Indo-Canadian musician, Vandana Vishwas, who recently won the 2016 Toronto Independent Music Awards in ‘Best World’ category, is truly an out-of-the-box composer who is not afraid of experimenting fusing Indian music with other genres. The recipient of the Indo-Canadian Arts & Culture Initiative’s Woman Hero Award, she recently added another feather to her cap by winning a silver medal at the Global Music Awards 2016 for her flamenco-based song Mai Beqaid (I Am Unprisoned) in the World Music and Female Vocalist categories from her third album Parallels.

The former Lucknow native’s new album Parallels has a two-fold meaning. She has actually composed just five songs and presented each of them in two distinct genres. So, there are a total of ten songs making five ‘parallels’. Secondly, within each song itself, Indian music (melody) runs parallel to the genre.

The unique aspect of Parallels is that Sufi songs by Bulle Shah have been treated in genres such as flamenco, country and ballad, which has never been done before. She has also collaborated with genres like rock, New Age and African music for ghazals, thumri and geet.

The album features two of Bulle Shah’s poems — Mai Beqaid in flamenco music (in collaboration with Canadian flamenco guitar maestro Johannes Linstead) and country music (in collaboration with Canadian dobro master Richard Henderson and Banjo wiz Tim Allan), and Hum Gum Huye in ballad (in collaboration with Canadian drummer Mark Kelso) and an unplugged version (in collaboration with Vishwas Thoke). She has also used a ghazal written by Jigar Muradabadi sahib, composed by her childhood mentor Dilip Kumar Gandhe, in traditional setting but in collaboration with Chinese Erhu specialist Amely Zhou and another version which she labels as Rock-E-Zal in collaboration with electric guitarist Adam Langley, drummer Mark Kelso and bassist Jarrod Ross.

Vandana debuts as a lyricist for the first time on Dhula Dhula with Njacko Backo on kalimba and Constancia on vocals in the African beats version, and Njacko Backo’s African harp with Anil Roopchund’s tabla in the Afro-Indian version, and on Piya Na Mose Bole with the Grammy-winning trio of Ricky Kej, Varsha Kej and Vanil Veigas in the New Age version, and with Sunil Avachat’s flute and Anil Roopchund’s tabla in the thumri version.

The idea to do this kind of an album came when she listened to a non-Indian musical style; she always wondered about the differences in Indian music and if there was a way to collaborate with this genre in such a way that it maintained its integrity while allowing Indian music to maintain its own authenticity. She treated her five compositions in two diverse genres each, resulting in ten ‘parallel’ compositions that present the collaborated genres in their authentic forms.

A good album to check out compared to all we hear today.

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SONY MUSIC (3 CDs), Rs 399

Can’t stop gushing about your favourite love songs? OMG is definitely one of the best collections for you. 51 sentimental songs for the one you love… There’s the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s and a bit of the new millennium, so take your pick and program your player accordingly.

Our picks from CD 1 include Savage Garden’s Truly Madly Deeply, Train with Drops Of Jupiter, balladeers Air Supply with All Out Of Love, Backstreet Boys with Quit Playing Games (With My Heart), Natalie Imbruglia on the heartbreaking Torn, and Toni Braxton’s soulful voice on Unbreak My Heart. The high-pitched vocals of Alicia Keys on Fallin’ are notably sharp and hit the right place…your heart. Other artistes that make a cut here include Christina Aguilera, Justin Timberlake and Kelly Clarkson among others.

CD 2 begins with an instrumental by smooth-as-silk saxophonist Kenny G on his spine-chilling You’re Beautiful, to the smooth voice of Sade on By Your Side. We can’t leave out John Mayer with his extremely lyrically satisfying Your Body Is A Wonderland. Darryl Hall and John Oates bring back the magic of the 80s with You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling (remastered version 2003); to pop goddess Whitney Houston’s anthemic Saving All My Love For You. We strongly recommend Cheap Tricks’ The Flame. Don’t miss out on a bit of country if you feel like it with John Denver’s golden super hit Annie’s Song. There’s also Gareth Gates with a cover of The Righteous Brothers’ Unchained Melody, to other artists like Outlandish, The Tony Rich Project and Ten Sharp.

On CD 3, we go back to the 60s with Where Do I Begin (the theme from Love Story) from Andy Williams who opens the 17-track playlist with this old favourite that is still played at many pre-dawn parties. Another hit-maker of the 70’s Shakin’ Stevens writes the words for you when you have none to say, with the very meaningful Because I Love You. INXS, a band that’s been around for over 30 years, and who lost their lead singer Michael Hutchence, bring their glow here with Afterglow. Boyband Westlife comes away with My Love, while the nasal-toned Willie Nelson picks on an Elvis classic Always On My Mind, with another oldie Neil Sedaka on Oh Carol. Don’t miss Gladys Knight and the Pips with Hero (Wind Beneath My Wings); true classic material in an age of EDM.

