Jal

Pakistani rock bands live accelerated rock cycles – consider Jal, who released three great songs and then split up, complete with bitter accusations and all. Unlike the rock and roll bands of yesteryears they didn’t even have time for drugs, booze and sex – which _(along with sucides)_ used to be the main cause of breakups back then. Now they have childish ego driven temper tantrums berating each other over trivialities which even their most ardent fans can’t figure out.

Anyways, some months ago along came this song ‘Aadat’:http://hiptingle.spydigital.com/index/files/file_info/931 by Jal. To quote ‘Deevan’:http://deevaan.blogspot.com/:

bq. A powerful starting track backed by solid vocals, probably the best to appear on the pop scene in Pakistan in a long time, a powerful rock ballad.

It was overplayed everywhere till people started puking when they heard it yet again, but it’s a brilliant song. In all respects a good one.

They released another brilliant song, ‘Raigoon Mein’:http://www.jaltheband.com/rangonmein.html. Then one more, ‘Dil Haray’. All three songs by the orginal band are brilliant, heads and shoulders above other recent offerings.

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Noori: Suno Kay Main Hoon Jawan

I had given up on Pakistani music the last few years. There was still Junoon hanging out somewhere over the horizon, and a few others, but nothing else. All the local pop/wanna-be rock music sounded exactly like what it was/is: overcommercialised rubbish. Then along came Noori:

bq. Noori are a beacon of originality in a tiresome pop infested sea of urban-folk dross. “Suno Kay Main Hoon Jawan” is a wild and tender, eclectic, inventive, richly realised debut of aspiring proportions.

>> “Pakistani Rock Music Directory 2003”:http://www.pakistanipopmusic.co.uk/index.htm

Some people have called them Pakistan’s first alternative band. While their music is not quite ‘alternative’ as per Western bands, by Pakistani standards it certainly is. Junoon is the indisputable ‘top’ band of Pakistan, but if Noori can crank out even two more albums which are as good I’d rate them up there with Junoon.

Practically “all their songs”:http://noorifans.com/multimedia/pafiledb.php?action=category&id=23 are somewhere on the internet, and there are a number of active Noori “commnities”:http://www.nooriworld.net/forum/. One of their best songs Gawalmandi Ke Siri Payai, is not on their debut album, but it can be “downloaded”:http://www.apniisp.com/album_noori_skmhj.html.

The “official Noori site”:http://www.nooriworld.net/ is under development and has an active “forum”:http://www.nooriworld.net/forum/. It’s been two years not and there’s still no sign of their second album, although they are working on it.

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Rap Music

An interview with Chuck D. on Fox News: bq.. On why rap seems so vulgar, “Ask the men in suits who control the radio playlists – ask them why they only are interested in the lowest common denominator. Where are the story tellers? There’s lots of story tellers with good stories to tell in rap … Read moreRap Music

Songs to Buy

“Metafilter”:http://www.metafilter.com/mefi/26316?foo=Best%20song%20of%20the%20last%20quarter%20century has a discusison about the best songs in the last quarter century. Following are songs I plan to buy/download: * Boa | Duvet * Get Up Kids | I’m A Loner Dottie, A Rebel * -Duran Duran | Is There Something I Should Know- * -Republica | Ready to Go- * La’s | There … Read moreSongs to Buy

Trance 2002 Overview

Trance.nu has posted a good overview of the best trance music of 2002. Another year has gone by and loads of things have happened in the trance scene. To remind, rewind and remember, Trance.nu have covered 2002’s fifty prime events in this year’s biggest article Remembering 2002.