David Cook wins American Idol by a landslide

Rocker proves judge Simon Cowell wrong by 12 million votes

By Maheen Sabeeh

The battles between the two Davids

Pretty much everyone, including millions who tuned in week after week, knew that the final marathon would be between 24-year-old David Cook and 17-year-old David Archuleta.

After their rigorous three-song per singer performances, predictions were set. Most just predicted the wrong David.

Baby-face David Archuleta sang extremely well but so did Cook. But barring Paula Abdul, both Randy Jackson and especially Simon Cowell didn’t think too much of it.

Their money was on David Archuleta.

From the outside it looked as if younger and less experienced David Archuleta had all but clobbered David Cook.

He poured his heart and soul out with the three numbers he sang. From ‘Soul Patrol’ to ‘Don’t Let The Sun Go Down’ to John Lennon’s classic ‘Imagine’, Archuleta delivered one hit after the other, knocking out judges thrice in one night.

In comparison, Cook did two phenomenal performances but seemed a little out of place when singing U2’s ‘I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For’. And that was simply because he couldn’t match Bono’s vocal prowess on the number.

On the other two numbers, however, he was excellent. From the obscure tune, ‘Dream Big’ that he made his own to Collective Soul’s fiery ‘The World I Know’, it was Cook complete in character.

“For me, this whole thing has been a progression,” said David Cook after Simon said that he should’ve done something from the eighties, like ‘Billie Jean’ or ‘Hello’. Cook, however, chose not to repeat a song he had done before.

In the end, it worked out for him. Simon was proven wrong.

Out of a whopping 97.5 million votes, David Cook won by a margin of 12 million votes.

”I’m at a loss for words,” Cook said after host Ryan Seacrest revealed he had received 12 million more votes than the runner-up, 17-year-old David Archuleta. ”This is amazing. Thank you.”

Simon Cowell apologises to David Cook

The British judge, known for his rude and at times offensive opinions apologised to David Cook. Right before the winner’s name was being announced by Ryan Seacrest, Simon said to Cook that he was sorry for give him a tough time the night before. He went to the extent of saying that his remarks may have been “verging on disrespectful”.

Pretty uncharacteristic for the 48-year-old Simon but then he also believed that Cook was one of the most sincere contestants American Idol has ever had.

When results were coming out, Simon also said, “When I went back home and watched it, it wasn’t quite so clear cut as we called it.”

His reference was to the night before where he did everything but crown Archuleta.

But once the results were announced, the grouchy judge congratulated both Archuleta and winner David Cook and revealed, “for the first time ever, I don’t really care who wins.”

“I didn’t really know if the apology was warranted,” Cook stated while speaking with reporters later. “I thought what he said was an opinion and nothing more. At no point did I feel disrespected. Yeah, I’m appreciative of the fact that he decided to apologize. An apology from Simon is a pretty rare gem.”

“I’m glad he apologized to Cook because I don’t think anyone realizes how much work we put into this, and how it’s not like we just learn the song the day before,” Archuleta said in the pressroom. “We just love to be able to share what we love to do with everyone.”

Other Idols and icons get together

Previous American Idol winners Jordin Sparks, Fantasia and Carrie Underwood came as did the weird hairdo boy Sanjaya Malakar.

Top 12 finalists made one final comeback to the show, with several group, solo and duet performances.

Guests included Seal, Donna Summer, Bryan Adams, ZZ Top, Graham Nash, The Jonas Brothers and OneRepublic and a grand finale by George Michael, who is making his first comeback tour after 17 years. In a dramatic and unpredicted appearance, George sang a medley of hits and brought the house down. As he walked up the stage, fans screamed, “We love you, George!”

Other hilarious bits included taped comedy routines by Ben Stiller, Jack Black and Robert Downey Jr as well as an appearance by Mike Myers as The Love Guru.

The night ended with a teary David Cook giving his brilliant final performance of the fitting ‘Time of My Life’. Bravo, David.

David Cook win was the right one

Debates have sparked on blogs and forums that David Archuleta was the better candidate. In reality, it is miraculous that he came this far. Whenever David Cook has fumbled, he always made the cut but barely.

Archuleta has always played it safe. He fumbled on Beatles week and again in Paul McCartney-John Lennon week but he got the votes anyway. Why? Because he is an adorable little 17-year-old who has the young votes as well as the “grandma” votes as Simon called it.

