Music review: Rock On, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy!
Shankar Mahadevan, Ehsaan Noorani and Loy Mendonsa may be better known for making Karan Johar heroines swoon to their music, but they also happen to be extremely talented musicians in their own right. Their musical roots go way beyond Bollywood, and that is amply evident in the soundtrack of Rock On.
The trio delivers a bunch of songs that are fresh, catchy, and very college rock. The entire album is raw at the edges, a very welcome trend from the over-produced garbage that passes for most of Bollywood soundtracks.
However, Rock On's only let-down is Farhan Akhtar's voice, it must be said. While he has the 'feel' right of an amateur rocker, one gets the feeling that with a slightly better singer, Ehsaan's sparkling guitar work, the very live drums and bass of Darshan Doshi and Ardeshir Mistry and Loy's tasty keyboards would have been done justice to.
The band starts off with Socha Hai, a vivacious number drenched in catchy guitar hooks, that pretty much sets the tune of the album. It's a zippy ride, a breezy, zesty song you want to hop to.
Pichle Saat Dino Mein kicks in with overdriven guitars and cynical lyrics.
"Kabhi Khud Pe hassa mein
Kabhi Khud Pe Roya
Mainey Pichle Saat dino
Mein Yeh sab Khoya"
Ehsaan's guitar wails into a neat blues-rock licks-filled solo and the song kicks butt.
Next up is the title track, Rock On, which is nice, but by which time you have begun to realise all the songs are in the same key (and could sound a tad monotonous) and it could be to accomodate the vocalist's limitations. Even then, the anthem potential is undeniable. Again, Ehsaan's very blues -rock playing and Loy's keyboards hold up the song.
MUST READ: Meet Farhan eye candy!
Then comes a gem of the album, Ye Tumhari Meri Baaetin, sung soulfully by Dominique Cerejo, backed by a lovely guitar drone that tugs at your heart. The bass glides beautifully beneath and subtle keyboards add to the hypnotic feel, like watercolour twilights.
Bam! Think tattoos and body piercings. Zahreeley is heavy metal crashing into Bollywood for what must be the first time. Sung by Suraj Jaggan, the song, with its powerplay between the guitars, vocals, and drums, is NOT for you if your idea of angst is a hero looking misty eyed at the moon. Zahreeley is all blood and gore with a great shred guitar solo that threatens to blow the speakers away.
Full rocking movie and songs are too rocking so rock on!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Pritam does not even know the spelling of rock. Farhan has done a decent job and yeah he is not steven tyler but he does a more than satisfactory job maybe not to the purists! The sound obviously is not exactly new but it is new in hindi cinema and the tunes make for good listening and would find a slightly larger base than hardcore rockers.
I heard all the songs and the songs totally rock!!
like the above people, i initially thought farhan was not a right choice, but guess what..Hez kinda beer...Like aquired taste...Give the songs a few repeats and ull luv em all....Socha hai is my fav...
so..Jus' rock on people!!
I heard allthe songs all are very good, specially i liked 'sindbad sailer' guys listen this songs!
good luck! Roock on!!
I heard all the songs and i think its not all tat bad! Pichale saat dino me was the best of them,great music,and gud singing by farhan!!! Considering the fact tat he s not a professional singer, he has done justice to his work! Gud album,its far better than the routine baarat songs. So just enjoy!!!
From 2000 onwards, many unusual films with unusual/offbeat or different from routine there are working fine...Unlike the same hero, heroine, villain, unreal fights...And item song comprising flicks..Greatest example is farhan akhtar's "dil chahta hai" himself..Lot other films like khosla ka ghosla, tarey zameen apr etc have unusual things and are actually being welcomed. So why not rock on? It will surely work...And it would work wonders. It would mark the beginning of another revolution.
then about farhan, i wonder why are everyone after farhan and ready to tear him into pieces...If any xyz son can act and any xyz actor can turn director, then why can not he pursue his other talents ...Who gives you right to restrict him into one thing..Thats direction...If you have noticed he is an excellent actor and delivers emotion perfectly..I agree he is not too great as a singer..But he is quite good....Doing reasonably good job.
and another thing about farhan akhtar which all seem to forget is he is extremely handsome, attractive and a sex symbol...He surpasses any bolly wood hero be it looks, charms , persona, style, class so its would be a shame if this eye candy would stay hidden behind a camera always ...For men the perception is unluckily limited to farhan being a great talent, but women are lucky enough to know what a cutiepie and hottie he is...With a million dollar traffic stopping look and sexy husky voice that makes females go weak at knee, this hearthrob is demanded on screen. Else it would be a great shame and loss seeing oldies and average lookers get so much hype for nothing.
so stop fussing for nothing.
know the potential of trend setting movies.
know the real hero.
farhan akhtar is best..Forget the rest.
The music is different . Its for the youth n not for the olds . Farhan akhtars voice is suitable as he s playing lead singer of their band in movie . At least songs r not sucking like aditi or milo na milo . Surely deserves 4 of 5 scale .
Ms pal, aren't you a little partial to 'rock' music? Seriously now, do you think hindi film audiences will like this? Give us pappu can't dance...
Rock on will not work....I mean teh music. It is too niche. And farhan akhtar shoudl not have sung the songs.
I think sel have done fair enough job with rock on. Music is different from other sel's work and they have kept a balance with bollywood typo and rock music.I think they have used lead of rock on's title track with their earlier work (same lead was used in lakshya while hritik and team was climbing mountain in climax).
i will give 4/5 for rock on.