The Strings that bind...

Feeling pretty good today. Have been listening to a lot of good music by Indian and Pakistani bands today. Being a hard-core (or pretty close) classic rock afficionado, it feels good to hear music being made in the sub-continent which can touch me the same way as Zeppelin, Straits etc do.

Of the Indian and Pakistani bands today, Euphoria and Strings are my favourites. Palash Sen, the driving force behind Euphoria is a talented musician, and I like most of their songs. They have a great way of fusing folk music into a lot of their pop songs, these fusion numbers are probably some of their best. They are most likely to trip up on songs which are all out western influenced. They have a new album out called "Mehfuz", and I hope they have a lot of sales.

But Strings is hands down the best band to come out of the sub-continent ever. Bilal Maqsood is a very good guitarist and Faisal Kapadia is an excellent vocalist. And above everything, they make music which is meaningful and literate. Check out the jukebox of their songs playing on their website. I especially love "Dhaani", "Sir Kiyae Yeh Pahar" and "Kahani Mohabbat Ki". Hats off to these guys!

I have great hopes from some other Indian/Pakistani singers or bands. The band Jal came out with a winner in "Woh Lamhey" but have not heard much lately from them. Rabbi Shergill is another and his song "Bulla ki jaana" will remain one of my favourite indi-pop numbers. Though indi-pop brings to mind mostly awful remixes, Baba Sehgal's crappy rap, and loads of British Asians trying to make it big with their bhangra booty shakes. Its up to bands like Euphoria, Strings and the guitar wielding Rabbi to carve out a new genre - maybe Indi-Rock! Aw yeah that
sounds right!

So any readers (not many yet!), go out and BUY their albums. These bands need our encouragement. Download the albums of the brit and american bands by all means ;).