A collection you just cannot turn away from, music to remind you of your first love, to wind you up when you are down, to put you in the mood for dancing and songs even to say goodbye. Though no lyrics are included, you really don’t have to say the words.

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SONY DADC, Rs 499

The album’s black inlay has a star on its cover and while it is symbolized as a black star, it is pronounced and stylized as Blackstar. David Bowie’s fondness for space began early in his career with songs such as Space Oddity and Life On Mars? Later on, songs like Under Pressure, Heroes, Absolute Beginners, China Girl, Let’s Dance made him a household name. David Bowie sadly passed away on 10 January 2016, two days after he released this his twenty-fifth and final studio album.

While Bowie stayed more in the pop-rock genre during his career, the elements surrounding this Brit artist’s final swan song, shows that he has used jazz collaborators, psychedelic art rock, funk, part electronica with a mid-tempo feel prevailing throughout the album. Blackstar brings on a talented group of musicians from his longtime right-hand man, producer Tony Visconti, to celebrated modern jazz saxophonist Donny McCaslin and percussionist Ben Monden.

This seven-track album greets fans with the opener Blackstar, a neat ballad with an eerie feeling running through. The heavy beat is spacy while his vocals are mysterious. A little bit of fantasy is used in Lazarus that talks about a ghost who drops his cellphone from heaven to the earth below. The striking ballad, Sue (Or in a Season of Crime), tells of a murder mystery. Dollar Days is the confession of a restless soul who could not spend his golden years in a blissful British countryside even if he wanted to: “I’m dying to push their backs against the grain and fool them all again and again.” I Can’t Give Everything Away tells of a tortured mortal who wishes to give all he can, but something stops him from doing so — “Saying no but meaning yes, this is all I ever meant, that’s the message that I sent”; to him singing over and over, “I can’t give everything, I can’t give everything away.” Don’t miss the clever use of synthesizer and the incredible guitar solo.

At the 59th Annual Grammy Awards, Blackstar won Best Alternative Music Album, Best Engineered Album, Neo Classical: Best Recording Package, while the title song won Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Song.

A pretty good album from one of the best music artistes of our time. If you have never listened to David Bowie, check out his early career breaking albums first and then follow it up with this brilliant piece of work from an artist who is no more with us, but has left us with an amazing spectrum of music.

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SONY DADC, Rs 499

Though his music is not really making chart history, Robbie Williams is in the news for all the wrong reasons; last year he had a tiff with Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page when the latter moved into the neighbourhood, and later hitting out at Russians in his song Party Like A Russian.

His eleventh album has a few catchy melodies, not too many great hooks, and lyrics that are really just not great shakes. The album opener is a big brass setup and big sound that gets a two-star rating. Party Like A Russian saves the day with a pop effect and should be a party anthem for some time. The song uses a sample of Sergei Prokofiev’s Dance Of The Knights (better known as The Apprentice theme to most of the UK).

Mixed Signals could be one of the standouts of the album with its electric guitar undertone that gives off an ‘80s power-anthem style. Penned by The Killers, the chorus has Robbie taking control with some sharp vocals. Love Of My Life is co-written by Snow Patrol with some zesty humour in its lyrics that go: “I love my life / I am powerful / I am beautiful / I am free.” We see no reason why Robbie has the song Bruce Lee here, unless of course it’s probably a tribute to the martial artist whose name literally rules the world.

Cutting down the tempo a bit we have the infectious Sensitive, a soulful love song with a funky bassline and good beats. David’s Song is a tribute to Robbie’s long-time manager David Enthoven who passed away last year. “Please, don’t let me go / While they play the last song ever / The last chance to hold each other forever…”

Ed Sheeran takes over songwriting duties on Pretty Woman, not the one you love from Roy Orbison, but a totally new twist to the name and maybe a concert favourite if performed at one. The last track we suggest on this 11 track album is Hotel Crazy featuring Rufus Wainwright with a bit of jazz.

Pop is what Robbie is known for and he sticks to it all the way. The few good moments prove that Robbie Williams is still someone worth paying attention to.

WIN a CD of The Heavy Entertainment Show sponsored by Sony DADC!
Email your answers to these simple questions to theteenagermag@gmail.com before June 5, 2017. Please include your name, address and contact number in your email.

