MUSIC REVIEW: Kay Kay's Via Darjeeling

Via Darjeeling is another to the list of now zillions of offbeat commercial flicks aka multiplex cinema. And the music lives up to that specific genre of being nothing specific. It's definitely not filmy. Neither is it Sufi or rock or a particular band playing songs like we had in Life In A Metro.

So what is it? It's a mish mash of some numbers confused in themselves about their specificity of genre. Firstly, the songs that you'll hear, are definitely not in the order of the listing given on the back cover. And the two themes – Rimli's theme and Bonny's theme as well as something called Mallika and Kaushik are definitely missing.

The first song that you'll hear is actually the second one on the list called Sirf Ehsaas sung by Kunal Ganjawala. The song which is quintessentially Ganjawala could have very well been a modernist poem with no rhyming words to lend it some lyrical effect. The poem has been given a tune which is so not hummable and will not leave any impression. The respite however is that the song is too short and gets over as soon as it starts.

Listen: Via Darjeeling songs 

The second song is the first one on the list, Kahin Nahin sung by Sunidhi Chauhan. It sounds too forcefully happy almost like a jingle that tries too hard to be lilting and hummable. However, it does nothing to leave any memories once the song is over. And again, it does get over too soon.

For the first time, you'll hear a softer, sadder version of a song being actually better than the original. Kahin Nahin sung by Shaan, is softer, slower and far better than the original Sunidhi's trying to be happy tune. Shaan shines through the song and you'll realise how very far this boy has come since his Love-o-logy days.

Uribar Swapon – the last number on the list is actually the fourth when you play the album. A Bengali 'baulgeet' (folk) meets rock number, this song is actually the best in the album. It's fresh, peppy and well mixed. It does justice to the folk tunes and retains it's flavour despite the rock beats in the background.

The next song, Baarish by Chitra is also nice. It's hummable though not anything new or out-of-the-box. The prelude tune is sweet and cute (if one can say those things in relation to a song that is).

The last song (thank god for only 6 songs), sung by Kunal Ganjawala, is not at all Kunal Ganjawala. It will make you wonder if it's really sung by the artist or was that a misprint on the cover. However, if the song is actually sung by him, we must say, the singer has suddenly developed a Himesh fixation or at the least trying to ape Kumar Sanu. Yes, he sounds awfully nasal.

No great shakes, this album has nothing special to offer - except for the one Bengali baul rock number.

VERDICT: The Bengali number is appealing (that also if you are a Bengali yourself) but the others don't really make enough sense. A very mediocre album otherwise.

Album: Via Darjeeling l Audio On: Sa Re Ga Ma