But American Idol has never been about just singing. These are not playback singers but stars that are being created. Stars need presence, charisma and personality that shine out.

David Archuleta, as lovable as he may be, is too young to fully come prepared with these antics on stage. And that is exactly why David Cook won.

What American Idol needs?

The show has been under serious scrutiny from not just fans but judge Simon Cowell himself. And Simon is right about one thing. The show needs an overhaul, especially when it comes to the last few weeks.

This year one saw Neil Diamond, Dolly Parton and Andrew Lloyd week. Prestigious they may be but still iconic? That is the question the producers need to ask. Had there been a Michael Jackson week or even Sting week, which would bring in more viewers and make the show a lot more edgy.

Ratings began on an all-time high but by the end of the show (barring the finale) they have received a serious hit and with new reality shows like Dancing with the Stars gaining momentum, Idol needs to bring in pace to keep viewers happy.

Blogging gains momentum with celebrities around the world!

Maheen Sabeeh

It’s the new way of life. After the takeover of digital music around the world, it’s blogs that are gaining some serious momentum.

Stars agree that it is the most honest, direct and easy of communicating with fans. There are no chances of getting misquoted and it is just simple.

Let’s take a look at some blogging stars in Pakistan and from around the world…

Slowly picking up pace

The trend here is slow. Partly because Pakistanis by nature are cautious of what they say and especially of what they don’t say. It happened with YouTube.

While Americans were happily posting away personal stories from their bedrooms, we’ve been uploading mujras and mostly videos of musicians, being interviewed, live in concerts and so forth.

Amongst the youth though, blogs have become a hit, at least the educated lot and those are still not that many.

When one speaks of people in the public eye, the biggest blogger is Ali Zafar. He has a blog and he is a fairly regular writer.

Ali Zafar’s blog is however not about picking up issues. And that is not a bad thing. His fans want to know what his life is like.

And his blog manages to reflect that very well.

For instance, from his blogs, one knows that he likes Tufail Niyazi, he is a decent tennis table player, his mother has been encouraging him to write a diary/journal since he was a kid but he never adapted well to the habit. But now he is trying. Hence, the blog.

The blog, like Ali Zafar, is simple, sweet and hopeful on most occasions.

In comparison is Aunty Disco Project (ADP) front man Omar Bilal Akhtar’s blog.

Unlike Ali, Omar has a blog that is often humourous and is not safe. In other words, if one really wants to know where ADP music stems from, Omar’s blog is the one to read.

From getting disillusioned to losing confidence and gaining it back, to personal relationships and a reflection on days gone and those that lie ahead, Omar is honest and he is actually a pretty decent writer.

While some days, Omar broods, as does his blog, other days it is funny enough to make you laugh all day.

One example is ‘Ugly Baby and Advertising’. The whole piece is a smart, humourous take on how print and television ads have become redundant and pointless.

“What is up with all the ugly babies? Man babies are supposed to be cute and cuddly. Instead we have these uggles lining up on tv selling diapers shaking their wrinkly asses and wiggling their unibrows. I hate ugly babies…they creep me out almost as much as clowns. And the worst bit is ugly babies act all cool and shit, like they don’t know they ugly. They pick on the cute ones. Whatever uggle-muffin, I know you ugly, and I know you wax your back,” says Omar.

This might sound a bit bizarre but if you read the entire piece, you’ll understand how right Omar is.

Beyond Ali and Omar, music industry still has a long way to go when it comes to blogging. The concept is lost on most of our musicians and there could be a variety of reasons. But it has to be said that not only is blogging therapeutic but it is also a way to build an unbreakable bond with fans.

It also brings stars closer to fans, makes them reachable and relatable.

Around the world

Indian celebrities have really picked up this trend. Of the lot, the most famous blogs remain that of Aamir Khan and Amitabh Bachchan.

Aamir Khan bought a dog (whose name is Shahrukh) and decided to write about it. His blog is filled with complaints and Aamir is now in some trouble with fans.

The star who refrains from giving too many interviews unless he has a movie to promote, says that blogs are his way of taking time out for fans. Aamir gets points for being extremely regular and keeps in touch as he promised when he started out. And for naming his dog Shahrukh, fans have given their views and most of them are hugely disappointed. As a result, it has become a massive story in Indian media.

