The last post with a tag of songs is dated late November last year. This does not mean that music has been lacking. In order to justify, here is a post dedicated solely to music, awesome music that i have been listening -
1. Swarthama - I have attended two of their concerts so far. Both of them have been awesome. Their songs have a mix of strong message and a diversity of instruments all under a reasonably melodious tune to make it come together. Their concerts are very lively and entertaining. My fav songs so far are Pyaasi, Khul ja re, Aaj ki taaza fikr, Bhoomi and devotional atyachar. Devotional atyachar is one of the best spoof names that i have seen recently. Here is pyaasi's video -
2. Depths of the ocean - This solo album by Shusmit Sen (of Indian ocean fame) has quite melodious songs. My favourite is called City Lights which also features Shubha Mudgal. Here is a small preview -
3. Gulaal - Well Gulaal's music was a recent discovery. Gulaal's music captures the angst, the helplessness and the sense of revolution all at the same time. Piyush Mishra's voice suits the mood very well. There are two songs that just blew me away - Duniya and Raat ke musafir. Duniya is a new take on the classic Guru Dutt song which also features the famous line - "Yeh duniya agar mil bhi jaye toh kya hai?" Piyush Mishra's take is refreshingly different and brings a new interpretation altogether -
Raat ke Musafir is sung by Rahul Ram(Again indian ocean fame) . The lyrics are so depressing that had it not been the slow singing of Rahul, upon just reading them, i would have never liked to read them again. But the slow singing with pauses in between brings some sort of humanity to the song. Lyrics even though they are depressing are very well written.
4. I got the new album by Rabbi, Rabbi III listened to it for some time but need to listen more before commenting on it.
5. Going to a concert tonight by Laal, a Pakistani band. So in order to get a feel, started listening to them and so far they are quite good, atleast in terms of choosing their songs. THey mostly sing political songs written by poets et al. Here is a one of their songs -
6. And it seemed that i had not posted about the Indian ocean album - Khajoor road. It is a cult album, i like all the songs in it, best one being zindagi se darte ho. But these two are very close seconds -
And this one is -
Its amazing that sometimes the best things are never talked about here, it is just assumed that this is part of my life and does not need to be documented :)
Anyways, music spirit is very high these days!!!!
Showing posts with label video. Show all posts
Showing posts with label video. Show all posts
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Rahul Ram Foundation Lecture
Thanks to Parul for sharing the video although at an odd time (11:30 pm). And now, its 1:20 am and i cant sleep now. Before you read forward, just watch the video.
But it was a great to listen to Rahul Ram. This is what thass is all about. Just loved the talk! It is no secret that i am a big fan of Indian ocean. I am yet to see Leaving home, have been saving it for a good day to enjoy it properly. In this lecture, Rahul traces his life path as he was growing up and how he ended up being a musician. But his stories are marked with a very careful analysis of how we (Indians mostly) live (Humor on us is the best humor) and he basically shows us a mirror. But in the process, he offers many many sound advices and they are very practical. So he is someone who is preaching ideological way but at the same time he has practicality in view and he is very honest about it. Things that stood out for me -
1. If you want to do something on your own, just remember that you will be poor for a long time, just be prepared for it.
2. Always assess what you are doing, it is quite possible that you are not meant for it. So, this is something to be very careful about.
3. Happiness and money have no relation. A very known fact but sometimes i forget.
4. Live in a village, just be part of an NGO that is doing good work in a village and just experience it.
5. His general rant about people doing MBAs after IITs..... and to some extent a general rant about MBAs.... loved it! :)
6. There will always be people saying that you are a fool. Be polite but don't listen to them until your assessment says otherwise.
7. Money is needed to survive. Do not forget it.
8. And then one day you find, Ten years have gone behind you, No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun.
9. Lastly, i have to watch Gulaal now.
Monday, November 28, 2011
Kimya Dawson - Same Shit/Complicated
I love this song, specially the lyrics. The reason i like Kimya Dawson is because she writes poems just the way i would like to write and she rhymes them as well. Also, her poems are incredibly personal and she does things that i would like to do in my life. This song is from her latest album - Thunder highs. I saw her perform this song live and it was simply awesome.
You were looking down at them, they were looking down at you.
You were starched and press, they were all disheveled.
They were holding hands, they were ragamuffins and
they said "I know we're not fancy, but we're on the same level.
We've got plans, big plans we're gonna change the world.
All you care about is dollars, that doesn't make sense.
All you do is hit snooze, watch the news, buy shoes, drink booze, make money, feel spent.
Day after day after day, it's the same shit.
Day after day after day after day after day."
Then you looked at them without batting an eye and said
"Hey little hippie, let your freak flag fly.
Why don't you go smoke a bowl in your best tie dye,
get a tattoo of a dancing bear holding a peace sign.
You can talk the talk but when it comes to real change,
aren't you and all your little friends exactly the same?
You sit around at potlucks pointing fingers, placing blame,
drinking kombucha, and eating tempeh.
Day after day after day, it's the same shit.
Day after day after day after day after day."
If you are judging them while they are judging you,
and you think that makes them assholes, maybe you're an asshole too.
Do we argue with each other 'til we both turn blue,
or find similarities in what we like and what we do?
Yeah, just because someone does not look like me
doesn't mean that they are a clone or a sheep.
Maybe they like their job and they're living their dream,
and they love their friends and their family.
Some people thrive between nine and five,
and feel like they're choking if their neck's not tied.
And some people feel as if they're gonna die
if their seams aren't straight and their shoes aren't tied.
Some people like business, some people like numbers,
some people grow organic heirloom cucumbers,
and only feel free with their hands in the dirt
in a pair of old jeans and their favorite t-shirt.
Some people feel enslaved when they have a boss,
some people without one feel totally lost.
To make this world work it takes all different kinds.
We have all different tastes, different strengths, different minds,
so it doesn't make sense to generalize
and it doesn't make sense to judge with our eyes.
We need more compassion, we need to be kind
if you open your heart you might like what you find.
'Cause there are some mean bus drivers, but there's some nice bus drivers
and there are some nice cops in Madison, Wisconsin.
And there's some nice teachers, and there's some mean teachers,
just because you have a mean teacher doesn't mean all teachers suck.
and no one is nice all the time, no one is mean all the time
think about what someone's going through that's making them be mean to you
maybe their pet gerbil died and they are really sad inside,
or maybe they got in a fight with someone that they really like,
maybe they are really shy and don't know to socialize
they just want to run and hide, not saying that it's justified
but if we learn to empathize the resentments will vaporize
situations metamorphize before out very eyes.
then the need to stereotype will become outdated when we realize everyone is really complicated.
We are all so complicated.
I am also complicated.
I'm a black mama lactivist, a home-owning punk.
It's been over a decade since the last time I got drunk.
I drive a minivan, I've got junk in the trunk.
I think Danny Devito is a total hunk.
I like revisiting the shit my therapist helps me remember.
Being friends with someone for a long time, still not knowing their gender.
