As epitaphs for Indi-pop are being written, this album comes like a breath of fresh air and brings some hope that the genre may well be reaching the end of the tunnel.

The trio of Anandh, Shaleen and Gopal forms Agosh. Anandh and Shaleen are mechanical engineers from Roorkee while Gopal is a mathematics graduate from Chennai. They have earlier composed music for more than a thousand ad jingles and even for films. Here they have composed the music, written the lyrics, and sung and recorded Paisa. The voices are clear, the music arrangement imaginative and the album, loaded with attitude.

Don't take it too seriously, though. The music is light and frothy. The lyrics, colloquial rather than poetic, talk of everyday lives and depict the aspirations and dreams of the urban youth. Hear this from Jaane do: iit ke exam mein funde gol ho gaye, jane do or another from Paisa: Party me jayenge, tunn ho jayenge, boogie woogie karke, freak out machayenge. Other songs include Achchi lagti ho, Sayana, Baba ki baatein and Nazar lag gayi. The influence of other youthful composers like R.D. Burman and A.R. Rahman in harmonising the voices is evident. Don't miss the Carnatic style of music and the use of instruments like mridangam, mandolin and veena. Gopal as a vocalist has a style that is both good and unusual. He is ably backed by Anandh. At a time when most other albums boast of-at best-one good track, each of Paisa's songs is of even quality-melodious and hummable. A real paisa vasool.

-S. Sahaya Ranjit

SHUBHENDRA RAO
"It Will Be A Musical Convergence."

Shubhendra Rao, one of sitar maestro Pt Ravi Shankar's foremost disciples, talks to S. Sahaya Ranjit about his upcoming fusion concert at Minneapolis.

Q. Tell us about this collaboration.
A. I am going to collaborate with Gao Hong, a Chinese musician who plays an instrument called the pipa. The show, titled Gao Hong and Friends Around the World, is being sponsored by the Walker Arts Centre and the International Friendship Through the Performing Arts based in Minneapolis. A Japanese musician, Yoshio Kurahashi will play the shakuhachi. Some local musicians will also be a part of this concert. I will be composing one piece on the sitar and the pipa with the tabla accompaniment. The finale-where we all will play together-will be composed when we get together a week before the concert, scheduled for March 16.

Q. Is it a concert for concert sake?
A. No. Pipa is a fully adaptable stringed instrument. We are going to play on a scale suitable to all. It'll be a musical convergence.

Q. Will you be improvising or playing to the written score?
A. I'll be improvising but the other musicians will play to the written score.

Q. Do you dilute your music to play to the gallery abroad?
A. No. People appreciate pure classical music abroad. I don't have to deviate to cater to their tastes. In fact, I present my concerts within the framework of Hindustani classical music.

ARRIVALS

The Lovers' Call A musical dialogue between Ustad Rais Khan (sitar) and Brij Bhushan Kabra (guitar). Extremely evocative.	Jeena Teri Bahon Mein Magnasound; Rs 65 Hemant Manohar fails to impress as a singer in his debut album. The music is also poor.	Masti Punjab Di Venus; Rs 50 A medley of Punjabi pop of Daler Mehndi, Jassi, Shazia Manzoor, Hans Raj Hans. A good mix.
Siddhivinayak Times Music, Rs 75 Chants by priests of Mumbai's Shri Siddhivinayak Temple with flute music by Ronu Majumdar		Best of Soundscapes Music Today; Rs 65 Theme music composed by Shiv-Hari and others. Pleasant listening for quite evenings.