Music Review: Marigold

Marigold, the much awaited Salman Khan's Hollywood venture, directed by Willard Carroll is set to be released on 12th August 2007. The plot is in the lines of the 2001 flick, "Bollywood calling". While Bollywood Calling shows the plight of a US based Mr Patrick's journey through Bollywood industry, Marigold showcases the emotional rollercoaster-esque experience of an american actress, Marigold Lexton (played by Ali Larter of Legally Blonde and Final Destination fame). A typical bollywood plot with the lead pair in love but, are to be engaged with other, yada yada and the rest is history.

Willard Carroll uses Bollywood film industry as his backdrop for this romantic comedy. He apparently fell in love with Bollywood films and decided to make a film based on that backdrop.

Music, composed by Shankar, Ehsaan and Loy, written by Javed Akhtar, is a refreshing piece of arrangement in parts, except for the last few opera items. The songs although require a grow-on-you time. The first crack at it did not do anything to juggle me up.

Listen to the songs here

1. Yeh pyar kya hai (Seven stages of love) - Sung by Shaan.
Shaan is lovely as always. A romantic tune. I saw a dreamy Salman in the video and it looked quite promising. Shaan lazily sways through this tune which describes the seven stages of love, leaves you with a feeling of a fresh morning. Very mild guitar and simple notes finish the arrangement.

2. Yeh pyar hai - Sung by Shaan
Almost like an answer to the Yeh pyar kya hai song, this track races up a little bit with passionate Shaan and some lively chorus in the backgroud. Did I say Shaan is lovely? Totally stylish too!!

3. Paagal si lehrein - Sung by Vikas Bhalla, Alka Yagnik
Another peppy track. I am trying to imagin Salman and lady love dancing (or Ali Larter trying hard to dance, as the plot suggests that she is portrayed as foot-challenged for some time in the movie) around backdrop waters. This is a typical bollywood dance-around-tree track and is chul-buli. Is singer Vikas Bhalla the same as actor Vikas Bhalla? I do not know much so, please throw some light for me to be educated. If they are the same person, singing career could be more promising to him than acting, as I don't hear his name much on the screen. He proves to be strong vocally.

4. Saccha pyar - Sung by Nikita Nigam
I have not listened to this lady sing before. Apparently, she was heard in Pyare Mohan earlier. While the song is quite boring, her voice is quite unique in the current realm of singers. Her nasal effect and husky voice reminded me of yester year singers Runa Laila and Nazia Hassan. Hope we get to hear better compositions in her voice.

5. Tan man - Sung by Vikas Bhalla, Sneha Pant, Alka Yagnik, Nihira Joshi
The album went downhill with this song and the rest to come. Very mediocre arrangement and a typical song with a bunch of background dancers probably. Also, sounded like an Ilayaraja tune rather than a Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy composition.

6. Listen to the music - Sung by Shaan, Truth Hurts, Ali Larter.
The album hurt for sure. Shaan is the only life for this piece. A confused composition, this track falls flat and shows quite a difference in the passion in vocals between Shaan and the lady voices. The little classical aalaap in the background is a total waste.

7. The meaning of love - Sung by Truth Hurts.
Truth Hurts is an american R&B singer, her real name is Shari Watson. Wiki can give you more information on her. She could be popular in her genre of music but, the songs by her in Marigold are far from being impressive. Yawn, yawn. Perhaps, I am listening with a bollywood plugin in my ear for this so called "Hollywood" film. All the tracks with her bore you lots.

8. Seven stages of love - Sung by Truth Hurts and Shaan.
This track brings back the first track albeit in english and passes more hurt your way. Push that forward button on your player to go to the Shaan version "Yeh pyar kya hai". Much better.

I have mixed feelings. The album was a little disappointing considering it came from ShankEhzLoy trio. I was delighted to see no remix versions of the songs by DJ boom land and a couple of fresh tracks.

The album gets my ** stars.