Search - Anoushka Shankar :: Anourag

She's Shining Now

lady1981 | New Delhi, India | 08/25/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The difference between Anoushka's first and second cd's is incredible. I bought her first one, Anoushka, two years ago, and while it definitely showed she had a lot of potential, she was lacking a certain confidence that would have allowed her own musical voice to come through. She's really come into her own with this album. This cd really shines. Again, she's chosen to play short pieces which is quite unusual for Indian music, and is wonderful for new listeners but shouldn't put off connoiseurs. In each track Anoushka really catches the spirit of the raga, her tone is very moving, spiritual, playful, or loving, depending on the piece. Of course, the highlight has to be Pancham Se Gara, in which she takes the role of accompanist to her father's leading sitar. Still, all the other tracks are extremely colourful and wonderful to listen to. This album is definitely worth the money, and is one of my favourites."

No more "Beginner's Mind"

T.G. | Newcastle, WA USA | 05/31/2001

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This review will probably differ from the majority, but I hear something really important lost... call it "Beginner's Mind," or a certain openness to experimentation and freeform musicianship... I don't know what it is, only that Anoushka's first release seems so much 'better'. Here she tries getting fancy, this music has "attitude" and seems to have lost the simple groundedness of the original, although likely it will appeal to a much broader audience. Indeed, it seems to be *trying* to "appeal" and thereby loses all its appeal (to me). Perhaps it was inevitable -- "followups" are never the same as the original (most evident in films, but it can be noticed in music as well).I may be alone in this point of view, but this is an honest review from the heart, and after purchasing this CD I recommend it only if you consider 'fanciness', 'attitude' and 'mass appeal' to be 'improvements'. Otherwise, try the original!"

Outstanding! Another success for this young artist.

Greg Konkel | Seattle, WA USA | 09/02/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is an excellent CD! Better than her first, which has been near the top of my listening pile for several months. It takes about three listens to begin to get into the subtleties if these complex ragas. They all seem to be technically more challenging than those on her first CD, but are played with aplomb. Anoushka is developing a distinctive style, and her playing of this difficult instrument has matured noticeably since the last CD, showing increased confidence and ability. The compositions by her "Bapi", Ravi Shankar, are all worthy of his legendary reputation. They are complex and beautiful and, while all are within the classical Indian motif, they are diverse and unique. The three traditional ragas stand out as some of the best I've ever heard, complemented by Anoushka's very appealing improvisations and intonations. Also notable are the three special compositions on this CD, the Hamsadhwani Tabla Duet, with subdued backup by Anoushka on sitar, which is quite lively and enjoyable, Swarna Jayanti (Golden Jubilee), which is relatively short for a raga, but nonetheless beautiful and complex, and the sitar duet, Pancham Se Gara, which is spectacular! My only comment is that, again, the slower alop sections in a couple of the pieces appear to have been foreshortened, as was done on the first CD, in order to make them more listenable to the Western ear. I would like to see the ragas left intact on future CDs. I personally enjoy the slow alop sections and, if a double CD set is required, then so be it. I will gladly pay the difference. As for the negative comments posted here, I don't know what their problem is. I wonder if they even listened to this CD before venting their malicious garbage."