, humiliated and discriminated against. The trunk was left open and in it was a woman covered in an untied sari. Her face hidden, alta on her feet, wearing a sari that was white and red. The woman looked helpless, beaten, and accepting of her fate.

Sure the concept was grand and even accurate to a certain extent, but my disagreement was on the grounds of portrayal. After the Delhi Rape Case, women around the country need to see the power that comes with being a woman, and boon that it really is. The Mahabharata and Draupadi’s humiliation needs to be taught in all schools and colleges as a tale of warning, one that empowers women and frightens men.

While this installation was only the unveiling of an entire series of pieces that the artist has created (based on the theme of women empowerment), I do hope that his other pieces portray women in a different light. One that can inspire women around the country and motivate them to continue fighting the injustice.

Aishwarya Dravid

Image Courtesy [Aishwarya Dravid]

A Review

As Warren Mendonsa plans to release his third album (possibly titled the Old New Album) during the monsoon season this year, I thought we could take a look at his previous album titled The New Album.

As the name suggests, it seems like some of the tracks that didn’t make the New Album set list will be a part of the new album. Also, Loy Mendonsa (of Shankar, Ehsaan and Loy fame) will be playing the keyboard so that is expected to generate some hype.

Coming back to the second album, it features artists including Cole Goodley, Johnny Barker, Jared Kahi and Emma Walter. It certainly shows the growth and depth of Mendonsa’s music. Filled with more ballads than the last one, this album is quite a piece of work. It’s more mature, more thorough and solidifies the artist’s brand.

Honestly, if you listen carefully, each song will be like a story to you. There is this sense of enjoyment with which Warren plays and it’s very obvious to the listener. The standard bluesy tunes are there, but with dashes of Indian shades in the tracks. It’s nice to know that in a nation full of Honey Singh and EDM lovers, the Indian music scene offers something entirely unique as Blackstratblues as well.

The opening track “The Happy Billi Song” sounds as simple as they come, but there’s this sense of joy and exhilaration in the track that gradually resonates. It’s not particularly ground-breaking, but a decent track.

“Lullabyebye” is an impeccable heart-warming track that has such delightful solos that they would match any international track. Played with plain chords and slides, the simplicity of the track never supersedes the proficiency with which it’s performed.

The beginning of “Newness” heaves in a lot of India and most listeners who are expecting rock and roll probably won’t appreciate this. While it may require a little patience, the sweet chorus and reprise will get you there.

“Another Sun (feat. Johnny Barker)”, apart from the track “Ode”, this one is probably my favourite. Like Warren says, his best music comes in collaboration with others and working with Johnny Barker has brought out something wonderful. If you do end up liking this song, you’ll soon start loving it and it will surely make you smile each and every time. There’s something about the minimal lyrics  that just effortlessly improves the track. It’s the album’s true title track, full of ballad like tunes, a level of maturity and gets you rocking as well.

“Older, Wise & Grey (feat. Emma Walter)” has a true indie vibe— a dynamic combination of acoustic and electric guitar, progressive vocals (courtesy Emma Walter) all performed with subtlety. The song also has a short, yet delightful solo and some great lyrics that make you think and wonder.

“Ode To A Rainy Day” is another track that exhibits the artist’s maturity and will require a fair deal of patience from the listener. It’s slow and oozes a Pink Floyd-esque vibe throughout. As we listen to the song we observe a slight change in the tempo with a gradual yet energetic solo. The end is just like a release of all the pent up energy of the album into a one or two minute sequence— which is not such a bad thing.

“Ode To A Sunny Day” is the most definitive track of the album and is rightly saved for last. The song is so beautifully written and executed that it’ll most definitely draw you in and take you on a journey to your own dreamland.

There’s not much more I can say about this track, so you’ll have to figure it for yourself.  Also check out Warren’s collaboration with Karsh Kale titled “Hallelujah” which is basically a track with Karsh Kale’s timely lyrics.

Produced and performed flawlessly, structured with excellence- The New Album has certainly exceeded expectations, and is more than a worthy successor to Nights In Shining Karma. This album has been carrying the weight of fan’s expectations for around four years now, and in just a few months, we’ll have another album. Here’s hoping that it’ll have a similar feel and the ingenuity of this great album.