I fight for equal rights and I fight for inner peace.
I pray to the dead for the gratitude I need.
I've got chickens in my backyard and a little garden plot,
I really hate commercials but I got a slap-chop.
I'm a sucker for a remix, let me tell you what,
by the time that I am finished, you're gonna love these nuts.
I'm a little bit pop culture, a lot bit D.I.Y.,
I don't know the definition of T.M.I.
I write poems about my period, post pictures of my log,
if you don't like body functions then you shouldn't read my blog.
My husband's a musician from the mountains in France,
he wrote me a song, we did interpretive dance,
then he knocked me up, now we have the coolest kid,
yeah, hooking up with him's the smartest thing I ever did.
Now I feel like I can fly when I'm on roller skates,
I get a little high when I eat dried dates,
You were looking down at them, they were looking down at you.
You were starched and press, they were all disheveled.
They were holding hands, they were ragamuffins and
they said "I know we're not fancy, but we're on the same level.
We've got plans, big plans we're gonna change the world.
All you care about is dollars, that doesn't make sense.
All you do is hit snooze, watch the news, buy shoes, drink booze, make money, feel spent.
Day after day after day, it's the same shit.
Day after day after day after day after day."
Then you looked at them without batting an eye and said
"Hey little hippie, let your freak flag fly.
Why don't you go smoke a bowl in your best tie dye,
get a tattoo of a dancing bear holding a peace sign.
You can talk the talk but when it comes to real change,
aren't you and all your little friends exactly the same?
You sit around at potlucks pointing fingers, placing blame,
drinking kombucha, and eating tempeh.
Day after day after day, it's the same shit.
Day after day after day after day after day."
If you are judging them while they are judging you,
and you think that makes them assholes, maybe you're an asshole too.
Do we argue with each other 'til we both turn blue,
or find similarities in what we like and what we do?
Yeah, just because someone does not look like me
doesn't mean that they are a clone or a sheep.
Maybe they like their job and they're living their dream,
and they love their friends and their family.
Some people thrive between nine and five,
and feel like they're choking if their neck's not tied.
And some people feel as if they're gonna die
if their seams aren't straight and their shoes aren't tied.
Some people like business, some people like numbers,
some people grow organic heirloom cucumbers,
and only feel free with their hands in the dirt
in a pair of old jeans and their favorite t-shirt.
Some people feel enslaved when they have a boss,
some people without one feel totally lost.
To make this world work it takes all different kinds.
We have all different tastes, different strengths, different minds,
so it doesn't make sense to generalize
and it doesn't make sense to judge with our eyes.
We need more compassion, we need to be kind
if you open your heart you might like what you find.
'Cause there are some mean bus drivers, but there's some nice bus drivers
and there are some nice cops in Madison, Wisconsin.
And there's some nice teachers, and there's some mean teachers,
just because you have a mean teacher doesn't mean all teachers suck.
and no one is nice all the time, no one is mean all the time
think about what someone's going through that's making them be mean to you
maybe their pet gerbil died and they are really sad inside,
or maybe they got in a fight with someone that they really like,
maybe they are really shy and don't know to socialize
they just want to run and hide, not saying that it's justified
but if we learn to empathize the resentments will vaporize
situations metamorphize before out very eyes.
then the need to stereotype will become outdated when we realize everyone is really complicated.
We are all so complicated.
I am also complicated.
I'm a black mama lactivist, a home-owning punk.
It's been over a decade since the last time I got drunk.
I drive a minivan, I've got junk in the trunk.
I think Danny Devito is a total hunk.
I like revisiting the shit my therapist helps me remember.
Being friends with someone for a long time, still not knowing their gender.
I fight for equal rights and I fight for inner peace.
I pray to the dead for the gratitude I need.
I've got chickens in my backyard and a little garden plot,
I really hate commercials but I got a slap-chop.
I'm a sucker for a remix, let me tell you what,
by the time that I am finished, you're gonna love these nuts.
I'm a little bit pop culture, a lot bit D.I.Y.,
I don't know the definition of T.M.I.
I write poems about my period, post pictures of my log,
if you don't like body functions then you shouldn't read my blog.
My husband's a musician from the mountains in France,
he wrote me a song, we did interpretive dance,
then he knocked me up, now we have the coolest kid,
yeah, hooking up with him's the smartest thing I ever did.
Now I feel like I can fly when I'm on roller skates,
I get a little high when I eat dried dates,
I feel like unloading when i'm loading up the car,
I feel like time exploding when holding my guitar.
I don't understand what numbers have to do with success.Perspectives in motion
I am a big fan of moving shots. Shots in which camera captures motion. Think A Straight story and the video of fields from Mr. Straight's lawm mower as he is driving. With that music, it is awesome. Another example is Kieslowski's bleu/red when there are couple of shoots when you can see the outside view as a person is driving the car. Or think how do you see when you see outside the window from a railway train. I love the feeling of things going past me, places, towns whizzling past me, new things, watching horizons, air hitting your face, trees coming and going, coming and going.
Videos when running are also very cool. So i decided to shoot those. Most of them have me driving except the one at Yellowstone.
Snow covered trees @Yellowstone -
Driving to Philz on Middlefield -
Driving to Redwood national Park on Highway 101N
While hiking -
(The camera is shaking because i am moving...lessons to learn)
Yet another one -
Videos when running are also very cool. So i decided to shoot those. Most of them have me driving except the one at Yellowstone.
Snow covered trees @Yellowstone -
Driving to Philz on Middlefield -
Driving to Redwood national Park on Highway 101N
While hiking -
(The camera is shaking because i am moving...lessons to learn)
Yet another one -
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Aik Alif - Coke studio3
There would be thousands of post on web on Aik Alif. This will be another one.
This is my fav coke studio song. It was my first coke studio and no song can beat this one.
The best part of this song is its lyrics(copied below). Listening to this song on any morning just makes the day.
Parh parh ilm te faazil hoya
Te kaday apnay aap nu parhya ee na
(You read to become
all knowledgeable
But you never read yourself)
You read so many books
to know it all,
yet fail to ever read your
heart at all.
Bhaj bhaj warna ay mandir maseeti
Te kaday mann apnay wich warya ee na
(You run to enter temples and mosques
But you never entered your own heart)
You rush to holy shrines to play a part,
Would you dare enter the shrine of your heart
Larna ay roz shaitaan de naal
Te kadi nafs apnay naal larya ee na
(Everyday you fight Satan
But you never fight your own Ego)
You are quick to attack the evil one,
yet pride is a battle you have not won.
Bulleh Shah asmaani ud-deya pharonda ay
Te jera ghar betha unoon pharya ee na
(Bulleh Shah you try grabbing that which is in the sky
But you never get hold of What sits inside you)
You grab for a star you can control,
yet fail to grasp the light in your soul.