Amitabh Bachchan is more regular than Aamir. He writes on a daily basis, from his visit to Cannes to refuting allegations that he was paid to write a blog to his court cases, attack by media, Big B is pretty consistent.

While the response has been incredible, his blog is simply for those who adore him. Otherwise, it’s boring. There is no humour. It’s all very serious and methodical. But for an actor of his stature to attempt a blog is definitely applause-worthy.

Others like critic and filmmaker Sudhir Mishra, Santosh Sivan among others also have blogs but due to severe inconsistency, these blogs don’t get as much attention.

Wild wild West

In the west, it seems that everybody blogs. Some are opinionated and self-deprecating, which is always a kick. Moby is serious as well as funny, referring to his brain as “Swiss cheese” after heavily abusing certain drugs.

Grey’s Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes is open to talk about Derek and Meredith and tries to answer as many posts as possible and she gets tons of them. Ellen Degeneres like her show is extremely entertaining.

Alyssa Milano picks up issues like botox and its repercussions, while Daniel Radcliffe admits to life after Harry Potter as the film franchise is near end in two years.

Other stars include actors Jennifer Love, Pamela Anderson, Zach Braff. Alec Baldwin, hosts Rosie O Donnell, Ellen Degeneres, musicians Moby, John Mayer, Britney Spears, Barbra Streisand, Gene Simmons (Kiss front man), Lily Allen, former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham and Avril Lavigne among countless others.

Shoaib Akhtar’s outstanding 4-wickets haul leads Shahrukh Khan’s Kolkata Knight Riders to a magnificent victory!

Maheen Sabeeh

It was a do or die match for Kolkata Knight Riders. The favourites of the Indian Premier League series (thanks to Shahrukh Khan’s aggressive marketing and star power), Kolkata Knight Riders needed to win this game to have a shot at the semi-finals.

After two successive wins, Kolkata Knight Riders lost four matches.

Sourav Ganguly and guys pulled up their socks and after an inspiring effort, won last two games.

But the game on Tuesday night was the one that was crucial for them to win. However initially, things didn’t go as well as Shahrukh or Sourav would’ve wanted.

Delhi Daredevils bowled first and restricted Sourav Ganguly’s men to 133 runs in 20 overs. For a Twenty20 game, 133 runs are just not a good score to defend.

It was the night when Shoaib Akhtar was making his debut entry in IPL and the man has a following that goes way beyond Pakistan.

With a ban (currently suspended) still hanging over his head and incredibly low few months, all eyes were on Shoaib Akhtar. Most importantly, Shoaib, for the sake of his own career, needed to win. Pakistan Cricket Board was surely watching.

Shahrukh Khan needed to win this match or his team would’ve said goodbye to the series. Sourav Ganguly, the son of Kolkata needed Shoaib to come through.

And what a comeback… what a thrashing Shoaib gave to Delhi Daredevils.

Opening the bowling attack for Kolkata Knight Riders with the entire stadium packed to its peak, chanting his name “Shoaib, Shoaib” he never lost his cool.

In his first over, Shoaib took a wicket and blew Virender Sehwag, the man who can hit sixes with just a flick of the bat.

Then there was Gautam Gambhir who looked really dangerous because the guy isn’t one who scares easy, even from someone as powerful as Shoaib Akhar.

But in Shoaib’s second over, he became the second victim. More chants, more cheers from the crowd with Shahrukh Khan dancing in the aisles with fans all around him. It was an important wicket and everybody knew. But the game wasn’t over and neither was Shoaib’s spell.

This was Shoaib Akhtar in his element. Aggressive, impressive and ultimately unmatchable.

His third over came and bang! AB De Villiers fell next and in the same over Manoj Tiwary also fell to a trapping LBW.

And throughout Shahrukh was first in aisles and later right near the field behaving like a true cheerleader, asking the fans to clap on every ball, every run that was saved and they did just that.

It showed just what a following Shoaib has around the world. Every run-up was electric, every bowl fiery and every wicket, a call for celebration.

Delhi Daredevil’s top battling order came crumbling down to 32-4 and those were the wickets that changed the game. Delhi Daredevils came under pressure and suddenly Kolkata Knight Riders were the ruling side, beating one after the other. And yes, they won big time and now have a full-shot at the semi-finals.

When he took his fourth wicket, Shoaib ran around the field in his signature arm-outstretched airplane celebration and there was no looking back.

