Frankly, I hated this album even before listening to it because I am biased against Aishwarya Rai. (She is one of the three heroines I hate in Bollywood - the other two are Rani Mukherjee and Karishma Kapoor). But when I listened to it with an open mind I liked it - Kuch Na Kaho has melodious music. It is an album with repeat value (something that cannot be said about most other albums).
EXCELLENT TRACKS:
KUCH NA KAHO - Sadhna Sargam and Shaan
I instantly fell in love with this number. The ’whistling’ is so infectious that I kept humming the tune for an entire week until my mom forced me to stop! Kuch Na Kaho is a romantic track with an important message - ’’The golden gesture of love is SILENCE.’’ Sadhna Sargam and Shaan, two of my favorite singers, do an excellent job!
It was a treat to listen to Sargam’s voice after a long time in Bollywood (listen to the love in her voice as she sings, ’’Halki Halki Mulaqaten Thi’’). And Shaan’s rising popularity is not surprising! With Aur Mohabbat Hai from Main PRem Ki Diwani Hoon and Kuch Na Kaho, Shaan has cemented his position as the best young male voice! The beats are alternately soft and fast, lending a romantic effect. During the stanzas, the beat is soft; when the singers croon, ’’Kuch Na Kaho, ’’ the beat picks up and so does your ’heartbeat!’ Javed Akhtar pens some beautiful verses! I loved all the lines, especially:
’’ Ho Jazbaat Jitne Hai Dil Mein
Mere Hi Jaise Hai Woh Bezuban
Jo Tumse Main Kehna Payi
Kehti Hai Woh Meri Khamoshiyan
Sun Sako To Suno Woh Jo Maine Kaha Nahin
Sach To Hai Kehne Ko Ab Kuch Raha Nahin
Kuch Naa Kaho Kuch Naa Kaho
Kuch Naa Kaho Kuch Naa Kaho’’
[Meaning: I have so many feelings in my heart but I am not able to bring them out. My silence says what I am not able to say. If you can listen to my silence, do so]
SUPERB - 10/10 - just listen to it!
2) Baat Meri Suniye To Zara – Shankar Mahadevan, Mahalaxmi
An enjoyable number and my favorite! Baat Meri involves an engaging wordplay between a guy and a girl who tease each other. The guy tries to confess his love to the girl, but she acts high-handed and makes fun of him. This song sounds prosaic. The music uses steady dholak beats.
But Baat Meri rises above other ‘teasing’ songs in Bollywood by scoring in two major departments – the lyrics, which are magnificent, and the singers. Shankar is charming while Mahalaxmi is sweet. Both bring in loads of excitement into their vocals and add loads of fun into the song.
A song meant for a wedding or a party – 10/10
3) Kehti Hai Ye Hawa – Richa Sharma, Shankar Mahadevan
A balm for my soul! Kehti Hai Ye Hawa is the sad version of Kuch Na Kaho. It boasts of brilliant lyrics and poignant singing. Picture this:
“Aarzoo So Gayi, Har Khushi Kho Gayi
Sune Hai Raaste, Ab Mere Waste
Sirf Ek Yaad Hai, Ek Fariyad Hai
Sirf Tanhaiyan, Sirf Parchaiyan
Aasoon Ki Nadi Dil Mein Hai Beh Rahi
Kehti Hai Zindagi Tum Bhi Is Mein Baho
Kuch Naa Kaho Kuch Naa Kaho
Kuch Naa Kaho Kuch Naa Kaho”
(Meaning: My wishes have died. My happiness is lost. My roads are empty. I just have one memory – my loneliness. My heart is crying and my life is requesting me to drown in those tears. But do not say anything aloud)
Kehti Hai Yeh Hawa correlates to the title track – while the title track professes that, “Silence is the golden gesture of love, ’ this track professes that, “Silence is the golden gesture of sorrow.” Just like true love cannot be expressed in words, profound sorrow cannot be expressed in words either! Is liye, “Kuch Na Kaho”! BRILLIANT!!
Richa Sharma does an excellent job with her sober tone and Shankar adds the right amount of grief when he mouths, “Kuch Na Kaho”
Heartrending song – 9/10
GOOD TRACKS:
1) Ache Lagte Ho – Kavita Krishnamurthy, Udit Narayan
Ache Lagte Ho is a great example of a song that begins wonderfully but loses its fire later! The whispering chorus and the electronic beats provide a haunting start to it. But the music and lyrics become boring as the song progresses. If there is one consistently good facet in this song, it is the singing.
Udit and Kavita (my all-time fav female singer) have featured in ‘n’ romantic hits, but their exuberance is still intact. Udit mellows his tone and sounds like a guy besotted with his woman. Kavita’s voice is melodious, especially in the lines, ‘Dil Kasheen Tumse Hai, Tazgee Tumse Hai, ” when she sounds so husky and sensuous, that you got to love her!
Good track – 8/10
2) Tumhein Aaj Maine Jo Dekha - Shankar Mahadevan, Sujata Bhattacharya
This song was the first trailer of the movie. I did not like the choreography but I did like the song. Hence, I listened to the entire song, which is about two lovers expressing the intensity of their love.
The music is fast-paced, with electronic beats in the background. But this track doesn’t sustain your interest for long because there is nothing memorable in terms of music or the singing. Yeah, I did like the ’claps’ towards the end of each stanza, but that’s about it.
Good for a few listens - 6/10
BAD TRACKS
6) ABBG – Udit Narayan, Mahalaxmi
OH GOD!!! Maybe this song looks good on the big screen but, as an audio, ABBG is HORRIBLE. A song that is not worth any comment, a song that is not worth even a moment, a song that is a bane to this album – Iske bare me “kuch na kahen” to acha hoga! Javed Saheb – were you on drugs when you penned this worthless song?!!!
Pathetic – 1/10
Overall, Kuch Na Kaho is a mellifluous experience (minus that one track). Shankar – Ehsaan – Loy are becoming popular these days, with every young director turning to them for composing music (Kal Ho Na HO being their most recent work)! Although KNK’s music is not as evergreen as, say, their Mission Kashmir, it is still an enjoyable album! Go for it!
Overall Rating – 7.5/10
PS: I rate it a 3/5 , but I think it deserves a 3.5 rating. However, mouthshut.com doesn’t have provision for the extra 0.5! :D