Bas kareen o yaar
(Stop it all my friend)
Let the race end, my friend
Ilm-oun bas kareen o yaar
Ik Alif teray darkaar
(Stop seeking all this knowledge my friend
Only an Alif is what you need)
Stop trying to be the one who knows,
for ‘God is One’ you need to know.
Bas kareen o yaar
(Stop it all my friend)
End the race, my friend
Allah Sayyaan Allah Sayyaan
(God is the Master, God is All)
God is All we need! God is All!
Nee main jaanaa Jogi de naal
(I shall follow the Yogi {ascetic/sufi})
Follow the wandering dervish!
Jo naa jaane, Haqq ki taaqat
Rabb naa devey us ko Himmat
(Those who deny the Strength of Truth
Lord does not give them courage)
If you deny the power of all that’s true,
God will not grant strength to you.
Hum Mann ke darya mein doobey
Kaisi nayya? Kya manjhdhaar?
(We have drowned in the river of Self
the boat and the flowing waters do not matter)
We are lost in this river of self,
no boat or streams are of any help.
Bas kareen o yaar
(Stop it all my friend)
End the race, my friend
Ilm-oun bas kareen o yaar
(Stop seeking all this knowledge my friend)
Stop trying to know it all, my friend.
Allah Sayyaan Allah Sayyaan
(God is the Master, God is All)
God is All we need! God is All!
- English Translation and Lyrics originally in Punjabi | English in bracket is approximate literal translation. A more poetic rendering in bold by Naomi.
Lyrics taken from - http://www.koolmuzone.com/forum/music-infonews/bulleh-shah-aik-alif-%28lyrics-translation-history%29/
This is my fav coke studio song. It was my first coke studio and no song can beat this one.
The best part of this song is its lyrics(copied below). Listening to this song on any morning just makes the day.
Parh parh ilm te faazil hoya
Te kaday apnay aap nu parhya ee na
(You read to become
all knowledgeable
But you never read yourself)
You read so many books
to know it all,
yet fail to ever read your
heart at all.
Bhaj bhaj warna ay mandir maseeti
Te kaday mann apnay wich warya ee na
(You run to enter temples and mosques
But you never entered your own heart)
You rush to holy shrines to play a part,
Would you dare enter the shrine of your heart
Larna ay roz shaitaan de naal
Te kadi nafs apnay naal larya ee na
(Everyday you fight Satan
But you never fight your own Ego)
You are quick to attack the evil one,
yet pride is a battle you have not won.
Bulleh Shah asmaani ud-deya pharonda ay
Te jera ghar betha unoon pharya ee na
(Bulleh Shah you try grabbing that which is in the sky
But you never get hold of What sits inside you)
You grab for a star you can control,
yet fail to grasp the light in your soul.
Bas kareen o yaar
(Stop it all my friend)
Let the race end, my friend
Ilm-oun bas kareen o yaar
Ik Alif teray darkaar
(Stop seeking all this knowledge my friend
Only an Alif is what you need)
Stop trying to be the one who knows,
for ‘God is One’ you need to know.
Bas kareen o yaar
(Stop it all my friend)
End the race, my friend
Allah Sayyaan Allah Sayyaan
(God is the Master, God is All)
God is All we need! God is All!
Nee main jaanaa Jogi de naal
(I shall follow the Yogi {ascetic/sufi})
Follow the wandering dervish!
Jo naa jaane, Haqq ki taaqat
Rabb naa devey us ko Himmat
(Those who deny the Strength of Truth
Lord does not give them courage)
If you deny the power of all that’s true,
God will not grant strength to you.
Hum Mann ke darya mein doobey
Kaisi nayya? Kya manjhdhaar?
(We have drowned in the river of Self
the boat and the flowing waters do not matter)
We are lost in this river of self,
no boat or streams are of any help.
Bas kareen o yaar
(Stop it all my friend)
End the race, my friend
Ilm-oun bas kareen o yaar
(Stop seeking all this knowledge my friend)
Stop trying to know it all, my friend.
Allah Sayyaan Allah Sayyaan
(God is the Master, God is All)
God is All we need! God is All!
- English Translation and Lyrics originally in Punjabi | English in bracket is approximate literal translation. A more poetic rendering in bold by Naomi.
Lyrics taken from - http://www.koolmuzone.com/forum/music-infonews/bulleh-shah-aik-alif-%28lyrics-translation-history%29/
Saturday, May 7, 2011
I've seen it all
Music, after a long time a post about music. There has been a lot of music in last month, i am going to write 3-4 posts about some of the music that has got me hooked.
It starts with I've seen it all. Got to know after watching the trailer of Dancer in the Dark, have not seen the movie yet but soon i will see it. My best source of music has been movie OSTs . Movies is such an amazing artform that can combine both visual and audio.
I've seen is sung my Bjork. I have not heard her other songs but i am going to soon. She has a very unique style of singing the song, quite creative. She makes the words stand out and the lyrics are very very good. Lyrics that make you hear the song again and again. Here is the video and lyrics :
"I've Seen It All"
I've seen it all, I have seen the trees,
I've seen the willow leaves dancing in the breeze
I've seen a man killed by his best friend,
And lives that were over before they were spent.
I've seen what I was - I know what I'll be
I've seen it all - there is no more to see!
You haven't seen elephants, kings or Peru!
I'm happy to say I had better to do
What about China? Have you seen the Great Wall?
All walls are great, if the roof doesn't fall!
And the man you will marry?
The home you will share?
To be honest, I really don't care...
You've never been to Niagara Falls?
I have seen water, its water, that's all...
The Eiffel Tower, the Empire State?
My pulse was as high on my very first date!
Your grandson's hand as he plays with your hair?
To be honest, I really don't care...
I've seen it all, I've seen the dark
I've seen the brightness in one little spark.
I've seen what I chose and I've seen what I need,
And that is enough, to want more would be greed.
I've seen what I was and I know what I'll be
I've seen it all - there is no more to see!
You've seen it all and all you have seen
You can always review on your own little screen
The light and the dark, the big and the small
Just keep in mind - you need no more at all
You've seen what you were and know what you'll be
You've seen it all - there is no more to see!
There are multiple renditions of this song by Bjork but i find the one used in the movie to be the best.
It starts with I've seen it all. Got to know after watching the trailer of Dancer in the Dark, have not seen the movie yet but soon i will see it. My best source of music has been movie OSTs . Movies is such an amazing artform that can combine both visual and audio.
I've seen is sung my Bjork. I have not heard her other songs but i am going to soon. She has a very unique style of singing the song, quite creative. She makes the words stand out and the lyrics are very very good. Lyrics that make you hear the song again and again. Here is the video and lyrics :
"I've Seen It All"
I've seen it all, I have seen the trees,
I've seen the willow leaves dancing in the breeze
I've seen a man killed by his best friend,
And lives that were over before they were spent.
I've seen what I was - I know what I'll be
I've seen it all - there is no more to see!
You haven't seen elephants, kings or Peru!
I'm happy to say I had better to do
What about China? Have you seen the Great Wall?
All walls are great, if the roof doesn't fall!
