By Faridoon Shahryar, Bollywood Trade News Network

Himesh Reshammiya is one of the few new generation Bollywood music directors who are pushing-the-envelope in terms of consistently churning out chartbusters from their arsenal of musical talent. SHAADI SE PEHLE adds to his impressive repertoire of success songs. My only grouse with him is the lack of quality lyrics in any of his compositions so far. The likes of Gulzar, Javed Akhtar, Prasoon Joshi and Swanand Kirkire shall surely give a longer shelf life to his quality sound. For now, it's time to taste the delicious fruits of SHAADI SE PEHLE where the groove of Bhangra, Techno, Club, Lounge and Desi beats shall keep your entertainment buds busy for the next few months. 

Sunidhi Chauhan sets the stage afire with the silken flames of Mundeya. It doesn't happen often that a song touches your heart at the first listening itself. But the haunting chorus strains, lusty pop rhythm, brilliantly minimalistic music arrangements and the entire feel creates an ambience of divine sensuousness. The remixed version by Akbar Sami will make the party-till-morning crowd happy. The raised tempo, dollops of bass and some DJ spinning makes this track a Rum-Cola experience.   

Ankhiyon se gal kar gayi is a delightfully laidback Bhangra-Lounge number where Sukhwinder Singh outsmarts Sonu Nigam and Sunidhi Chauhan. A keyboard generated electronic music piece repeats consistently rounding off the melody. A husky female voice-over urging to come closer, hits just-the-right-notes in the heart guitar. Akbar Sami's remixed version infuses fresh energy and zing to this number. The heightened tempo, metallic keyboard strain that runs consistently through the track and the liberal use of Punjabi elements of chorus and dhols shall make this track a much-in-demand number during the festivals and marriages. 

A singer who's literally evolved in the last few months is Daler Mehndi. After the superlative RANG DE BASANTI, Mehndi once again shines with Tootiya Ve. Here one must praise Reshammiya for his risk-taking ability for rather than giving a typical Bhangra-Pop number to the king, he asks him to sing a song that requires him to test his classical talent involving alaaps with a tinge of sufiyana and ghazal thrown in. The concoction of lounge rhythm with the taal of tabla creates a surreal environment in this sad number where the pangs of a broken heart are being described eloquently. D J Suketu shines in the remixed version by adding a smart beat and an extra dose of reverb to Daler's vocals.

Bijuriya is the poor man's Kajra Re that deserves its whistles. It's good to hear Alka Yagnik's easy on ears soaked-almond-voice in the middle octave. Sukhwinder Singh ably supports Yagnik taking care of the higher notes. The first thing that one notices in this number is an amusing keyboard generated sound resembling the tonal qualities of a rural string instrument called Ektarai that repeats at strategic points. It's a fun-oriented village nautanki number with lots of tabla-dholak, classical alaaps, harmonium improvisation and situational sounds. A western chorus line intelligently runs parallel adding to the melody. Akbar Sami retains the actual pastoral flavour while remixing, interspersing it with a raised tempo, a regular western rhythm loop, a selective use of vocoder effect in the vocals and a male chorus line, making Bijuriya hip-n-happening. In fact, I find it better than the original.

Another song that appeals more in its remixed version is the romantic ballad Tere Liye. For the techno music strain added by Akbar Sami compliments the jhankaar beats perfectly. It shall not only make you shake a leg or two, you could also relish the company of your loved one while driving fast on an evening highway. As for the original, I must compliment Reshammiya for the glorious impact of the long live violin piece that he has imbued before the second antara. The choice of singers in Udit Narayan and Alka Yagnik is very apt. And the continual scatting na nanna na adds to the intensity of romance.

Sache Aashiq is the umpteenth track on this album with a Punjabi flavouring. And it is also the least impressive amongst all. For the hoye hoye and aja nach le shava shava, aja nach le jind meriye wrapped in the trademark Ludhiana-Dhol-beat has been heard much too often. Sukhwinder Singh and Alka Yagnik desperately try to save this song. Yet, it may have more of a visual effect than an aural effect.

So, in all, there are whopping eleven tracks (including five remixed versions) on this album. The producers and the record companies like the film distributors and exhibitors are very clear that it is best to make hay while the sun shines. For, there's a mad rush to recover the cost of a movie in the first weekend at the box office window. Similarly, a music album packaged in such a way that there's everything for everyone (especially the teenyboppers) in one go rather than following the earlier trend of adding songs to a music album at a later stage. Let's see how much they succeed in this endeavour considering the rampant piracy happening all around.