Music reviews

I’m with you

Red Hot Chili Peppers
Warner Bros Records, Rs 395

Classic rock at its best

I’m With You is a great mix of rock and funk, something Red Hot Chili Peppers are known for. This is the band’s tenth album and they definitely do not disappoint. Life and death is a major theme of the album and according to Flea, bassist of the band, ‘the album is, at times, influenced by African music.’

Before listening to the music CD, I watched the video of the track, The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie, online recently and I must admit, I loved it. The track reached number one on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart recently, giving RHCP their 12th number one single. Happiness Loves Company and Police Station are some of the other highlights of the album.

The guitar musings, drums, fast grooves and the occasional rap is regular fare you expect from RHCP. Also, many tracks do boast of interesting lyrics. Police Station, in particular, is subtle and simple which works — I saw you on a TV station, And it made me want to pray, An empty shell of loveliness, Now dusted with decay.  I’m With You sticks to RHCP’s tried and tested formula of music; it isn’t memorable, yet, it stays with you.  

Anisha mehta

Sukhanu Bhavan

Nityasree Mahadevan
Sagar Music, Rs 125

Of love and romance

Nityashree Mahadevan is a popular draw on the concert circuit, specially in Chennai and Bangalore. Being the grand-daughter of the late D K Pattamal, she has imbibed the best elements in vocal performance. Sukhanu Bhavan is a live recording of one of her concerts.

The album begins with Vinatha Sutha Vaahana, a Thyagaraja composition in raga Jayanthasena in aadi tala. This is followed by Pasupatheeswaram, a composition of Dikshitar in Subha Pantuvarali raga (a serious raga which often evokes a sad feeling) in aadi tala. Vanchathonu, a composition of Harikesanallur Muthaiah Bhagavathar is rendered in Karna Ranjani raga. Suddhananda Bharathy, the mystic, poet and freedom fighter, is represented by his composition, Velan Varuvaaradi, in Raagamalika (a bouquet of ragas). These are delightful compositions. 

The choice of ragas, as well as the order in which they appear in a Ragamalika, are based solely on aesthetic considerations.  The album is a romantic raga based on eternity and the colours of love. Madhu literally means honey. It is a very sweet raga with a very simple philosophy of love and romance.

Michael Patrao