Weekly Recap: 11/13/22 - 11/19/22

Achint Thakkar - Monica, O My Darling

There is something so special about nostalgia. Fuzzy feelings for a past that likely never was as perfect as you imagined it, but our mind chooses to only remember the good. This gap between the real and imaginary is widened with generational nostalgia. Many millennial and generation-z South Asians, and those of South Asian descent, have warm feelings towards the '70s, for example, when in reality it was a complex era in the history of the ancient land.

It is this nostalgia that composer Achint Thakkar taps into for his soundtrack to the new Bollywood film, Monica, O My Darling. Even the film title is a reference to a classic Bollywood song of the early '70s. These nostalgic emotions are omnipresent throughout the album, with the eras in question ranging from the 1970s to the early 2010s.

Perhaps the best example of this would be through the song Yeh Ek Zindagi. The song is a love letter to the wonderful dance productions of RD Burman from the era. Yeh Ek Zindagi is a mix of Vijay Anand-era item tracks and the later, earlier '80s disco songs. The melody here is classic old-school Bollywood, and singer Anupama Srivatsava opted for a style similar to Bollywood legend Asha Bhosle. From the guitar to the cowbell, the production screams RD Burman. The end result is pure amazement, a nostalgic bout of classic Bollywood drama that does not collapse into outright remaking, but rather captures the energy and drama of '70s Bollywood.

The rest of the album is also worthy of praise. Bye Bye Adios is a classic, Biddu-esque late '80s disco track that is already a potential year-end highlight. On the other hand, Love You So Much (I Want To Kill You) is a fun little Goa-pop anthem, if a little ridiculous, Suno Jaanejaan is early '80s Bollywood at its very best, and The Hills of Malabar is a classic English ballad that will likely appeal to anyone.

My favorite, however, of the songs on the album (minus Yeh Ek Zindagi, though only by a bit) is Farsh Pe Khade. Sagnik Sen sings this beautiful ghazal, recalling '90s legend, Jagjit Singh. If Yeh Ek Zindagi is an Asha Bhosle song sung long after her retirement, Farsh Pe Khade is Jagjit Singh reborn. One can almost feel Jagjit Singh reaching for the mike to sing Hothon Se Chhulon Tum right after finishing the song.

In a way, Monica, O My Darling reminds me of one of my favorite albums of the 2010s, Wonder Girls' Reboot. Both are nostalgic looks at classic sounds of the '80s across regions of the world. But rather than looking at one of the many, segregated individual scenes, they combine all these genres into one album that provides a perfect time capsule for anyone interested in the particular era of music. Monica, O My Darling, in particular, has a few misses, but is essential for any lover of Indian music. I have few qualms in calling this album a future classic of Bollywood music. Achint Thakkar has crafted a new classic.

Listen to and Purchase Achint Thakkar's Monica, O My Darling Soundtrack right here!

About Us - About Us

Initially, a physical exclusive, Northeast Indian rock band About Us' self-titled debut album was finally released for streaming by Frontiers Music, their new agency. Earlier in the year, I had called single Right Now as one of the, if not the, best song of the year so far. While I would argue there have been more memorable highlights this year, Right Now is certainly amongst the top-of-the-crop. The rest of the album is also classic '80s hard rock, an influence the Kohima-based band have openly embraced.

Perhaps the album's instant success in Nagaland may be attributed due to the talent of the individual members. The two guitarists are some of the best active at the moment. Additionally, vocalist Sochan is perhaps the most underrated singer at the moment.

The first six tracks of the album (including all four singles) might be one of the strongest bursts of rock since Miyavi's Imaginary last September. This is mostly due to the focus on melodic rock and emotive bursts of guitar-driven harmonies. There is something almost incredible about how well this first half of the album holds together.

Unfortunately, the second half of the album is bogged down by some underwhelming segments. The switch to screamo rock is handled decently enough, it certainly is a downgrade from the first half of the album. Though the album never recovers, bonus track Love and Affection brings back the classic '80s rock vibes for a victory lap that leaves me hopeful for About Us' next release.

Listen to and Purchase About Us' debut album About Us right here!