And the man you will marry?
The home you will share?
To be honest, I really don't care...
You've never been to Niagara Falls?
I have seen water, its water, that's all...
The Eiffel Tower, the Empire State?
My pulse was as high on my very first date!
Your grandson's hand as he plays with your hair?
To be honest, I really don't care...
I've seen it all, I've seen the dark
I've seen the brightness in one little spark.
I've seen what I chose and I've seen what I need,
And that is enough, to want more would be greed.
I've seen what I was and I know what I'll be
I've seen it all - there is no more to see!
You've seen it all and all you have seen
You can always review on your own little screen
The light and the dark, the big and the small
Just keep in mind - you need no more at all
You've seen what you were and know what you'll be
You've seen it all - there is no more to see!
There are multiple renditions of this song by Bjork but i find the one used in the movie to be the best.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Anatomy of Kerala tourism video
Thanks to Justin for sharing the video and his interesting post can be read here - http://the-quintessential-justin.blogspot.com/2010/10/kerala-tourism-video.html
I just cant seem to get over the visual imagery in the video. I think its time for me to watch another Kim Ki Duk's film, its been a long time.
A few thoughts before i begin my analysis -
Thanks to the video makers / kerala govt for making this. With the video so surreal, i am not sure how it got approved. This video has some elements that are non-trivial, and they are not visible immediately but they add to the experience. It is videos like these which are made for repeated viewing, mainly to understand how one's brain works. If we like the video, if it clicks to us, then what is it. This post is my attempt to understand this 3 min video.
Start scene - Man fishing. ( 0 to 26 sec)
Firstly, it is an animation but very well done, so my mind is always trying to fiigure out, is this real? This creates intense concentration. Next, the camera is fixed but it is the water that is moving which gives life to the scene (as opposed to a static postcard). The man is still for the first half of this clip, and during that time, the eyes are looking at the imagery which is too good to be true. And then at 11 second mark, the man moves, but just observe his style of movement, and when i see his posture with legs crossed, my facial microexpression says - "yeah! thats correct".
Woman on massage table scene - (27 sec - 57 sec)
Camera is upside down, but that should have been ok, but it is the lateral movement of the camera which keeps us engaged. Since it is handheld, it is not entirely linear, so it gives us a perception that we are looking by our own eyes. And ofcourse the model is very beautiful too! Next, the camera jumps to show her in full, but again the lateral camera motion is still there. The camera just becomes our eyes and we feel as if we are there. And look at the next clip, the camera cuts to her face but this time, the camera is static and the actress is the one who moves, still giving us the same feeling of being physically observing it. The next two scenes just gives us the visual beauty of the landscape and what speaks is the calm, serene, and beautiful backdrop.
Man practicing Kathakali at his home (58 seconds - 1min 18 seconds)
This one is the best as per me. Look at how the video starts - the camera is outside the man's boundary, just above the mud wall, as if it is sneakily peeking to someone's house. It looks like we are the ones who are sneakily peeking, this goes for 6 seconds (just enough time for the brain to register this feeling) and then camera goes to the closeup. In all kathakali / tourist promotion viodeos, we always see the final imagery, man with paintings making facial expressions, but very rarely we have witnessed a man practicing the art, without the makeup, in its pure raw form, and while sitting at his home. We can see what actually happens, beyond the makeup. And then the last part, the camera is now inside the house, just above the wall boundary and we see the lady walking outside. This completes the story here, it was she who was peeking. It took 20 seconds to narrate a complete story and people experiencing atleast 5 different emotions in this time period.
Lady in boat scene (1min 19 seconds - 1 min 39 seconds)
Again, a very deep 20 second clip. What should you do if you are in the most peaceful place in the world - you think, introspect and reflect upon yourself. The 20 second clip describes those three adjectives in that order. It starts with the lady deep in thought and her reflection approaching her. Again, kudos to the way it is done, same clothes, almost same expression. But notice carefully, they two ladies are looking i different directions, it is not entirely a mirror image. And as the boats cross, the lady directly stares in the camera. At this point the viewer is convinced that the two are looking into each other, the camera position just adds that effect so silently. "Reflect upon oneself" if you ever have to portray this idea, how will you do it? Just think about it, its very hard! But the way this scene captures it, :) . Also there is some effect by the fact that the boats are moving, it does give some subconscious signal of time, passing thoughts and the slowness of the boat, just registers the fact that time slows down in this world.
Lady with long hair ( 1min 40 to 1 min 59 seconds)
We start by looking at the lady through a tree's branch. And the camera is moving backwards. I am not sure about the significance of the scene, to me there are two possibilities - on one side, it tells about Kerals's traditional practices portraying the myth and the mysticism in it or the other possibility is that you can be as insane as you want to be here :) . But cut to the next clip, now we are looking in the opposite direction and instantly we see the big tree with its convoluted branches and children sitting on them. The camera, again from this angle, moves backwards. We see the lady coming out of herself and looking at the people.
Dance form scene ( 2min to 2min 13 seconds)
I believe those are different dance forms in Kerala and they are just shown in an artisitic manner. The scene where we see the man arbit lip faces and the lady relaxing enjoying it, its actually the lady looking at the dance and enjoying it. The lip movements are not directed towards her, it is a art trick to show both the player and viewer in the same frame. And there are many things that are beyond my art interpretation, like why there is a dog in the long shot scene in this clip?
Lady and the elephant ( 2min 14 seconds to 2 min 50 seconds)
What is the end feeling that the maker wants us to leave with ? This scene captures that in a very indirect manner. The final emotions are natural beauty, wildlife, peace and being one with yourself and nature. Notice how the camera moves laterally here, just showing that there is so much silence in the backdrop. In the closeup frame, the expression on her face is of peace And in the last part, the camera moves backwards, as if it is leaving the two together .... in inner bliss. In the moment.
Your moment is waiting.
Which moment is talking about? Justin Cherian in his blog writes that it could mean anything but i beg to differ. I believe that there is only one moment that is being referred and that moment is the moment of inner bliss. The same moment with which the camera signs of that visual imagery. Admire the articulation "Your moment is waiting" here - It is not you who is waiting, it is your moment that is waiting. You can achieve the moment, it is within your reach, infact it is waiting for you to come.
Wow! It will take some time to settle it. The application of the whole to Kerala tourism is just a brilliant idea. Kudos!
Lastly, if you liked the video, may i recommend the movie - The vertical ray of Sun
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Zindagi se darte ho
Just came back after watching Peepli live (review in another post). But at the end of the movie, while the casting and other information comes, there is a song performed by Indian ocean - Zondagi se darte ho.
The movie was good but this song in the end. everyone in the theater had left except four people, all listening to this Indian ocean song. I think this is definitely one of the best songs of this year for me. And Indian Ocean is definitely my favorite band now. They are able to bring the raw energy, the passion into these songs, it just makes you stand up and run! Yes run!
The song is written by Noon Meem Rashid.
