Mausam e Nau – Coke Studio Pakistan: The Productions

Music is sustenance. It lifts the spirit and cleanses the soul. It drives away demons and brings comfort…except when one must critique it! Then, it can be a guilt-inducing, taxing chore.

This has not been easy. Studying Season 9 was time consuming and made me realize that I am near illiterate about music. On the one hand I am sobered, on the other I am awed by the herculean task that each production is. It requires passion and commitment, inherent talent and honed skill, patience and collaboration. In the end, one must immerse oneself wholly in the creative process and hope to emerge with something fulfilling and inspiring. Sometimes, one is gifted with a matchless piece; other times, one may achieve nothing. Such persistence and faith is profound.

No wonder musicians are some of the most peaceful people on earth. They have to be to realize their musical potential, to create something prolific and long lasting.

Thus, the comments below are with utmost respect for each member of the Coke Studio team. To us, it’s a few minutes’ listen, a nod or a dismissal, and on to the next. To them, each number is a labor of love, painstakingly brought to life. For their effort, we are grateful.   

The Productions

Here is my take on each number with some comments on why and who. Key pillars are artiste, director and arrangement, with some lines on other, unique differentiators if any. 

I wanted to address the fourth pillar, the songwriter, as well but realized it would be a futile exercise. It would be irreverent to comment on Bhulleh Shah, Amir Khusro, Muzaffar Warsi or Saeed Gilani, even Javed Akhtar and Sabir Zafar, which leaves behind only Mohsin Abbas Haider and Shuja Haider who are both quite brilliant.  The rest are ordinary experiments, thus proving my point that there must be selective inclusion of (not just experimentation with) original lyrics, perhaps a ghazal or a geet. Remember the magic of “Bewajaa”?

The Spectacular

1. Aaqa: This reaffirmation of our collective gratitude is tops. Abida’s is imposing, unfaltering rendition and Shuja’s heartfelt lyrics and composition to refresh an oft-repeated “shukr” is on point; as he says in the BTS “Yeh line yaad to hai lekin kaheen kho gaee hai..Ise dobara logon ke dilon mein zinda karna hai”. Ali holds his own against Abida. He is mellifluous, pitch and diction perfect, unerring.  His “riaz” must be intense and it shows. Aaqa is Aaqa all the way.

2. Uddi Ja: I would rate this highest but for the excellence of Aaqa. DJ’s Faisalabadi roots show and Jaffer does justice to his creation. Mohsin’s voice is sublime and his lyrics deep for someone so young. Makes me wonder about the obstacles of his journey; I would love to learn more about the struggles he mentions in the BTS. What a find!

3. Aaya Laariye: It’s enough to experience Meesha the goddess of pop who single-handedly tips the scales in favour of women artistes (otherwise still struggling and challenged), but Shuja has brought an old memory to life with freshness. Shehnai and dholak to the accompaniment of clapping, shrieking backup vocals brought a giggle. Naeem cannot be faulted, he’s very dependable. Shuja excels with the hookup of two beloved Punjabi numbers. Who thought “Jeeja” would become a sexy word! Definitely a shaadi favorite. As Naeem says in the BTS “outclass”. 

4. Paar Chana De: One cannot go wrong with this one, the subject grasps and holds. Like many of us, Noori seems to have grown up with it and the love shows. Shilpa’s strong rendition and the strings section depicting longing, urgency and danger are winners. Welcoming comments from Shilpa in BTS…hopefully she has taken away good vibes from Lahore and Karachi. 

5. Bholay Bhalley Saiyyan; More of this – departure from the safe – please! Put anything in Meesha’s hands and she can transform it. Shani’s idea to use the sitar for an eclectic, almost naughty number is fun. Meesha is a composite, a package stuffed full of “celebrity”. What other BTS features make-up and outfits, and so appropo for Meesha!

6. Alaa Baali; A stronger female singer would’ve completed the trick. Nirmal did her best but she needs coaching and experience. Jabar, the Pakistani Sukhwinder, nailed it for both of them.  Great experiment by Shiraz to bring together Arabic, Persian and local music. Backup vocals’ spot on, their high notes the high points.

7. Aa Ja Re Morey Saiyyan; Original, new lyrics are always refreshing. Noori’s writing talent is surprising, as is their versatility with composition. Zeb Bangash is predictable but successfully so (whatever happened to Haniya?).

8. Dilruba Na Raazi; Just for his Pushto rendition Faakhir deserves kudos. Zeb should try something different before her dependable good becomes boring.

9. Tu Kuja Man Kuja: Shiraz’s talent transcends in this, as does Rafaqat’s. Reliance, yet again, on timeless, durable lines is frustrating but then one forgives simply because the message is uplifting and the number so well composed. 

The Fabulous

10. Shamaan Pe Gaiyyan: Kashif made me cry, perhaps because the message hits too close to home. Shiraz’s strong foundation in melody is at play and he succeeds in fusing two well loved songs well. Rachel must be commended for catching Punjabi words better than many Punjabi singers, and her high notes are surprising. I wonder what Madam would think of the treatment of her last recorded song?

11. Lagi Bina/Chal Mele Noon Challiye: Nothing can go wrong when Sanam and Saaein sing Guru Nanak’s kalam.  Jaffer brought the two numbers together well. This is a good example of blending two different pieces together…some others should learn from this. But it’s Sanam all the way with her remarkable range. 