1) _______ uses a sample of Dance Of The Knights (better known as The Apprentice theme).
a. Party Like A Russian
b. Bruce Lee

2) Mixed Signals, with its electric guitar undertone, has been penned by __________.
a. Robbie Williams
b. Jimmy Page
c. The Killers

3) “Please, don’t let me go / While they play the last song ever …” are lyrics from _______.
a. Sensitive
b. David’s Song

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SONY DADC, Rs 499

This ninth album from the pop diva shows a Christian connotation in the album title, but that is only so much Britney offers as her 17-track album is totally devoid of any religious surprises and dabbles mostly in R&B, hip-hop and pop. Aside from G-Eazy, there are no guest artistes, no attempts to malign anyone, no talk of boyfriends.

Known for her risqué lyrics since she came on the scene, her lyrics on this album have a lot to say about what she feels, and definitely do not make her a role model for anyone.

Tuning into the opener Invitation, she sings, “I know it might seem crazy, but I gonna put you in this blindfold, I just need you to trust me…” This trend continues on tracks like Make Me feat. G-Eazy with a catchy chorus line, and the hard-hitting beat of Private Show. This is followed by songs like Just Luv Me, the slightly reggae-infused and very infectious Slumber Party, Love Me Down, the latter that says it all with Britney pulling some rap on a few verses. What You Need is another out and out blast from the past of the once reigning pop goddess of the 90s. Britney’s only goal is to get down and have fun. And we are all invited.

If you want to take a break and know the real artiste she is, press play on Man On The Moon, a song that does away with all the drama and brings a taste of her earlier albums like Toxic. Do You Wanna Come Over with its dubious lyrics (“All I want is what you want/And all you want is me”), is an irresistible slice of dance-pop, with a great bassline and staccato acoustic guitar. You get the feeling that this is a bit of Justin Timberlake thrown in for good measure.

The Latin-infused Change Your Mind (No Seas Cortés) is a blaster which is part of the bonus tracks playlist. Britney gets a bit hard on Liara that is somewhat out of place, but enjoyable. The bubbly If I’m Dancing finds the former teen pop queen bring on a Brit accent with a song that makes you feel like dancing, though you might think of stopping midway! Britney’s vocals are still locked in the same prime condition we know her. She ends the album with the all-French Coupure Électrique (Blackout).

Glory breezes through under an hour, and by the sound of it this is Britney’s most daring, mature album in years. But she has done daring things in her life in the past. The album comes as no surprise then. Here she croons, talks and sings just like she once did. But in a naughtier way unlike before.

WIN a CD of Glory (Deluxe edition) sponsored by Sony DADC!
Email your answers to these simple questions to theteenagermag@gmail.com before April 10, 2017. Please include your name, address and contact number in your email.

1) The only guest artiste to feature on Glory is ______.
a. G-Eazy
b. Justin Timberlake

2) “All I want is what you want/And all you want is me…” are lyrics from this track.
a. Do You Wanna Come Over
b. Make Me
c. Man On The Moon

3) Britney ends the album with this all-French track.
a. Coupure Électrique
b. No Seas Cortés
c. Liara

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UNIVERSAL MUSIC, Rs 395

NOW That’s What I Call Music!, referred to as the NOW series, dates back to 1983 when the first compilation series started in the UK. Since then it has become one of the most sought-after and awaited compilation albums around. Introduced to the U.S. in 1998, the series expanded into Asia in 1995.

The latest collection has songs that you have probably been listening to for months on TV and radio, so their inclusion here is a bonus for your non-stop party. That’s right; this 18 track album is a must-have for any party. If you have downloaded this music from a website and not paid for it, you can still buy this set and support the work of these artists.

This album does not disappoint when you have the likes of Justin Bieber with his massive hit Sorry, to lover boy Shawn Mendes’ lyrics on Treat You Better, to Ariana Grande with Into You and Selena Gomez with Kill Em With Kindness. The cool whistle on the Selena track is so neat you just cannot help joining in. We move to the EDM bit that everyone loves with Mike Posner sharing space on this disc with the pulsating I Took A Pill In Ibiza spinning and giving you head full of music to kickstart the EDM party. If you programme the CD, set the next track to DJ Snake, who takes on the reins from Posner for Middle, another master blaster that begins on a slow note but progresses into a great beat. Perfect Strangers, a pop-based piece from English DJ Jonas Blue (feat. JP Cooper) is a punchy piece with a good set of vocals. The album ends with Tiesto’s Summer Nights (feat. John Legend).