YooA - Selfish

Last week, I praised YooA's pre-release b-sides for their ingenuity and overall sense of fun. While neither track stood as memorable as her incredible debut EP, they were nonetheless solid contemporary K-Pop songs. Unfortunately, lead single Selfish is let down by several elements. The trendy production is cute and annoying at the same time, and the vocal sample rattles along the same line. These elements would be fine if the song went anywhere, but it goes absolutely nowhere, clobbered together with an absolutely annoying post-chorus. This is tragic, as YooA is certainly a young star with much potential and the pre-chorus is fine on its own.

In the end, Selfish is perhaps the weakest song in the entire mini-album. B-side Blood Moon is a fine ballad with some great usage of the bass. But in the end, nothing defeats Lay Low and Melody as the album highlights.

Listen to and Purchase YooA's Selfish right here!

B.I - Love or Loved Pt. 1

B.I has entitled his new album a "global EP," one of those made-up terms one hears every other week in the K-Pop industry. It matters not, as B.I has perfectly created a brand on his signature sensual synth-heavy mid-tempos. Earlier this year, I praised pre-release single BTBT for its atmospheric production and dramatic delivery by B.I and DeVita. This praise would be even stronger if the song was released today, as BTBT's melody has already solidified itself as an instant highlight.

However, instantly, BTBT is redelegated to "the second best song on the album, and B.I's discography as a result" due to lead single Keep Me Up. Atmospheric and hypnotic, Keep Me Up sees B.I taking the best elements of BTBT and dialed them up to eleven. The synths are overwhelming, leaking deep into every element of the song, B.I abandons the overdone features of BTBT for a focus solely on his voice, and he guides the song with the emotive angst that made all his earlier songs masterful classics.

The central highlight of Keep Me Up, however, is its instantly memorable chorus. Somehow, the simple layering of the bleeding synths, electronic bleeps, and B.I's pleading voice create a centerpiece that instantly stands out. Rather than exploding, the chorus slowly builds and builds with each successive repetition, assisted by a futuristic and neon post-chorus that doubles down on everything that made the first phase great. Minus an over-autotuned bridge, there are hardly any complaints I can attach to Keep Me Up.

The rest of the album struggles to live up to this track's sheer brilliance. Middle With You is a fine little summer mid-tempo, and Tangerine is a generic ballad that is only saved from infamy due to B.I's vocal talent. Thankfully, Endless Summer is fantastic, creating a nice trilogy of high-quality tracks within this short EP.

Listen to and Purchase to B.I's Love or Loved Pt. 1 right here!

Fifty Fifty - The Fifty

There is something in the water in South Korea this week, as there have been two fantastic synth-heavy singles this week. Fifty Fifty's pre-release Lovin' Me may not be as dynamic as B.I's Keep Me Up, but it fucntions on its own right. The central element of Lovin' Me's success is undoubtably the heavy vocoder in the chorus, using the same type of machine seen last year in SHINee's Kind and Lucy's One By One. There is something so nostalgic about the track, bleeding in melodic synths.

The rest of the album plays off other sounds for different levels of success. Tell Me and Higher both are neo-City Pop, a K-Pop favorite, while Log In is a Billlie-esque loud girl crush track. Nothing ever reaches the height of Lovin' Me, but the EP maintains some consistency throughout.

Listen to and Purchase Fifty Fifty's The Fifty right here!

Musical News

• KARA are coming back soon! If TVXQ are my favorite boy band of all time, KARA are my favorite girl group. While they are no longer working with production team Sweetune, the previews have largely been promising.
• Music Bank attempted to host a major performance in Chile, and it was an absolute disaster. The rain almost seriously injured members of (G)I-DLE, and there was some fights among the fans due to some alleged saesangs. This took way to long to cancel.
• The Omega X situation has gotten even worse, with allegations of the former CEO sexually abusing the members. Yikes. It seems like the memebers intend on fighting back as hard as they can, though.
• Controversy over Kohaku's performing groups, including new K-Pop girl groups such as LE SSERAFIM.
• Taylor Swift tour tickets crashed due to an overload, Ticketmaster has apologized by I can still see much frustration by fans.





Image Source: The Bias List