Music Review: Strings - Koi Aane Wala hai
I remember Strings to be one of the most exported band from across the border. Their music has been reminiscent with my college years, with my friend strumming the chords to the tune of “Anjaane Kyu” (which remains till date my favorite of the lot). It has been 4 years since Dhaani was out. Hard to believe. Feels like yesterday when we used to hum “Mil Gaya Woh, Jo Churake…“, but then, it has indeed been 4 years since. And the duo of Bilaal and Faisal have been busy doing Indian soundtracks (Zinda for example which is included in this album). So the big question is-Does Koi Aane Wala Hai make it up for the 4 years that these guys took to write these songs? The answer is a big NO. And what does it lack in? Originality for starts, a good sound for second and thirdly, melody. It is so pathetic that it sounds a wannabe album, even for the industry veterans that Strings represent. And yes, I shall deal with the tracks -one by one. But I shall stay mum about Zinda- coz that actually doesn’t belong to this album. And I can fight even the duo for that. C’mon, this is a recycled OST of a movie, (which itself is a recycled dump of a hippo) released two years back. So, argument won. Next is the order in which I have heard the CD. Last track first. Why? Because that is where you find the laziness of the creator. That is where mediocrity creeps in and that IS the first place to find compromise and may be sometimes what they call INSPIRATION.
Track: 12-Akhri Alvida. Sounds like a sequel of KK’s alvida- just the name. Play this one and you will realise, well Faisal and Bilaal have tried to fool us with this one. You know what, we do listen to Coldplay and we do know the song-Clocks. So what, this is just an inspiration you see. The piano intro, and the cello slides, and then Faisal in his signature vocals begins- Dhadkane Khamosh Hai Kuch Kehtee Nahi..and by the time we reach the chorus line- Ye Akhri Alvida Naa Ho- it takes shape of the famous guitar line portion from Fix You when Chris Martin starts running and enters the stadium. Get it. As graphically copied to the details as mentioned and 0 % exaggeration. Track 12- Yawn, lousy lyrics, bad copy. If we wanted to hear a Coldplay song we would. Don’t package it as Akhri Alvida
Track 11:Zinda: As discussed above, won’t talk about this one. If you really want to know, this is an OK OK song which is heavily orchestrated with unnecessary embellishments. Especially the annoying drum lines in the intro. All I can remember of this song is John Abraham and Sanjay Dutt who did playback on the video of the song. The video actually was of these two guys sitting with the Duo in a recording studio. Anyway, what does that have to do with this review. Aah, next!!
Track 10: Hum Hee Hum: This is the beginning to an assurance that the drumming on this album will just get worse as we proceed in the album. This track is all about “Hum Hee Hum”, you get it. The drumming is very sloppy and very routine. The guitar riff is very ordinary, and the bass line is continuous (which is the only not-bad thing going on in this track). The solo does nothing to me. And yes, as usual Faisal is ruled out by Bilaal when he takes over the microphone. I don’t see anyone humming this song. Unless we can find either Dhoni, SRK or Amitabh Bachhan to feature in this video. Why these three? It’s so obvious. Who else would sing - Hum Hee Hum ?
Track 9:Titliyan: Sounds like a soundtrack of a movie made for children. Well, this is but sounding very repetitive. Ek Jheel Thee, Kaee Phool The, Sab Mit Gaye, Kya Kahe..e..e., is that the best you can do? I know a Strings album doesn’t boast of lyrics with earth shattering emotional-quotient. But we have had some good ones as well. Ugh! The track is just 2 mins through, and I’m skipping to the next, not caring of any hidden melodies in the last 10 seconds.
Track 8:Jab Bhi Main: What is up with the drummer? It sounds so much like a Kolkata made bass drum, being banged in a 10 by 10 room with a tin roof. And trust me on this, this sounds like Strings are releasing their first album. Yes, this could be a good intro song for a debut album. But I just don’t accept it to follow even Chhaye Chhaye. Very disappointed and yet 7 more to go.
Track 7: Sonay Do: Ok, just a track before I was talking of a soundtrack made for children. Actually this is the one. The drumming is yet again very much like one you would find in a kindergarten rhyme recitation. It is Bilaal on the vocals this time-full time. And somehow this one seems like inspired by Taare Zameen Par (the movie, not the soundtrack). Listen to it and you’ll get what I mean by that.
Track 6:Jab Say Tumko: Fine, I am done talking about the drummer, let’s go to other flaws. Oh yeah, the snare is just CHEAP. And oh yeah, is this really STRINGS. Lemme get you the lyrics first:
Jab Say Tumko Maine Dekha Hai, Mujhe Pyar Ka matlab aa gaya
Jab Say Tumko Maine Chahaa Hai, Mera Jeena Aasaan ho Gaya X4
And there is a good riff going there , but that drumming is just swallowing it and pooping all over it. This is a very very pathetic attempt at creating a wanna be glam-metal sound.
Track 5: Keh Dia: This is a movie soundtrack. Yes, can fit into any of those lovey-dovey flicks. And surprisingly is the first one that I have liked in the entire album. Probably because there’s hardly any drumming. But then, I somehow like the melody on this one. It’s a romantic number with a muted acoustic rhythm on the chorus line, and lots of chorus going Heyy Yooo!!! Good that they didn’t include any techno tones on this one.Nice job done on this one.
Track 4: Jaago: Quite self-contradicting, don’t you think? They have a song called Sone Do, and then they have another one called Jaago. That’s actually the only interesting to tell about this song. The climax has Bilaal going Acapella for a while to then eventually rock out, quite predictably. Pfft!!! This track doesn’t exist.
Track 3:Humsafar: Sounds like the duo have been listening to a lot of Brit soundtracks. You know the ones included in Runaway Bride. This is like just another addition to that. Not a bad song actually. But saying anything better than that would be said in pity.May be I have built up my hate-wall for this album by now, and may be it would have worked if I were to listen the first two tracks first. It’s upto them now. Two more to go.
Track 2:Ek Do Teen: Starts like a Mika Song ( another Brit) on the piano and the drummer ruins it. Ugh. The trumpets blow and then the bass line kicks in. And then the chorus- Ek Ho Teen, Kaisa Badla Scene, Duniya Thee Rangeen, Aur Main hi Main Tha- Yeah the story of a miracle happening with the spell of a magic wand. I am not 8 anymore. Are they bringing in Darsheel to star in the video of this song?
Down to the Title Track: Koi Aane Wala Hai: Hmm, interesting distorted guitar intro. They better not go wrong with this one. They do know that they can’t afford to. Coz, c’mon, they included John Abraham on the video. Good ol’ friendship still ZINDA. They concentrated their entire 3 years and 364 days in making this one. And then, mixed and matched the discarded chorus lines, riffs, rhythms of this one and jumbled them up to create the rest of the album. Trust me. The title track is a signature Strings song, and would remain in my playlist for quite a while. Has that vibe to make it easily identifiable which is lacking in the entire album.
Good thing though that I kept the best for the last. As for the soundtrack, I do think Koi Aane Wala Hai- yeah, Brrrttttt…eww…me Fart!