The series is known to have the best selected chart hits without discriminating between genres. The latter half of the disc boasts of songs that seem to be present more for the names of the artists than the popularity of the songs — the mushy Something In The Way You Move (Ellie Goulding), My Old Man (Outlandish), Rise (Katy Perry) and the very cheeky Here (Alessia Cara). You also have a bit of hip-hop with Desiigner on the funky Panda. Other favorites include Cake By The Ocean (DNCE) and the swinging electro-pop styled Cool Girl (Tove Lo).

If you are not the kind to download any of the hits here on your phone or laptop, then go right out and buy this collection of songs. You’ll love it, even though there are a few that don’t make the cut.

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UNIVERSAL MUSIC, Rs 295

Those who have followed her music know her style and her jazz influences felt on most of her work down her 14-year career. Norah Jones’ sixth album features nine original songs and three covers that take you back to her roots.
Norah makes a jazz record with the help of iconic saxophonist Wayne Shorter, drummer Brian Blade, bassist John Patitucci and organist Dr Lonnie Smith. The covers include Horace Silver’s Peace, Duke Ellington’s Fleurette Africaine and Neil Young’s Don’t Be Denied. She sounds empowered on Horace Silver’s Peace: “Life’s true meaning comes to you / And the freedom you seek is one / Peace is for everyone.”

Wayne Shorter appears on the opener Burn, his soprano saxophone the perfect accompanist to Norah’s velvety lead. On Tragedy, we see the slow side of the singer as she harps on just one word. Flipside, a song about racial and civic injustice, sees her pick up the pace spending most of its time on rippling piano and a repetitious swinging groove. The lyrics that dwell on freedom call out: “If we’re all free, then why does it seem we can’t just be?” running up to, “Your temperature’s well past a hundred and two / Put the guns away, or we’ll all gonna lose…”.

The joyous swinging It’s A Wonderful Time For Love is followed by the mid-tempo, mellow And Then There Was You. The bluesy Once I Had A Laugh has a more edgy sound reminiscent of her earlier piano pieces. Norah seems to be enjoying herself on the piano, sometimes in a crawl, to a slow jam, to keep up the pace of the album. The track is minus any great lyrics, but Norah’s luscious voice seems to enjoy telling you when we used to have a good time, now that we are getting older. Sleeping Wild is full jazz play while Carry On, with its sweet melody, focuses on leaving the past as the past and carrying on.

With almost all lyrics written by Norah, expect some great compositions from the young lady who never fails to make an album to remember. She has fallen back in love with her piano and it permeates every note. Add to this the jazz influenced arrangements and sublime musicianship of her band with accomplished musicians and what you get is a faultless production. Put this on a good sound system and I guarantee that you will have the impression that you are sitting a few feet away from the musicians.

Day Breaks sees Norah return to familiar territory; it is a beautiful album which, at times, is sure to give you chills. Lyrics included.

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UNIVERSAL MUSIC, Rs 295

Carly Rae Jepsen’s third album E•MO•TION brings us some bubblegum pop, and even though we would not label it as one of the best pop records we have heard so far, the singer-songwriter pulls out some good moments on the album.

The talented youngster who came out in 2011 with her hit Call Me Maybe, breaks out her 12 track album with Run Away With Me that has a catchy chorus and melody. She sings positively with her lyrics based on whether she and her lover leave the party together or not. On E•mo•tion, Carly hits out at a lover: “Be tormented by me, babe, In your head, and I won’t stop / Until you forget me, forget me not.”  Her sharp delivery of the lyrics pulls at the heartstrings at once.

Her biggest track is the very insistent I Really Like You with its infectious lyrics. The extremely fast-paced piece is hard to keep up with, but join Carly in professing your love to your lover. Her love for repeating words shows up on the album highlight Gimme Love. She slows the beat down with All That, a reflective ballad packed with serious lyrics on a love relationship. The songwriting, mostly done by Carly, is clever and mature and to the point, meant for her ever-growing teenage fans.

Boy Problems has a mid-tempo groove with the lyrics speaking about what she feels is the problem with girls who fall in love with boys, quite a fun track. You can give Making The Most Of The Night and Your Type a miss. Let’s Get Lost is totally a runaway song playfully with your mate.

More than 200 tracks were reportedly recorded until the final product was decided on. Carly also brought in some of the pop world’s most prestigious producers to help her out, including hit-makers Max Martin and Jack Antonoff, Scott “Scooter’ Braun and Justin Bieber. The deluxe version of the album has 18 tracks.

Warm Blood, her collaboration with little-known indie rock bands Zolas and Data Romance, produces a sweet vocal to a no-frills electronic production. The final track When I Needed You, is a fire blaster, booming loud and clear, that has Carly telling her boyfriend what she looks for in him and what she loves about him.