Akhil Thakur

Image Source [http://f0.bcbits.com/z/19/98/1998958951-1.png]

Simply put, Acapella (also pronounced A capella or Acappella) means singing “without use of any musical instruments”. Using only individual or group voices, it is usually associated with choir music. The artists use their voices to imitate instruments and their sound effects. It’s fascinating to see how this kind of music began (in churches and chapels) and where it is now (being used as song cover techniques).

History of Acapella Music

Acapella hymns were the earliest form of singing in the church. And it wasn’t restricted to just Christianity either- Judaism and the Muslim religion also adopted this form of singing since their prohibition of using musical instruments. The acapella style was then slowly incorporated into different vocal styles.

The famous barbershop quartet style is an American exclusive, used in numerous films and TV shows. It’s mainly characterized by its taut, consonant four-part harmonies and ringing overtones.  In barbershop quartets, the lead normally sings the melody, the tenor harmonizes above the melody, and the baritone and bass sing below the melody. The result is a sound that is unmistakable to even the untrained ear. Early barbershop music (1800s) was closely associated with the African-American gospel quartets, but In the 1940s, barbershop music became widely popular, and in 1954, the Chordettes brought barbershop into the pop mainstream with their song “Mr. Sandman”.

“The Doo-Wop”- a form of acapella pop music devised by African-Americans was soon formed. It developed from gospel music sung in black churches in various parts of the United States of America. Doo-wop differed from general black gospel singing by the added presence of blues influence.

In the 1930s and 1940s, black groups would sing this new style of music on street corners after church and at other times. Often their music would consist of three, four, and even five part harmonies. Since the singers did not use musical instruments in these street corner acts, early doo-wop was always sung as an acapella.

In the 1950s, some doo-wop singers began imitating musical instruments by singing rhythmic accompaniment sound with made-up words, such as “doo-wop.” This is how this style of singing later came to be known as doo wop. Some of the doo wop groups in the fifties also used instrumental accompaniment.

Until recently, “college a cappella” was traditional; groups often sang college-specific songs and maintained classic, revolving ranges. In the 90s, collegiate a cappella started focussing more on the pop genre- focussing around the imitation of rock instruments, and vocal percussion (now famously known as beat-boxing). Today, there are thousands of college a cappella groups around the world.

Famous artists like Billy Joel, Paul Simon, Backstreet Boys and Boys II Men began integrating in their tracks thereby increasing acapella’s popularity even further. Acapella music has spread itself to other musical genres including punk, hip hop, and electronica.

Acapella in Hindi Music

This style has begun to influence India music and singers as well. Mainstream and Indie music is continuously incorporating acapella styles in their music. Check out the following videos for Hindi acapella music.

Like I said, acapella can include lots of singers or just one. The above videos include small and choir-like groups or singers adding elements from lead singer to minimal sound effects- all without any instrumental use.

This video however, has been sung individually by an artist called Alaa Ward who doesn’t even speak Hindi. The Hindi is easily forgivable and even unnoticeable for some. This video is the perfect example of sound effects like guitar, lead, bass and strings being performed without ever actually using any instruments. To really understand each effect, you needn’t understand every new musical term that pops up; all you’ll need to do is -watch it a couple of times and pay attention to only one effect, each time a new bunch of effects come onscreen. The part to especially keep your eyes open for is the “body” part where the tempo of the song is formed. Once you get that, you’ll enjoy the track on another level.

While some may like the solo parts, I really like the “Kuhn” sound on the 1:25’ minute mark which sounds just like the original. The 2:11 minute mark is my favourite part- you have ten similar faces with distinct sound effects resonating with flair. This part also has the “beat-box” bit, which fits in seamlessly as well. The 3:00 minute mark is a great high-pitch acapella moment for me – the contrast between the “bass” part and the “tenor” part (tenor is the highest male voice) is great to hear. The 3:46 mark and the ending cap up a great recreation of a wonderful song.

https://soundcloud.com/r-jahman/hindi-acapella

The above track is a famous Hindi song called “Aap Jaisa Koi meri Zindagi mein aaye” in acapella. The initial part is clearly inspired by the African-American “DOO-WOP” styles and after the 1.50’’ minute mark, the real acapella part begins. Even the ending is really covered quite well, and before I forget, this song’s famous “beam-like” sound is very fantastically covered by the artist.

