Rock On!!

Farhan Akhtar made a swashbuckling directorial debut with the youth-friendly DIL CHAHTA HAI (2001) that really set ground-breaking rules for modern filmmaking. This time he returns with a promise of holding many flags together in an album that shows the brawn to pioneer the spirits and feel of "hard-rock" music. ROCK ON, his forthcoming home-production marks his acting cum singing debut. The triumphant trio Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy (S-E-L) and renowned lyricist Javed Akhtar makes another consequential outing with ROCK ON. The successful conglomerate made things brighter earlier with musical successes like DIL CHAHTA HAI and LAKSHYA. This time the feel is more experimental than contemporary in its packaging. Will this work? Let's check this out!

The zany electronic and rhythm guitar strumming followed by rigorous drum-beating sets the tempo for a typical "hard-rock" concert stylized number "Socha Hai Kya". Farhan Akhtar makes first sparkling vocal impact that is loaded with motivational wordings that concocts energetically with thriving arrangements. S-E-L makes spectacular use of "speed-enhancing techniques" in guitar works where the tempo and speed is sporadically raised to the highest volume. Farhan makes a confident start to the album with Javed saab's striking lyrical works ("Baadal Neela Kyon Hai?") and really sets the mood for "hard-rock" bonanza for the forthcoming soundtracks.

"Pichle Saat Dinon Main", a blazing rock song triggers off with a bombastic electric guitar strumming and gets accompanied with quizzical wordings ("Mera Laundry Ka Ek Bill?") about things lost in 7 days in a true concert feel style. Farhan makes another "rock star" appearance where the hook-line "Na Na Na Na" and frivolously played concoction of rhythm and electric guitar riffing in its middle preludes makes sound significance. Do play it louder and really feel the impulse of "hard-rock" concert that comes with racy energetic flows. The second version is "feel-good" concert number where vocalist energizes the crowd to sing with him. It picks up well with "Na Na Na" sounds with slower tempo that gets aggravated and finally culminates into a typical rock concert number.

Farhan Akhtar makes the maximum impact with his voice as his thriving vocals find a brilliant match of electric guitars, bass guitars, drums and keyboards in youthfully energized title track "Rock On". Undoubtedly the best number of the album; it signifies the feel of four "rock-stars" as their outrageously bizarre emotions are well emoted with zany "hard-rock" flows. The finely plucked electric cum rhythm guitar strumming followed with rhythmical drum-patterns delivers a harmonic signature feel of the film. S-E-L deliver a gem of hard-rock number that has the firing thrust of setting the concert floors on fire. This highly animated title track is likely to be having maximum takers among urbane listeners and do find it to be scaling high on charts in coming weekends.

Soulful and smoothening feminine textures epitomizing the captivating charms of a delightful evening gets mesmerized to perfection with delightful vocals of Dominique Cerejo in enchanting melody "Ye Tumhari Meri Baatein". This time S-E-L make effective use of delectable westernized arrangements to deliver a "soul" music ambience. The contours of lovable and genteel instrumentation are perfectly usurped with syrupy wordings with "bright as sunshine" vocals making this an everlastingly situational love track.
"Hard-metal" rock music makes its impulsive and animated maneuvers through Suraj Jagan's ferociously vocals, distorted loud guitar, dense bass and drum sounds and bizarre lyrical works in "Zehreeely". The continuous rigorous beat-patterns are ear-splitting where the voice screeches and yells to deliver a venomous feel of the protagonist. It's extra-vociferous and thunderous rendition is more akin to the situational needs.

Farhan Akhtar returns to scenario with a subtle and soft melody, "Tum Ho Tum", where he softens his vocals chords to deliver a mushy romantic appeal. The soft guitar strumming and sluggish percussion followed with a bass guitar lining tries to give it a theatrical feel. In this genteel number, one can feel the throw and flow of Farhan's voice that should work amiably in the tender moments in the film.

The fairy tales of "Sindbad the sailor" finds its motivational significance as "Sindbad" is idolized as stature of determination and dedication in snazzy sounding rock number "Sindbad the Sailor". Farhan finds the company of talented Raman Mahadevan as their voices complements and amalgamates well in tandem with rigorously punched "hard-rock" musical arrangements to deliver another worth-hearing number.

After the enchanting "Ye Tumhari Meri Baatein", impressive sounding Caralisa Monteiro's subtle vocals make mood mushier by ushering out emotions of dreams and hope in the magnificently rendered "Phir Dekhiye". S-E-L makes delectable use of rhythmical guitar and piano works that gel perfectly with silken feminine vocal moves. It's another delightfully gleaming soft number that will be adding dollops of sentimental delights in tender moments and surely will be making the singer proud of her remarkable rendition.

S-E-L deserves all accolades for adding the genre of "hard-rock" music in the marquee as they make aesthetically positive efforts in this album. ROCK ON is a tailor made product for urbane-cool listeners who have passion and understanding for "rock" music. The album's high points are tracks like "Rock On", "Pichle Saat Dinon Mein" and "Socha Hai Kya" while numbers like "Phir Dekhiye" and "Ye Tumhari Meri Baatein" have soulful impact. It's likely to be having major takers among lovers of the pop genre but its acceptance from hoi polloi is still unpredictable.