Wikipedia page - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noon_Meem_Rashid
I got the lyrics from this page http://dastangoi.blogspot.com/2010/07/zindagi-se-darte-ho.html
Zindagi se Darte ho
Zindagi se darte ho (4)
Zindagi to tum bhi ho (2)
Zindagi to hum bhi hain
Aadmi se darte ho (2)
Aadmi to tum bhi ho (2)
Aadmi to hum bhi hain
Tum abhi se darte ho
Aadmi zabaan bhi hai
Aadmi bayaan bhi hai (2)
Harf aur maani ke rishta haaye aahan se
Aadmi hai waabasta
Aadmi ke daaman se zindagi hai waabasta
Us se tum nahi darte ho (2)
Ankahi se darte ho
Jo abhi nahi aayi
Us gharri ki aamad ki
Aagahi se darte ho
Tum abhi se darte ho
Pehle bhi to guzre hain (2)
Daur na rassai ke
Be-riya khudaai ke
Phir bhi yeh samajhte ho (2)
Hech aarzumandi
Yeh shab e zubaan bandi
Hai rah e khudaawandi
Tum yehi samajhte ho
Tum mager yeh kya jaano
Lab agar nahi hilte
Haath jaag uthte hain
Haath bol uthte hain
Subh ki azaan ban kar
Roshni se darte ho
Roshni to tum bhi ho
Roshni to hum bhi hain
Tum abhi se darte ho
Raah- e- shauq mein jaise
rahru ka khoon lapke
Ek nayaa junoon lapke
Aadmi chhalak uthe
Aadmi hanse dekho
shaher phir base dekho
Tum abhi se darte ho (4)
ZINDAGI SE DARTE HO-THE SECOND COMING
Afraid of Life, are you
You too are life
We too are life
Afraid of Man, are you
You too are human
We too are human
Afraid already are you
Man is speech
Man is expression too
To the iron bond
Uniting utterance and meaning
Man is joined
Tied to his sleeves is Life
Not afraid of that
Afraid of the unsaid
Afraid of the moment
That has not yet arrived
Afraid of the awareness
Of the coming of that moment
Afraid already
We have seen the times
Before
Of inaccessibility
Of guileless divinity
And yet you believe
To desire is worthless
This night of silenced tongues
Is the path
To divinity
How will you know though
That if lips don’t move
Hands begin to stir
Hands begin to call
Like the Azan at dawn
Afraid of Light
You too are light
We too are light
Afraid of light
As in the journey of love
The traveler’s blood soars
A new passion leaps
Man boils over
Man laughs, look
The city is reborn
Afraid already
-Translated by Mahmood Farooqui with inputs from SR Faruqi
Now some videos
Indian ocean live performance : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0sxapniwqI&feature=related
Sung by Zia Mohi ud Din
And by Noon Meem himself
More research is needed about Noon Meem Rashid.
zindagi se darte ho, zindagi to tum bhi ho, zindagi to hum bhi hain.
kya baat hai! and in the end it says - tum abhi se darte ho!
You are afraid of now!
The movie was good but this song in the end. everyone in the theater had left except four people, all listening to this Indian ocean song. I think this is definitely one of the best songs of this year for me. And Indian Ocean is definitely my favorite band now. They are able to bring the raw energy, the passion into these songs, it just makes you stand up and run! Yes run!
The song is written by Noon Meem Rashid.
Wikipedia page - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noon_Meem_Rashid
I got the lyrics from this page http://dastangoi.blogspot.com/2010/07/zindagi-se-darte-ho.html
Zindagi se Darte ho
Zindagi se darte ho (4)
Zindagi to tum bhi ho (2)
Zindagi to hum bhi hain
Aadmi se darte ho (2)
Aadmi to tum bhi ho (2)
Aadmi to hum bhi hain
Tum abhi se darte ho
Aadmi zabaan bhi hai
Aadmi bayaan bhi hai (2)
Harf aur maani ke rishta haaye aahan se
Aadmi hai waabasta
Aadmi ke daaman se zindagi hai waabasta
Us se tum nahi darte ho (2)
Ankahi se darte ho
Jo abhi nahi aayi
Us gharri ki aamad ki
Aagahi se darte ho
Tum abhi se darte ho
Pehle bhi to guzre hain (2)
Daur na rassai ke
Be-riya khudaai ke
Phir bhi yeh samajhte ho (2)
Hech aarzumandi
Yeh shab e zubaan bandi
Hai rah e khudaawandi
Tum yehi samajhte ho
Tum mager yeh kya jaano
Lab agar nahi hilte
Haath jaag uthte hain
Haath bol uthte hain
Subh ki azaan ban kar
Roshni se darte ho
Roshni to tum bhi ho
Roshni to hum bhi hain
Tum abhi se darte ho
Raah- e- shauq mein jaise
rahru ka khoon lapke
Ek nayaa junoon lapke
Aadmi chhalak uthe
Aadmi hanse dekho
shaher phir base dekho
Tum abhi se darte ho (4)
ZINDAGI SE DARTE HO-THE SECOND COMING
Afraid of Life, are you
You too are life
We too are life
Afraid of Man, are you
You too are human
We too are human
Afraid already are you
Man is speech
Man is expression too
To the iron bond
Uniting utterance and meaning
Man is joined
Tied to his sleeves is Life
Not afraid of that
Afraid of the unsaid
Afraid of the moment
That has not yet arrived
Afraid of the awareness
Of the coming of that moment
Afraid already
We have seen the times
Before
Of inaccessibility
Of guileless divinity
And yet you believe
To desire is worthless
This night of silenced tongues
Is the path
To divinity
How will you know though
That if lips don’t move
Hands begin to stir
Hands begin to call
Like the Azan at dawn
Afraid of Light
You too are light
We too are light
Afraid of light
As in the journey of love
The traveler’s blood soars
A new passion leaps
Man boils over
Man laughs, look
The city is reborn
Afraid already
-Translated by Mahmood Farooqui with inputs from SR Faruqi
Now some videos
Indian ocean live performance : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0sxapniwqI&feature=related
Sung by Zia Mohi ud Din
And by Noon Meem himself
More research is needed about Noon Meem Rashid.
zindagi se darte ho, zindagi to tum bhi ho, zindagi to hum bhi hain.
kya baat hai! and in the end it says - tum abhi se darte ho!
You are afraid of now!
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Tracking shot
In a film,a tracking shot is a continuous shot in which the camera tracks a subject (often an actor but filmmakers have been quite creative) without any cut. Films are generally made in short takes and then later these short takes are stitched together in the editing process making it look like a one big sequence. But even after a good edited movie, it still misses to capture the raw flow of motion with the flow of time; many things change between two cuts, even if you keep the camera at the same position, the subject's posture, his mood, time of day, and other small things that give a broken experience - a theater lover will definitely understand it! . Tracking shots are meant to provide an uninterrupted experience by keeping entire focus on the subject, but doing so in a film setting it is very hard. The complexity mainly comes in combining the flow of camera with the flow of subject . But filmmakers have taken this as a challenge and have made significant achievements. Below is my list of top tracking shots -
1. Atonement Dir Joe Wright. (5 min 30 seconds)
Almost everyone, who had no knowledge of what a tracking shot is, noticed something special about this long sequence at the seafront as British flee from Dunkirk Beach during World war 2. For 5 mins, 30 seconds camera follows James McAvoy as he makes his way through the chaos where defeated soldiers are waiting for ships to take them home. The trajectory of camera and the detailed set design makes it a treat to watch every time. Unfortunately, i couldn't find a decent video.