He clinched the wickets that were needed and made a difference.

When Sourav Ganguly came onto the stage after the match was over and was asked about Shoaib Akhar, he said “He came to the country with lots (of things) happening behind him. But he showed a lot of character.”

Shoaib Akhtar ripped through Delhi Daredevils and not surprisingly he picked up ‘Man of the Match’ award, which was presented to him by Shahrukh Khan, who hugged him and then in a moment of complete festivity and all smiles, hung onto Shoaib who in return picked up King Khan with just one hand while the crowds cheered them on.

Speaking after the match, Shoaib Akhtar commented, “I just wanted to win the game. For me, my team is the most important thing. Kolkata is my home team. Eden Gardens is my home ground. Sharing the dressing room with Shahrukh Khan and Sourav (Ganguly) was fantastic. They backed me. And I am really happy to perform. They put faith in me. And I am happy to deliver.”

And that’s just the thing. SRK and Ganguly put faith in him, not pressure.

This was Shoaib Akhtar’s first match since November 2007 and he delivered like a pro. All he needed was a little bit of faith and IPL, in particular Shahrukh and Sourav Ganguly gave it to him.

When Shoaib does return home, he has a battle ahead of him.

The man is a star and an incredible bowler who can turn things around like magic. He showed off his skill once again. So here’s hoping that his return does not mean an exit… because that will definitely be a loss to all of us!

Strings’s ‘Koi Aanay Wala Hai’ looks smoking

Instep gives you the lowdown

Maheen Sabeeh

It is one of the most anticipated albums of the year, right here at home and across the border. It is the comeback of Faisal Kapadia and Bilal Maqsood after a gap of nearly four years. And it is the return of a musical act that has been one of the most consistent band around.

Music producer Faisal Rafi, while speaking with Instep Today, admitted that the record is one that sees Strings in experimental mode without losing their signature.

Strings are hell bent on making a massive comeback and the first teaser of this comeback is their upcoming video of the title track that is touted as one of the most expensive video made as far as Indian pop goes. Strings are a Pakistani band but Indians too love to call them their own. They have a solid following in India that has only grown with time.

As the first shots of the video has released, Instep Today got in touch with Strings front man Faisal Kapadia and here he spills the bean on their tantalizing new video…

Instep Today: Rumours about the title track have been going around since the first promos were released. It has been reported that John Abraham will be playing an angel in the video. True?

Faisal Kapadia: Yes, it is true. John is an angel in the video who watches over other people until he sees this girl and he falls in love with her and chooses to be a human to be with her. Our record label SONY BMG has released the pictures.

Instep Today: The concept of an angel, falling in love with a human has been around for ages, in the form of music videos, television and cinema. What sets ‘Koi Aanay Wala Hai’ apart?

Faisal Kapadia: I do admit that the idea has been around but it all depends on the execution ultimately. It may not be a brand new concept but in our video it is done in such a way that it will entertain viewers. There are some very interesting special effects involved and the magnitude of the video is huge.

Another important aspect of a video is how well a concept compliments the song and if the two relatable. In both cases, the video will deliver.

Instep Today: Who shot this video?

Faisal Kapadia: Ravi Udyavar. He is a well-known ad-maker and there is mutual admiration between us. Bilal conceived the song with the idea of an angel and wings. So the basic idea behind the video was his. Once we met up with the director, we gave him our idea and asked him if he had some other vision. He really liked the idea of angels and we went from there.

We’ve never worked with Ravi before but it was great working with him. And then we found out that he also wanted to work with us so it turned out to be a great experience.

Instep Today: You’ve teamed up with John Abraham again after 2005’s ‘Zinda’ so how was it this time around?

Faisal Kapadia: It was a lot of fun. At the time of the ‘Zinda’ video shoot, it was all in a closed room but in this video we were on a beautiful location (in Kuala Lumpur) so it was very nice.

Another interesting bit about the video that I’d like to add is that for the first time a video is getting a theatrical release. Basically when a movie is released, often it is attached with a promo of another upcoming film. In our case, ‘Koi Aanay Wala Hai’ will be released as a theatrical promo with Jannat. That’s how it’ll roll in India. I’m not sure about Pakistan at the moment but in India for sure!

Instep Today: Is it true that you’re also working with Jami again?