12. Khaki Banda: Once again this is Shuja’s show. Umair is good, but Ahmed reminds again that he is a genuinely talented but utterly disinterested singer. His lack of effort and enthusiasm is  palpable. Khaki Banda would have made greater impact if it had more original lines…so much more to say about the arrogance of the human race. 

13. Meri Meri: With apologies to my saint Bhulleh Shah, if I hear him sung one more time I shall disconnect. Is there no curiosity to seek out other, equally powerful kalam? Rizwan is good but more noticeable for his looks than his singing, Sara is ordinary, Shani’s Irish bluesy blend is creative and welcome. Please…enough with Bhulleya!

14. Jaaney Na Tu: Ali Khan as singer and songwriter is a find, and Jaffer has handled the  package sensitively. It’s a good example of fresh lyrics with offbeat treatment. 

15. Dil Kamla: A good effort although relying yet again on power that old favorites carry. Nevertheless, the fusion of old and new works seamlessly. Faakhir has done exceptionally well as a singer and quite well as a director in this case, using the strings section and backup vocals well. Natasha delivers confidently without making a serious mark.

The Adequate

16. Maula e Kull: I dare to say this. Abida’s composition of “Hyderi-am Qalandar-am” is powerful, but the overall number is just more Abida, nothing additional. Even she must be tired of same same. Maybe if she is used for a ghazal (case in point: Jab se Tu Ne and Woh Hamsafar) we will sit up and take notice.

17. Sasu Maangey: I’m a Naseebo fan. She is such a talented artiste, but sadly often misused as in this case. It seems no one coached her nor helped her do this better. Umair sounds as if this is only his song. Redemption comes from backup vocals, the mandolin, the bouquet of rhythm by Shiraz.

18. Balliye/Laung Gawacha: I nearly put Haroon in the X factor list until I found many others are equally promising.  Haroon is the best in this number, but Noori’s disjointed fusion does not impress and QB’s excellent delivery does not redeem. Maybe I’m missing a trick, perhaps a commonality of raag…I don’t know, but I couldn’t connect to this one at all.

19. Jhalliya: We have GOT to give Bhulleh Shah a rest! I give greater credit to Faakhir for the arrangement and the choice of Masuma amongst the three singers, than I would for sticking to safe zone with Bhulleya. Javed is always good, but – well, this is just too safe.

20. O Re: I’m having trouble understanding this. One of the Alis, the screaming one, thinks screaming through every song is sufficient. He’s adorable, talented much, one heck of a guitar player and – ok – he screams “in sur”…but I still don’t connect. There is little by Noori I don’t love, but this eludes me.
 
21. Sab Jag Soye: Besides “Gaey gi Dunya Geet Merey” this is Madam’s most abiding memory.   Purist that I am, the offbeat treatment does not sit well. I appreciate that it experiments but the pieces put together are disjointed and don’t connect. QB is her dependable self, but overall an ordinary number.
 
22. Tera Woh Pyar (Nawaazishen): What a melodious piece, so well arranged by Shuja, and how sadly ruined by Momina that it could not be redeemed by Asim. Damia, Nirmal, Sara, Natasha – anyone of them would’ve added the necessary element. QB? A whole other level…if only…

23. Nimma Nimma: Another one to get teary eyed with. Clearly Shani was affected by the subject matter too, as he states in the BTS. It’s an ordinary number made special because of Maa  and the pain of losing her. I cried.

24. Tu Hi Tu: Ok, good enough..Mehwish wanted to try her hand at this and fared well enough for an actor-singer. But it’s nothing to write home about, not of Shiraz quality.

25. Sadaa: It’s impossible to put Mast Qalandar with Rahat and find fault. There is little novelty in it, but if only for the love of Mast Qalandar and Rahat, this is fabulous. Rahat’s songs seem to be similar, undistinguishable…a dangerous place to be for a popular artiste.

26. Main Raasta: Good idea to encourage young artistes to write their own lyrics, but better results expected. I’m sure youngsters will enjoy the rock element and I suppose it’s easier to go with ridiculous lines like “Mein tum se kehti hoon….kehta hoon” than really digging in for better stuff. 

But Why!?

27. Afreen Afreen: Kill me for rating this poorly when the world is flipping over Momina’s smile, the soft tempo, and Rahat who never falters in “sur” and “taal”. But the fact is, if you take away Javed’s lyrics and Nusrat’s composition, whatever remains doesn’t add much. Momina was ordinary, Rahat seemed preoccupied, Faakhir arranged well but it was not enough. Some things are best left untouched. 

28. Anokha Ladla:  Faakhir obviously lives out of the box, but he is too ambitious for his talent since he completely trashed this complex, delicate composition. Damia seems to agree and sounds unconvincing, and Basit, although adequate, could not redeem it. As I said, some things are best left untouched.

Larger than life…dare not rate

1. Rang: I’ve heard better versions by many gharanas, by Rahat and Amjad and my favorite, Farid Ayaz and Abu Mohammad. I suppose it is essential to cut a piece down due to time constraint, but Rang should never be subjected to this. Nevertheless, Rang in any form of any length is divine and this time especially so due to Amjad’s sad passing.

2. Man Kunto Maula: To a purist, the new element jarred to begin with, then lent itself to the message. Javed entered with a perfect delivery. Like Rang, one should just leave this master Manqabat alone, but in any form with whatever attachment, it remains beloved.

3. Ae Rah e Haq ke Shaheedo: No matter what is done to this, it will never fail to pull at the heart strings and draw tears. An excellent concept to pay homage not just to the Armed Forces but countless others who continue to lose their lives to the war on terror.