2. Week-end. Dir Jean Luc Godard (10 minutes)
Week-end is one of the most experimental movies of Godard and as if the content of sequence was not enough, Godard goes one step ahead to make a tracking shot out of it. With the constant honking noise in background and with Godard's reference to French bourgeois, the scene becomes more and more profound as it unfolds.
3. Children of Men. Dir of Alfonso Curan (4 minutes 8 seconds)
Yes! it is a tracking shot. Believe it! Dir Alfonso Curan breaks all bounds by tracking an action sequence involving a moving car. One has to watch its making to fully comprehend the challenges and scale involved. The camera is hoisted on top of the vehicle with its hood removed. Check it out -
4. Goodfellas. Dir Martin Scorsese. 3 minutes 3 seconds.
Martin Scorsese's ingenuity has no limits and this scene from Goodfellas proves it. The smooth movement of camera as it comes down the stairs, as it covers the alleys of nightclub, through the kitchen and finally into the main dining hall, it is simply a masterpiece shot.
5. A touch of evil. Dir Orson Wells (3 min 30 seconds)
Considered to be the father of all tracking shots, this opening shot was a fresh inspiration to many film makers around the world. The camera's movements is choreographed with precision and elegance.
There have been few other noteworthy tracking shots. Akira Kurosawa has one in Rashomon when he tries to follow the hunter. Quentin Tarantino used it in Kill Bill, vol I, and Johnny To's opening sequence in Breaking news are few which are a delight to watch. But the one that is truly above all tracking shots is the movie The Russian Ark(Directed by Aleksandr Sokurov) which was filmed entirely in one single shot that is 96 minutes long!
1. Atonement Dir Joe Wright. (5 min 30 seconds)
Almost everyone, who had no knowledge of what a tracking shot is, noticed something special about this long sequence at the seafront as British flee from Dunkirk Beach during World war 2. For 5 mins, 30 seconds camera follows James McAvoy as he makes his way through the chaos where defeated soldiers are waiting for ships to take them home. The trajectory of camera and the detailed set design makes it a treat to watch every time. Unfortunately, i couldn't find a decent video.
2. Week-end. Dir Jean Luc Godard (10 minutes)
Week-end is one of the most experimental movies of Godard and as if the content of sequence was not enough, Godard goes one step ahead to make a tracking shot out of it. With the constant honking noise in background and with Godard's reference to French bourgeois, the scene becomes more and more profound as it unfolds.
3. Children of Men. Dir of Alfonso Curan (4 minutes 8 seconds)
Yes! it is a tracking shot. Believe it! Dir Alfonso Curan breaks all bounds by tracking an action sequence involving a moving car. One has to watch its making to fully comprehend the challenges and scale involved. The camera is hoisted on top of the vehicle with its hood removed. Check it out -
4. Goodfellas. Dir Martin Scorsese. 3 minutes 3 seconds.
Martin Scorsese's ingenuity has no limits and this scene from Goodfellas proves it. The smooth movement of camera as it comes down the stairs, as it covers the alleys of nightclub, through the kitchen and finally into the main dining hall, it is simply a masterpiece shot.
5. A touch of evil. Dir Orson Wells (3 min 30 seconds)
Considered to be the father of all tracking shots, this opening shot was a fresh inspiration to many film makers around the world. The camera's movements is choreographed with precision and elegance.
There have been few other noteworthy tracking shots. Akira Kurosawa has one in Rashomon when he tries to follow the hunter. Quentin Tarantino used it in Kill Bill, vol I, and Johnny To's opening sequence in Breaking news are few which are a delight to watch. But the one that is truly above all tracking shots is the movie The Russian Ark(Directed by Aleksandr Sokurov) which was filmed entirely in one single shot that is 96 minutes long!
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Fall Colors on the Georgia Tech Campus
Yes, the video is real - fall season is amazing at tech!
Also, thanks Vidya for this link - http://onlyattech.net/
Similar to FML.
Also, thanks Vidya for this link - http://onlyattech.net/
Similar to FML.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
जागे हैं
जागे हैं देर तक
हमें कुछ देर सोने दो
थोडी सी रात और है
सुबह तो होने दो
आधे अधूरे ख्वाब जो पूरे ना हो सके
इक बार फिर से नींद में वो ख्वाब बोने दो
एक ख्वाब टूट जाने का एहसास ही तो है
थोडी सी रात और सेहर पास ही तो है
Written by Gulzaar sahab.
Consider for a moment that i come and ask you to take this poem and make a song out of it, aka add music to this poem. And in my wildest imagination, i can not come up with what A.R. Rahman came up with. And there is no point in even thinking which is better the poem or the song. In the you tube video, Gulzaar sahab recites this poem and the way he recites it, aha! And when you listen to Rahman's song, it seems that it is totally a different song altogether.
हमें कुछ देर सोने दो
थोडी सी रात और है
सुबह तो होने दो
आधे अधूरे ख्वाब जो पूरे ना हो सके
इक बार फिर से नींद में वो ख्वाब बोने दो
एक ख्वाब टूट जाने का एहसास ही तो है
थोडी सी रात और सेहर पास ही तो है
Written by Gulzaar sahab.
Consider for a moment that i come and ask you to take this poem and make a song out of it, aka add music to this poem. And in my wildest imagination, i can not come up with what A.R. Rahman came up with. And there is no point in even thinking which is better the poem or the song. In the you tube video, Gulzaar sahab recites this poem and the way he recites it, aha! And when you listen to Rahman's song, it seems that it is totally a different song altogether.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Benjamin Zander: Classical music with shining eyes
Thanks to Nandini for telling me about TED, to Gautam for posting this link on facebook and facebook for not closing my account(yet). Enjoy!
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Revisiting memories
While growing up, i was heavily into the pop music boom in India. I think the pop music hit India when i was young and evolved over time. Many interesting pop bands were formed and soon fade away. This is an attempt to document some of the best videos/songs that i used to listen when i was a child.
Hawa Hawa: It all began with Hasan Jehangir. Released in 1987, i think this was the era of Bappi Lahri's disco dancer, Usha Uthup's claim to fame. This song captured the heart and soul of that era. And so does the video.
Krishna nahi begane: made by the band Colonial Cousins saw classical singer Hariharan teaming up with Leslie Lewis and announcing their arrival with this song. A great video too!