Faisal Kapadia: Yes. It’s been a good eight-year journey with him and whenever we want to make a video, the first name is always Jami that we consider. Then if he is busy or due to some reason we can’t, we then go for someone else but the first name is always his. There are a few people who we are close to and enjoy working with and he is one of them. It is always teamwork, be it working with Jami or working with Anwar (Maqsood) uncle.

-The video of ‘Koi Aanay Wala Hai’ is out on MTV India and releases in Pakistan on May 16

Three weeks to American Idol finale

Syesha Mercado, David Cook and David Archuleta make it to top three slots!
Maheen Sabeeh

20-year-old dreadlocked charmer Jason Castro has finally said goodbye. The cute singer from Texas had been struggling for the past three weeks and it came as no surprise to anyone, including Castro himself that his time on American Idol was up.

As the seventh season comes to a close in the next three weeks, it is getting more and more exciting and tougher.

For the last two weeks, American Idol hopefuls had to sing not one but two songs. And while that addition may have worked out for theDavids (Cook and Archuleta) it never worked for Castro.

It was Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame week on American Idol. Jason picked Mr Tambourine Man who we all know as a great number from Bob Dylan. Not only was his rendition completely off but he even fumbled the lyrics, missed cues and made a mess on stage.

Simon Cowell called his performances “utterly atrocious” and one can’t help but agree with him.

And now that Mr Mellow is out, the battlefield is ready for rocker David Cook, female crooner Syesha Mercado and the adorable David Archuleta.

The night in reality belonged to David Archuleta and David Cook

The baby-faced Archuleta opened with Ben E. King’s Stand By Me and made it his own with excellent vocals and building a connection with the audience, a trait he has previously not been able to pull off, probably because of his young age.

And then he followed it up with the subdued and ultra subtle Love Me Tenderly by Elvis Presley. And it was not an easy number to sing. But he was truly outstanding to the point that Simon said afterwards, “You crushed the competition.”

David Cook can pull anything off, even at his lowest moments. And that was true last week. His first number, Hungry Like The Wolf by Duran Duran was top-notch even though the lower notes he hit were not completely right. But he managed to impress nonetheless because he is the one man who has stage presence like no one else on the show. And he is always in his element. And whatever mistakes he made on the first number, one all but forgot them with his rendition of Baba O Riley by The Who.

Syesha Mercado proved why she is still standing as the lone female on this season of American Idol. Her powerful voice is just one thing. The change within her in the last few weeks is perhaps the biggest reason. Gone is the girl who tried to be the “intimate” performer on the show.

Her first song Proud Mary by Tina Turner was playful, bouncy and ultimately theatrical. And she went one step further with A Change is Gonna Come by Sam Cooke and even though Randy Jackson didn’t think much of her, Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell loved it and rightly so.

Both David Cook and David Archuleta have to be in top form if they want to beat Syesha because last week she was simply stunning.

And the coming week will prove to be an even bigger challenge. All American Idol hopefuls will have to belt three ditties before votes come in.

