AUDIO SCAN
Altaf Raaja is back Harrjaiie (Venus)

Times change. People change. Everything changes. But there are certain things that do not follow this law of nature. Among them is the singing of Altaf Raaja. It has not undergone any major variation from the time of Tum to thehre pardesi, saath kya nibhaoge.

Not that there is anything wrong with this permanence. He has a set fan following who love him for what he is and want him to only sing clones of his all-time hit. They will certainly not be disappointed by the offerings which are all in the original mould, except for a cosmetic change of music here and there. Incidentally, the songs have also been composed by Altaf Raaja.

Lyrics are also of the standard chalu variety that go on about getting drenched in halki baarish and avoiding fair-weather friends.

Many of these have been penned by the singer himself. Other writers include Arun Bhairav, Amaan and Farooq Shafaq.

It is the age of remixes. The song Sharaabi has a remix version. Nothing odd in that except that the album opens with the remixed song.

Several songs have been made into videos starring Altaf himself and Preeti Jhangiani.

Rock Candy (Times Music)

No Indian singer has made it really big on the international scene. Shaheen is trying to do what Freddie Mercury once did and she is already being hailed as India’s answer to Sheryl Crow. Her voice indeed has an international feel about it.

This is her first full-length album in her signature pop-rock style. Her years of classical Bharatnatyam training are reflected in her music. Her Circle is typically Indian, begins and ends as it does with an eastern call to prayer. She also writes her own songs, most of which are about subtleties of relationships.

The song Here and now from the album is placed on the soundtrack of independent film Blessing.

US-based Shaheen currently performs with the Rangoli Dance Company in Los Angeles. She is influenced by the Dave Mathews band, Stevie Nicks and Peter Gabriel.

The California Traditional Music Society has honoured her, along with fellow Rangoli Dance Company member Hema Iyer with the Elaine Weissman L.A. Treasures Award for traditional artistes for 2005. — ASC