O Sanam: Lucky Ali's debut album provided us with a fresh, different and meaningful music. This was totally different from the rest of the pop culture. Though he didnt get that much popularity as much as he deserved but still there were few of us who were greatly impressed. His follow up albums - ASifar, Aks were also very good.
Many Pop bands emerged during this time of 1994-96, including Euphoria (Remember Dhoom Pichuk Dhoom), offering fusion with pop, Junoon (who can forget the Sayonnee) capturing the restlessness of youth and ofcourse the king of punjabi music - Daler mehendi. But i would like to post here about this song:
Gur Naal Ishq Mita: Remixed by Bally Sagoo with a video that went well with adults too. As far as i can remember, this is the first remix song that i heard and i liked it and so did others. Bally Sagoo started remix era for me and he followed with Mera Laung Gawacha, Aaja Nachle and Noorie. But one thing to note here is that even though with remix, his videos were aesthetic.
I grew up and so did my selection of music. This was a time of one hit wonders. Many bands came up with that one song but soon were never heard. Aryans came up with Aankhon mein, which made Shahid kapoor's career. Jojo came with "Woh Kaun Thi". Baba Sehgal copied Ice Ice baby to "Thanda Thanda Pani". Alisha Chinai led the woman front and came up with Made in India. Alsiha was soon joined by Raageshwari with her bubbly song Duniya..
But the best one song wonder was this one:
Purani Jeans: Ali Haider mesmerized the youth of both India and Pakistan with this song and an equally catchy video.
On the way there were some innovative but not so successful attempts like Sunita Rao's Pari hoon main. Shaan (big name now) started with "Lovology" and Sagarika's Disco Diwane. Remo striked with O meri munni.
But there was one person who came, saw and conquered. His songs are still timeless. He was Nusrat Fateh Ali khan and his best pop song was Afreen.
Along the way, while there were one song wonders, there was an album with every song a hit. This was Sonu Nigam's Deewana with songs like Deewana, Is kadar pyar hain, ab mujhe raat din. But Sonu's later albums were such trash.
With the pop phenomenon catching up, there were many classical singers who joined the party. Like Pankaj Udhas' "Aur ahistha ki gayi batein". Jagjit Singh's Kagaz ki kashti resurfaced with a video but it failed to live up the song. Asha Bhosle also released her album Janam samjha karo but failed to make any impression. And there was Altaf Raja as well somewhere with his "tum toh thehre pardesi"
There were others whom i didnt like but they had their own space in market. These were Hans Raj Hans and the cowboy girl - Falguni Pathak, Mehnaaz and Rishi Rich.
By the end of the millennium, industry saw the fastest piano player in the world - Adnam Sami who introduced himself with Kabhi toh nazar milao. But the best of that year was an unknown voice who came up with two cult songs - Pal and Yarron. Yes KK rocked the pop industry and soon this songs were on everyone's lips. But with all these great songs, there was one song that made everyone stop and listen. It was Euphoria's maeri. Undoubtedly Euphoria was one of the most successful bands of Indie-pop and at their prime, they came up with this song.
Maeri was the last best song from Palash Sen and party. In 21st century, i no longer was the kid who used to listen to all pop songs. Earlier was the time of recording cassettes, finding recording stores. In my town (if not village), recording was done by playing a cassette in one taperecorder and recording the sound by other cassette player. Each cassette recording used to cost about 20-25 Rupees excluding the cost of cassette. With so many albums having only one good song, it was worth it to get those songs recorded. I remained oblivious to English music until Titanic came out - Celine Dion's Go on was the first english song that i understood.
One thing to appreciate in all the videos embedded above is their aesthetic nature. In all Euphoria songs Palash Sen used to chase a model wearing a white or pink suit but it was done in good way. Bally Sagoo's song - AAja Nachle is a classic example.
With 21st century, came the generation of remix, more remix and followed by Reshammiya. God knows what lies in store ahead. But then there was a band that i would not call a pop band but it surely made some cult music. It was Indian Ocean. Kandisa requires no video as no video can do justice to it. They followed Kandisa with Jhini which again is awesome.
Lucky Ali still continues to give some surprises. I end this post with a little unknown video - Tu kaun Hai. It was first released in his album Aks but then was used as an OST in the movie - Bhopal Express. I saw this video before the movie and loved it.
Hawa Hawa: It all began with Hasan Jehangir. Released in 1987, i think this was the era of Bappi Lahri's disco dancer, Usha Uthup's claim to fame. This song captured the heart and soul of that era. And so does the video.
Krishna nahi begane: made by the band Colonial Cousins saw classical singer Hariharan teaming up with Leslie Lewis and announcing their arrival with this song. A great video too!
O Sanam: Lucky Ali's debut album provided us with a fresh, different and meaningful music. This was totally different from the rest of the pop culture. Though he didnt get that much popularity as much as he deserved but still there were few of us who were greatly impressed. His follow up albums - ASifar, Aks were also very good.
Many Pop bands emerged during this time of 1994-96, including Euphoria (Remember Dhoom Pichuk Dhoom), offering fusion with pop, Junoon (who can forget the Sayonnee) capturing the restlessness of youth and ofcourse the king of punjabi music - Daler mehendi. But i would like to post here about this song:
Gur Naal Ishq Mita: Remixed by Bally Sagoo with a video that went well with adults too. As far as i can remember, this is the first remix song that i heard and i liked it and so did others. Bally Sagoo started remix era for me and he followed with Mera Laung Gawacha, Aaja Nachle and Noorie. But one thing to note here is that even though with remix, his videos were aesthetic.
I grew up and so did my selection of music. This was a time of one hit wonders. Many bands came up with that one song but soon were never heard. Aryans came up with Aankhon mein, which made Shahid kapoor's career. Jojo came with "Woh Kaun Thi". Baba Sehgal copied Ice Ice baby to "Thanda Thanda Pani". Alisha Chinai led the woman front and came up with Made in India. Alsiha was soon joined by Raageshwari with her bubbly song Duniya..
But the best one song wonder was this one:
Purani Jeans: Ali Haider mesmerized the youth of both India and Pakistan with this song and an equally catchy video.
On the way there were some innovative but not so successful attempts like Sunita Rao's Pari hoon main. Shaan (big name now) started with "Lovology" and Sagarika's Disco Diwane. Remo striked with O meri munni.
But there was one person who came, saw and conquered. His songs are still timeless. He was Nusrat Fateh Ali khan and his best pop song was Afreen.
Along the way, while there were one song wonders, there was an album with every song a hit. This was Sonu Nigam's Deewana with songs like Deewana, Is kadar pyar hain, ab mujhe raat din. But Sonu's later albums were such trash.
With the pop phenomenon catching up, there were many classical singers who joined the party. Like Pankaj Udhas' "Aur ahistha ki gayi batein". Jagjit Singh's Kagaz ki kashti resurfaced with a video but it failed to live up the song. Asha Bhosle also released her album Janam samjha karo but failed to make any impression. And there was Altaf Raja as well somewhere with his "tum toh thehre pardesi"
There were others whom i didnt like but they had their own space in market. These were Hans Raj Hans and the cowboy girl - Falguni Pathak, Mehnaaz and Rishi Rich.