Hit the candy shop with Madonna

After years of European club culture, Madonna teams up with American charts royalty Timbaland, Justin Timberlake and Pharrell Williams for her eleventh record Hard Candy. Not surprisingly, it is an album that is edgy, steamy and ultimately just Madonna! By Maheen Sabeeh Artist: Madonna Album: Hard Candy****
After her European stints with ambiguous producers like Mirwais Ahmadzaï, Shep Pettibone and William Orbit, Madonna has come home. And she is back to what she does best: making music that is edgy, somewhat crazy and ultimately a milestone. Now in her fifth decade, it makes sense that the best in pop teams up with the very best in urban as she travels down the hip-hop road. The men who run the show under Madonna’s watchful eye are Justin Timberlake and Timbaland who have produced five songs and Pharell Williams who has seven songs to his credit as well as rapper par excellence Kanye West who is present on one tune. But in spite these hip-hop moguls, at heart Hard Candy is still very much a pop-dance record. The sound board of course is as inspired and interesting as Timbaland’s Shock Value and Justin Timberlake’s Future Sex/Love Sounds combined. A lot is happening on the entire album. There is the already-released, mouth watering ‘4 Minutes’ that had fans hanging in anticipation and was a teaser of the sweet confection that this record is.
Marking the first ever collaboration with pop’s wonder boy Justin Timberlake and mighty Timbaland, ‘4 Minutes’ has chants of ‘tick-tock’ from Madonna, chants of “Madonna, Madonna” from Justin, cowbell sounds, recurring clanging beat as well a bhangra beat and all the while Madonna also makes a point about the distraught state of the world. “The road to hell is paved with good intentions, yeah/Time is waiting/We only got 4 minutes to save the world/No hesitating/Grab a boy/Grab a girl”. Timbaland and Justin Timberlake also hold the production forte for ‘Devil Wouldn’t Recognise You’, ‘Miles Away’, ‘Dance 2Night’ and ‘Voices’.
Of the lot, the best number is ‘Devil Wouldn’t Recognise You’. It capture Madonna on her most vulnerable as she sings, “It’s like over and over you’re pushing me/Right down to the floor/I should just walk away/Over and over I keep on coming back for more/I play into your fantasy/Now that it’s over/You can ride on me right through your smile/I’ve seen behind your eyes/Now it’s over, the more intoxicating my mind” while the music matches the wordplay. And for some odd reason, one can’t help but be reminded of Justin’s own groundbreaking ‘What Goes Around Comes Around’ with the ending coming to Justin as he sings to a singular beat ‘Ho Ooo Hoo’ and the lightning strike sound, a little marching band sound just in the background, it’s very impressive. The trio cranks it up a notch with ‘Voices’, a song about master and people being slaves to egos. It’s ironic considering what a mighty ego Madonna has. “Who is the Master/Who is the Slave?” sings Justin as a very haunted, slightly creepy music begins, with essentially keyboards, a little robotic sound and a disillusioned Madonna singing, “Voices start to ring in your head/Tell me what do they say/Distant echoes from another time/Start to creep in your brain/So you’re playing ’round, it’s like it’s a rewind/You blew it so often that you start to believe it/You have demons so nobody can blame you/But who is the master and who is the slave?. Musically it may not be the hottest tune but it’s definitely a step up on the lyrical front. ‘Miles Away’ sees Justin and Timbaland return to the thumping, clanging beats with guitars to boot and again the song finds a vulnerable Madonna as she sings, “You’ll always love me more/Miles Away/I hear it in your voice when you’re/Miles Away/You’re not afraid to tell me/Miles Away/I guess we’re at our best when we’re Miles Away”. She may have given production control to Justin and Timbaland but as far as lyrics go, it’s Madonna’s show. What reflects on this number is perhaps a hint of her relationship with husband since 2000, Guy Ritchie. And it is definitely an emotional engagement that works for the song. And finally there is ‘Dance 2Night’ where Justin says, “Hey Madonna, I’m taking you to the club” – it’s a very sexy opening but in the middle the song falls. It’s like Justin and Timbaland throw everything at the sound wall and whatever sticks, sticks. It sounds too ambitious. Skip it. And then there is the Pharell Williams. He is the real surprise on Hard Candy. Who would’ve thought that Pharrell would give Timbaland a run for his money… and here he has done just that. Starting from the flirtatious, tinkling ‘Give It 2 Me’ with its throbbing bass, with Pharell chanting “left, left, right, right’ and drum machines programmed to perfection (as perfect as machines can be) and Madonna’s love for life-ending, sex metaphors that goes, “Don’t stop me now, don’t need to catch my breath/I can go on and on” makes it all the more pleasing. There is the techno and drummy ‘Heartbeat’ that opens literally with the sound of a heart beating. It continues with the magnificent ‘She’s Not Me’ with the thumping bass and retro sound as Madonna goes, “She’s not me/She doesn’t have my name/She’ll never have what I have” and finally we have ‘Beat Goes On’ that is striking. It features Kanye West and with crunching beats, studio props, chime sounds, it is a song that is more towards the urban, RnB genre. Midway, Kanye arrives rapping with Madonna chanting in the background “Hey, Hey”. Extremely stylish and slightly flashy ditty. On ‘Incredible’, a slight bhangra beat crops up in waves while the overall sound is down-tempo with piano and two pounding beats at work with Madonna singing on a tripped down note, “I can’t wrap my head around it/I need to think about it”. It isn’t surprising that Hard Candy has picked up decent reviews from most critics. Some, however, are not impressed. It is the exact same thing that happened with Nelly Furtado when she became promiscuous with Loose and teamed up with Timbaland. Critics slashed her in half but Loose put her on the international music map. With Madonna, it is different. She made incredible music with European producers. But American fans were not impressed as was the case with her last record, Confessions on a Dance floor. Hence, going with chart-makers Justin Timberlake, Timbaland and Pharell Williams was a smart move on her part. Hard Candy is a celebration and submission to the genre that is pop-dance to a woman who finds salvation in this element of art. Hard Candy remains original because it experiments to its core. Now hitting 50, Hard Candy is proof that Madonna is nowhere near relinquishing her crown. And that is a really good thing. *YUCK **WHATEVER ***GOOD ****SUPER *****CLASSIC