Overall, this is a good album, with a few hits and misses. You can listen to it again with your bunch of friends. Carly has some interesting material here for teen E.MO.TIONs. Lyrics included.

The post E.MO.TION: Carly Rae Jepsen appeared first on The Teenager Today.

SONY DADC (CD + DVD), Rs 699

Beyoncé’s sixth studio album and her second visual album features 12 new songs and a short film Lemonade that has music videos of her songs. The lyrics, contributed by many guest writers, make bold lyrical statements in the audio version as well as in the accompanying DVD. The album booklet has colour and black and white photographs from the music videos and a few personal photographs. This conceptual project has lyrics that dwell on the black community, and in particular black feminism, besides also focusing on every woman’s journey of self knowledge and healing.

The R&B sound laced with a bit of soul is well orchestrated, lyrically and musically. The album opens on a slow tone with Pray You Catch Me. “I can taste the dishonesty, it’s all over your breath…” sings Beyoncé as she deals with an unfaithful lover. Hit of the year, Hold Up, a reggae-tinged number, sees Beyoncé as a woman possessed, marking the territory around her lover, the music video would reveal more about what she does on a street with her baseball bat. With a heavy bass beat, the effect is hallucinogenic, with a deep baseline. The melodic Jack White collaboration, Don’t Hurt Yourself, is pop-laced with a few foul lyrics spoken in a moment of rage. Sorry gets up-tempo and then suddenly drops back and jumps back to keep the flow of the song. It could become one of the better club anthems on the party circuit. Daddy Lessons has a brass edge to it, with Beyoncé talking about how her father brought her up, helping her fight for justice for the men in her life. The acoustic guitar playing country style is neat and plucky, shadowing her roots from her homeland. The pitch slows down slightly on Love Drought and the fantastic piano-laced Sandcastles, both of which are fine ballads, with Sandcastles in particular bringing out Beyonce’s rich vocal capability. It has a raw feeling to it, very emotional and personal.

After an 80 second break on Forward, we get Freedom, featuring Kendrick Lamar, which speaks of a cry for liberation. Bey goes ballistic on this piece with a shout for freedom.

Lemonade closes with Formation, a funky piece that has kinky lyrics, a heavy baseline and an unforgettable beat. It is very infectious and surely a tune that might never get out of your head.

At her most benevolent and most unadulterated, the album presents Bey at her most skilled and orchestral mode creating a mix of crazy anthems which all goes to make a great album.

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SONY DADC, Rs 499

Simon Cowell’s The X Factor has produced some good artists down the years, from solo acts to boy and girl groups. One of the more popular bands is Fifth Harmony, an American all-girl group spinning some notable songs and some which we might not want to really talk about.

Dinah Jane Hansen, Ally Hernandez, Normani Kordei, Camila Cabello and Lauren Jauregui, bring out sugary pop-R&B songs, dance pieces and a few mushy tunes on this album. The girls have that extra oomph and personality to take them far.

Fifth Harmony speaks of matters close to the heart and boy-girl relationships of the adult kind. On the opening track, the very catchy That’s My Girl, they sing: “Destiny said you got to get up and get it / Get mad independent, don’t you ever forget it”, to some funky bass and electronic drum roll. We also have the Rihanna chorus coming in to help out the girls when they yell out “Work, work, work, work” on their track Work From Home. If it worked for RiRi, it’s working for these five damsels.

Trying out some EDM might work in their favour when you listen to The Life. You get a look into the girls’ private lives when they open up on Write On Me, co-produced by Kygo, with its trippy house sound. They chant: “Everything is grey until you draw me / touching on my body like you know me.” It appears that all the five feel the same way, and show off their physical attributes in a few images on the CD inlay. I Lied is like an answer to Michael Bolton’s Said I Loved You But I Lied. Expect a bit of reggae on All In My Head (Flex) that features Fetty Rap, a Beyonce call and answer piece.

Not That Kinda Girl is a bouncy, retro electro piece that brings R&B diva Missy Elliot to the fore, shooting off her talent in front of the girls. Squeeze, a mid-tempo balladic piece is a top favourite; its finger-snapping bang on. The catchy chorus with an equally catchy beat will make you sing along. “Put your arms around me baby, and squeeze, only you know how to save me, put your arms around me baby and squeeze.”

Bonus track, Dope, spacey and electro styled, can be given a miss for its crude lyrics. No Way ends the album and is impressive, speaking of how the girls grapple with a complicated relationship despite many talking about them.

The five powerhouse vocals are unbeatable. It’s a sweet 40 minutes to spend with one of the top girl bands around. Includes lyrics.

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