The key to really appreciate this singing style is always to focus more on the background sounds. One thing to notice in all these videos is that in the beginning of every song you’ll see sounds made by voice, mouth, body, glass etc. which is important, since it wouldn’t be really considered acapella without it.

For those who’d rather prefer anything other than Bollywood sounds, here are some famous international tracks in their awesome acapella versions. Enjoy.

Akhil Thakur

Image Source [http://victorsvillage.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/acapella.jpeg]

Artist: Alt-J

I remember listening to a song from this album on my friend’s iPod some time back. Back then, I had no idea who the artist was, but then I heard the same song once again last month. That sweet feeling of familiarity came rushing back to my head, and I realised that I ought to find out who the singer was. And it turned out that this debut album received the highly prestigious, 2012 Mercury Prize, and was also a part of The Guardian’s Top ten albums in the year, 2012. And its only after listening to it, that you will realise how beautiful the songs are.

The flow of the album is really smooth; each track keeps you in the right mood, rather than surprising you with an unnecessary upbeat track.  You could play the entire album on repeat and not even realise half of the time when each song started and ended. The number of styles and instruments used is quite a lot; you might have to just zone out from enjoying the song, to tell how many distinct instruments are being used. By not sacrificing their intelligence for the sake of sounding pleasant, Alt- J has achieved a lot to just be recognised so widely. Their YouTube channel has already received twenty million views with almost half -a-lakh subscribers.

To really understand some of the songs, you might have to go check out the lyrics and read it, under the “indie” and “folktronica” genre tag; despite quite a few academic references, the songs are very listenable. They might sound as “hipster”, but there is no pretense among the members. If you do skip them for their “pretentious” appearance, well… it’s your loss.

The band’s name comes from the delta sign of a triangle on a Mac computer. It sounds a little nerdy, not that I mind.

The first impression I had of this album was that it was very original and was filled with ideas and thought-provoking lines. I still agree to all of that, though after listening to it for the fifth time this week I’ve begun to realise that it can be an overload. But you can’t deny the quartet’s creativity, every song is interesting, if not inspiring.

The album opens with “Intro”, which starts with calm, melodic guitars before the background develops into something with distorted bass. It’s followed by “Interlude I”, which establishes the band’s impressive vocals. It’s a fascinating beginning to the album, one that starts to demonstrate their array of musical techniques.

“Dissolve Me” just further captures Alt-J’s versatility, combining some superb folk harmonies and stammering beats to create a highly infectious pop track. You can see how learned these guys are by just focusing on the lyrics. Each track (some with music videos; see below) is stimulating and enjoyable.

“Tessellate” is one song that you get hooked onto. With its mix of trippy rhythms & percussion, it stays in your head, buzzing around. It’s funny how some lyrics are aimed at their logo.

“Triangles are my favourite shape

Three points where two lines meet

Toe to toe, back to back, let’s go, my love; it’s very late

‘Til morning comes, let’s tessellate”

“Breezeblocks” is one of the best track in the album with great build ups, tight drums and a heart wrenching chorus. It was quite hard to really pick one favourite track in this album and if I had to it would be “Matilda”. It could be because of my love for the Roald Dahl novel that goes by the same name. But the track in itself is filled with charming melodies and calm vocal performances making it a truly gorgeous track to listen to. Another track I’d like to mention is “Taro”, this track completes the album with an alluring rhythm.

Often compared to Radiohead, they’re closer to the XX for me. With such a bold debut album, one expects to see these four singers from Cambridge to rise even further.

I adore this band, and I feel really lucky to have found another artist to add to my music library. Awesome like the title of the album says, this wave will certainly wash you away.

Akhil Thakur

Image Source [http://wavemakermagazine.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/alt-j-an-awesome-wave.jpg?w=450&h=401]

For those of you who didn’t make it, last Friday was one hell of a show at blueFROG. The current student community may or may not have heard of them, but Euphoria was performing at the venue, and it was quite a performance.

Now, I’m not ashamed of saying that I’ve been to quite a number of concerts, and have quite the varied taste in music. So when I say that this performance was nothing like you’ve ever seen, I mean it. Sure, Euphoria is one of the oldest bands that India has produced, and it has quite a fan following, one that is loyal, but the atmosphere at blueFROG was definitely something that I wasn’t prepared for.