The second coming of Fuzon

After 2002’s phenomenal Saagar, Fuzon is back with a new album and a new vocalist. The big question: does it work? Instep finds out…

By Maheen Sabeeh

Artist: Fuzon Album: Journey*** How has the journey been?
It’s been long a while since Saagar. A lot has happened. Shafqat Amanat Ali Khan has gone solo while Rameez Mukhtar has been brought in… in his place. In between guys like Ali Zafar and Atif Aslam have come and are beating in the hearts of the people. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s protégé, his nephew has taken his legacy forward and has come out with an album that is easily one of the best ever made in Pakistan. There is a lot of competition out there. But Fuzon still took a plunge and that took courage. Since their first single ‘Neend Na Aaye’ has released, there is a debate happening.
Is Rameez imitating Shafqat?” or “He is good!” or “No, he isn’t”. Instead of debating, let’s take a look at the full-fledged journey of Fuzon and then decide… The best song on the album is without a doubt, ‘Neend Na Aaye’. The music is lovely, no long painful solos here. Rameez’s vocals shine through like magic. He is impressive and without a doubt, a talent that is very good for Fuzon. Emmu’s tryst with keyboards is, as always, soulful and forms a rich sound while Shallum’s The Edge-like (U2) guitar playing is sharp yet not too ambitious as is the case with most guitarists in Pakistan. Unlike Saagar, there are not too many ballads. Most of the songs dabble in the pop-rock genre that is more on the faster side. ‘Abhi Hum Kahan Hain’ is one example. Simply put, it is infectious, split amidst gloom and subtle hope. Halfway into the song, Rameez hits some serious notes and suddenly the melody slows down, and then Emu and Shallum run the show, passively and aggressively respectively. It works. ‘Choo Le’ kicks some serious butt. The opening riff strikes an uncanny resemblance to Junoon’s ‘Yeh Mazaa Zindagi Ka’ and for the first time maybe, Shallum pulls a Salman Ahmed on a song and it’s really interesting. It’s the kind of riff that is instantly addictive and Shallum stretches it into varied directions without making the song about the riff alone. Rameez moves with the pace and the rhythm. A thumping song. ‘Paree’ is another. A fun-filled number, Shallum’s flirting with guitars is charming while Rameez, it seems enjoys the image of ‘Paree’ who comes into his dreams. This tune should be a hit at gigs for the band and with Shallum’s ability to improvise, it’ll be one hell of a song to see live. ‘Tu Kahan’ is actually even better. As Rameez sings, “Roshni Kahan Gum Gayo/Abhi Tau Yaha Jala Tha Dia/Kho Gaye/ Kahan Kho Gaye/Abhi Tau Yeh Dil Laga Hee Nahi Tha” – it sounds hurtful, which is exactly how it should be. Come to ballads and the one that is most effective is ‘Suna Suna’. Shallum’s very subtle with guitars, stringing soft notes while Emu providing ample support vis-à-vis keyboards. The real charmer, however, is Rameez. He is emotive and he sings freely and goes on, “Teri Yaadon Mein Jiya Yeh Khona Laga/Suna Suna Yeh Sama Karkey Na Ja Balma/Aakey Na Ja Balma” – a throbbing tune. ‘Jo Dil Ne Kahan’ is a moody tune. Slightly trippy, beautiful and sharp. Instruments here vary and form an incredible soundboard. Rameez is delightful, full of conviction and appealing all the way. There are some flaws. ‘Atish O Aab’ begins with a hypnotic thumping sound and launches into tipsy flute and powerful guitar. But the melody is extremely weak and doesn’t fit in anywhere in the album. Skip it. Another is ‘Teri Yaadaan’. It’s loud, chaotic and shows the limits to Rameez’s vocals. Same problem plagues ‘Dholna’ where vocals fall extremely short. A little rewind… When ‘Aankon Kay Saagar’ came out, it catapulted Fuzon to instant fame. It wasn’t the video that did the trick. This was a simple video that was a platform for the band to perform, courtesy Sohail Javed. Rather Shafqat Amanat Ali Khan, the 7th member of the famous Patiala gharana with his beautiful voice, and musicians Shallum and Emu as a lethal trio that caught attention. One year later, 2002, Fuzon released their phenomenal debut, the mighty, nay, mightiest Saagar, and for the first time fusion