By the end of the millennium, industry saw the fastest piano player in the world - Adnam Sami who introduced himself with Kabhi toh nazar milao. But the best of that year was an unknown voice who came up with two cult songs - Pal and Yarron. Yes KK rocked the pop industry and soon this songs were on everyone's lips. But with all these great songs, there was one song that made everyone stop and listen. It was Euphoria's maeri. Undoubtedly Euphoria was one of the most successful bands of Indie-pop and at their prime, they came up with this song.
Maeri was the last best song from Palash Sen and party. In 21st century, i no longer was the kid who used to listen to all pop songs. Earlier was the time of recording cassettes, finding recording stores. In my town (if not village), recording was done by playing a cassette in one taperecorder and recording the sound by other cassette player. Each cassette recording used to cost about 20-25 Rupees excluding the cost of cassette. With so many albums having only one good song, it was worth it to get those songs recorded. I remained oblivious to English music until Titanic came out - Celine Dion's Go on was the first english song that i understood.
One thing to appreciate in all the videos embedded above is their aesthetic nature. In all Euphoria songs Palash Sen used to chase a model wearing a white or pink suit but it was done in good way. Bally Sagoo's song - AAja Nachle is a classic example.
With 21st century, came the generation of remix, more remix and followed by Reshammiya. God knows what lies in store ahead. But then there was a band that i would not call a pop band but it surely made some cult music. It was Indian Ocean. Kandisa requires no video as no video can do justice to it. They followed Kandisa with Jhini which again is awesome.
Lucky Ali still continues to give some surprises. I end this post with a little unknown video - Tu kaun Hai. It was first released in his album Aks but then was used as an OST in the movie - Bhopal Express. I saw this video before the movie and loved it.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Twist and Shout
OMG! It really happened! Check out the video above. This was taken at the debut concert by the latest Indo-american band - Jalsa. Like all the big bands in history, Jalsa members discovered each other by sheer coincidence. In a matter of a day, we decided to form the band and gave our debut performance on the nearest weekend. We all multi-task and complement each other every moment. This is evident by the video above.
Jalsa takes the best out of both Indian and American cultures, mindless music, singing and the ideology - "people on stage must know how to sing". With this simple premise, we are assured of getting success in future. Do look for future concerts at this blog!
Special thanks to Seattle Music museum for inviting us.
Band members: Piyush Goswami, Aniket, Sushant and Arvind Batra.
PS: If you are a Beatle-maniac and is offended by our rendition of Twist and Shout, then listen up close - We don't give a damn about it!
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Foreign language songs
Lost in translation
Directed by Sophie Copolla
Song : Kaze Wo Atsumete. (Collect the wind)
Band: Happy End
Lyrics: (This is translated version of lyrics borrowed from : http://charmless.wordpress.com/2007/11/28/kaze-wo-atsumete-happy-end-mp3/
From the movie: Respiro
Respiro literally means "Respite" or "Breath". Good movie. Watched a good non-hollywood flick after a long time. It is about a woman who is living on an Italian island and has dared to do things different from usual norms and hence is typecasted as mentally ill by the locals. But a one line description is no way close to thousands of stories. My best part is the showcasing of the coarsen plain near beach ... in a way it gels with the movie...sub-consciously makes me feel coarse/agitated.
Song: La Bambola
Artist: Patty Pravo
Directed by Sophie Copolla
Song : Kaze Wo Atsumete. (Collect the wind)
Band: Happy End
Lyrics: (This is translated version of lyrics borrowed from : http://charmless.wordpress.com/2007/11/28/kaze-wo-atsumete-happy-end-mp3/
The song sings about how the beautiful landscape of Tokyo has been lost by the rapid economic growth of Japan.As I was walking down a towering alley
In the outskirts of the city
I saw beyond the blotched fog
A streetcar still sluggish from sleep
Crossing over the seaThat’s why I want to gather the wind (under my wings)
Gather the wind (under my wings)
And run across the blue sky. As I passed through a beautiful sunrise
I saw beyond the empty-looking breakwater
A city with its day-colored sails up
Moored in the port That’s why I want to gather the wind (under my wings)
Gather the wind (under my wings)
And run across the blue sky When I was killing time one morning
At an empty coffee shop
I saw through the cracked glass
The rustling of the high-rises’ silken clothes
Brushing on the sidewalk
From the movie: Respiro
Respiro literally means "Respite" or "Breath". Good movie. Watched a good non-hollywood flick after a long time. It is about a woman who is living on an Italian island and has dared to do things different from usual norms and hence is typecasted as mentally ill by the locals. But a one line description is no way close to thousands of stories. My best part is the showcasing of the coarsen plain near beach ... in a way it gels with the movie...sub-consciously makes me feel coarse/agitated.
Song: La Bambola
Artist: Patty Pravo
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Thursday, March 13, 2008
Tum chalo ( I had to blog this)
Check out the video above: Its made by toi for their lead India show. I havent seen the show but the video song and lyrics is very good.
Music by: Shankaar, Ehsaan Loy
Sung by: Shankar Mahadevan
Lyrics: Gulzaar (who else)
Read the 3rd and 4th lines. Man! I can read them 100 times and still not get bored.
The lyrics are plagiarized from here: http://projectbee.wordpress.com/2008/01/05/tum-chalo-indias-new-anthem/
i am still looking for the person/organization who made this video.
And since TOI has paid for this video, it does not mean that i have started liking TOI. I just appreciate their this venture as i did when Airtel hired Rehman to make that awesome tune.
Music by: Shankaar, Ehsaan Loy
Sung by: Shankar Mahadevan
Lyrics: Gulzaar (who else)
Meaning: falak (Sky), and Ufaq (Horizon)Falak pakad ke utho, aur hawa pakad ke chalo, –2
Tum chalo, to hindustan chale –4Lagao haath ke suraj subah nikala karein, ]
Hatheliyon bhare dhoop aur uchhala karein, ]–2
Ufaq pe paav rakho, aur chalo akad ke chalo,
Falak pakad ke utho, aur hawa pakad ke chalo, –2
Tum chalo, to hindustan chale –4
Read the 3rd and 4th lines. Man! I can read them 100 times and still not get bored.
The lyrics are plagiarized from here: http://projectbee.wordpress.com/2008/01/05/tum-chalo-indias-new-anthem/
i am still looking for the person/organization who made this video.
And since TOI has paid for this video, it does not mean that i have started liking TOI. I just appreciate their this venture as i did when Airtel hired Rehman to make that awesome tune.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Majhi tor Naam Janina
An amazing song from Meghe Dhake Tara(Cloud-capped star). Directed by Rhitwik ghatak.
I have searched this song for close to a year now. I think this was the song that inspired the Raincoat's song: Akele hum nadiya kinare. Both are classic in their own respect.
Friday, December 14, 2007
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