From middle-aged men coming in after work, to young college kids, everybody was there. Not to mention that both sets of groups looked like they were having a ball of a time. Euphoria themselves were in their element and connected to the audience on a level that resonated throughout the performance. Right from their first song, they had the audience hooked, and Palash Sen’s excitement and old school dance moves only drew him and his band closer to the crowd.

If you are not a Euphoria fan, this concert would have surely turned you. From the songs, to the crowd, to the audience singing “Maairi”, the show was worth remembering. Take a look at what you missed.

Get an idea? So the next time the band is strumming a few in their hometown Delhi, make sure you’re part of the show. It’ll be like nothing you’ve ever imagined.

Aishwarya Dravid

Image Courtesy [Chandni Aggarwal]

Artist: Blink-182

First of all, technically, an EP (extended play) is like a mini album- with a bunch of tracks but not enough to be considered a full-length album. Generally, EPs are viewed as makeshift releases to keep a band’s momentum going between tours or album cycles. This one on the other hand, is a lot more than that.

For those who didn’t know, Punk rock icons Blink-182 released their first post-reunion album “Neighbourhoods” in the year 2011- that’s two years after the official reunion. This EP however, was written and recorded in some two months and officially released in December 2012. It seems like the band has again become vital in the eyes of members Mark Hoppus, Travis Barker and Tom Delonge, which is great news. And unlike the generalisation that EPs aren’t that good, this cluster of tracks is worth listening to, at least for fans of the band.

While the last album seemed unlike their usual punk nature, the band returns to some of its roots while keeping the mature Blink-182 sound as well. The guitar tone and familiarity in the sounds is still there, but that’s not a bad thing at all and the high tempo is back. Unlike “Neighbourhoods”, the three guys this time sat down and recorded it together in one room (not via the internet).

The opening track “When I Was Young” begins with a soft keyboard intro, going for like half a minute and then bursts up with some great drumming and backing vocals by Hoppus. The chorus- with a three chord riff- is simple but catchy as hell. It’s a superb track with a chorus that anyone could end up liking.

The title track “Dogs eating Dogs” starts up with a fast tempo and is extremely similar to a track from Mark Hoppus’ other band +44 (fans will be able to tell that). You can feel the energy and aggression in this track from the start and it never goes away. Pop punk at its core, catchy and with great song-writing including “I am numb to the shot  … I have a crippling fear of heights…’Cause the fall sounds a lot like a symphony of cries”. This is the same band that once wrote, “I tried to f*** your mom in the**…Tried to f*** your dad in the ass… could only find the dog….and his a**” some ten years ago; so, you can see that they’ve grown a lot.

“Disaster” takes a while to build up, but once it does, the whole Angels and Airwaves (Tom Delonge’s other band) vibes come back to mind. The groove and the chorus fit in quite well and every time the chorus starts, there’s a great “Again” sound in the background that feels great. This experimental song goes up and down, with a lot of vigour till its last note.

“Boxing Day” is the only acoustic ballad on the EP but it’s worth mentioning. My favourite track of the album, it’s a pleasant (yet sad) track with Delonge showing his versatility and Hoppus showing that he’s still able to do both lead and backing vocals with skill. This is one of those tracks whose lyrics I don’t think I’ll ever forget. It’s absolutely worth playing on loop/repeat. 

 “I’m empty like the day after Christmas

Swept beneath the wave of your goodbye

You left me on the day after Christmas

There’s nothing left to say, and so

Goodnight”

“Pretty Little Girl” begins very ingeniously with a quiet drum effect and new wave effects. The best thing about this song is that it builds up with a pre-chorus before the actual chorus. Delonge and Barker carry this song with such absolute precision that you won’t be able to tell Hoppus’ absence unless you really search for his voice.  This track stands out from the others and not because of the rap bit in the middle.

Filled with catchy lyrics (even funny at times), solid vocals and bits of both the young and mature Blink-182, this album is more versatile and stronger than Neighbourhoods. Considering how once there once was a time when a reunion seemed next to impossible, the fact that the trio have collaborated and finished something like this together is quite an accomplishment. If you have some twenty minutes to spare, then skip that sitcom and listen to this- You might just like it.

Akhil Thakur

Image Source [http://images.fanpop.com/images/image_uploads/Blink-182-blink-182-711219_1024_768.gif]