was created in a way that was musically fresh, crisp and accessible that is a problem with fusion records here. Alas! A band came that was catering to mature audiences as well as the youth and wasn’t trying to become the next big pop act. They stayed true to their name and made fusion. It was understandable why they became a band that rose high. Music critic Nadeem Farooq Paracha termed ‘Saagar’ among the ten best albums of all times! Why was Saagar so good? There are three reasons. (A) Shafqat Amanat Ali Khan (b) true fusion that was musically fresh, lyrically simple and cohesive and (c) the coming together of Emu and Shallum who didn’t hurt the beauty of the album by being ambitious with riffs, throwing in long solos. They gave it a structure that was contemporary. Songs like ‘Khamaaj’ make your heart skip a beat every single time. This was music that was long-lasting and would continue to play with your heart and mind for a long time to come. And hey, it still does. It is simply unrealistic to expect a band that doesn’t even have the same vocalist to beat Saagar. It is like expecting Salman Ahmed to make something as incredible as Parvaaz without the powerful Ali Azmat. It is our history Bands breaking up in Pakistan are a norm. It happened with some of the best. Vital Signs took a break and never came back. Rohail Hyatt and Shahi Hasan became producers par excellence while Junaid Jamshed continued as a soloist and a great one at that until ‘religion’ came calling. With ten albums to their credit, Junoon was the groundbreaking rock act that the subcontinent ever produced. Ali Azmat went solo with Social Circus and proved his mettle as a musician while Salman Ahmed turned a vocalist and made an album, Infinity, and is doing well for himself in the United States. One-album old Aaroh broke up with Farooq Ahmed and Khalid Khan sticking together and creating a new album while Nabeel disappeared into oblivion. Jal too broke up after one single. Atif Aslam became a superstar as a solo act and Gohar Mumtaz continued as Jal with Farhan and Shazi and they too are doing well. Two albums later Noori is AWOL. Gumby left and so did Mohammed Ali Jafri while brothers Ali Noor and Ali Hamza are still united although we don’t know if and when an album will come out. I could go on about Karavan and Raeth but it would be futile. The bottom line here is this: separating doesn’t mean the end. It never has and it never will. But it does mean that some of the magic does disappear. Take the greatest musical act of all times, The Beatles for example. John Lennon and Paul McCartney when together were awesome. As soloists, they raked in the moolah and made some seriously good music. But did they surpass Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band? No, because as drummer Gumby once said, “A band is a unit. Everyone has a role to play and it is when everyone plays a part, something incredible happens.” Fuzon’s biggest asset was Shafqat Amanat Ali Khan. His voice is like magic, unbeatable, inimitable and tugs at the heart, whether it is in the form of Bollywood ditty, ‘Mitwa’ or in the joyful ‘Deewanay’. He came with knowledge that has been passed on to him as legacy. It is heritage. Songs like ‘Khamaaj’ are not just beautiful because the piano solo or the guitars are lovely but also because it was a raag that was made contemporary and on that front, Shafqat was the expect. How can then we expect the new Fuzon to retain and recreate the same magic? Perhaps the only one who can is Shafqat. I say perhaps because Fuzon was a band and Shallum and Emmu did play a role and produced the album. The mistake Fuzon made, they kept the name. They shouldn’t have. As long as we keep calling them Fuzon, we will continue to think of the old Fuzon and this isn’t the same band. All said and done, Journey is a good album. It is patchy in places but over all, it is a decent effort for a debut act and that is exactly what they are. This is the first time Emmu and Shallum are working with Rameez and that makes it a first. Fuzon has a long way to go and chances are that they will survive. The industry is small and there is room for them as well as Shafqat. *AWFUL ***AVERAGE ***GOOD ****SUPER *****CLASSIC