Customer Reviews

Anourag

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

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.

Anoushka Shankar proves her talent again on Anourag. My particular favorites are Pancham Se Gara the duet with her father and legendary sitar master Ravi Shankar. This cd is a must for fans of world music. Anoushka Shankar is said to not have the talent of her father, however, I feel that she is excellant and plays with feeling and raw emotion, like her father. I look for Anoushka to carry on the groundbreaking advancements her father continues to do to this day.

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!

Yes, Ms. Shankar's CD 'Anourag' came into my hands because I impulsively bought a brown paper 'Mystery Bag' from a record store that's no longer in existence. Existential? Except for five reviews on here that crazily gave 1 star to this beautiful sitarist, most people enjoy this disc. This is a must have if you enjoy ragas. She is Ravi Shankar's daughter and you can tell she's played alongside her father since early years. If you've played with a master sitarist, you'll probably become a badass on the instrument also. And so she has. Buy this.

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.

It has only been a couple of years since her debut CD, so it's not to be expected that she's become a master musician during this period of time. What is apparent, though, is that Anoushka is improving greatly, and the music here is proof enough. As other reviewers here have stated, she seems to be making somewhat of an effort to bring the music to a larger audience, and if that is a crime, then so be it! I live in an area of america where the airwaves are stuffed with pop music that does not even give me a quarter of the satisfaction that classical Indian music does. And some people just might recall that Ravi Shankar, the father of Anoushka, successfuly brought his music to a larger audience in the 1960's. There is video footage from the big festivals, and numerous reissues of cd's in music stores to prove that. But that does not concern Anoushka's music but to a certain degree (the intended audience is probably more American than Indian). I am not speaking for Ms. Shankar, but I do think that this music is made to 'speak' to all kinds of people. As with her debut CD, all of the music heard here is composed by Ravi Shankar, and he lovingly the music for his daughter, and as a greater gift, he appears on the last track of the disc in a duet with Anoushka, and appears on CD for the first time in a number of years. Anoushka shows great skill, especially for someone not even in her 20's yet! The improvisations are great, the music is more dense and layered than the first CD, due to the addition of 3 (!) tampuras and two tablas in most places. It is great listening, you will have to listen to it repeatedly to get the most out of it. As commercial as it might seem to some skeptics (including the harsh critics here at amazon.com), it is not for the top 40 crowd, it is for those seeking something new!! And I guarantee that Anoushka will be very successful in the not-too-distant future, if not for her talent, then at the least her incredible beauty! Of the latter, the fashion shots in her discs have been done superbly, and they capture the essence of Anoushka: young, promising, gifted, beautiful. Some of you might be thinking i'm getting a little carried away, but just check out her music....you will think the same! Thank you.

Anoshka'a new ablum Anourag is a tribute to her growth over the past two years. Her last ablbum, though good, showed nowhere near the amout of talent that she is now dispaling. Anougra is Indian classical at its' finest.

It is clear to anyone who is famililar with classical Indian music that Anoushka Shankar is an exceptionally talented Sitar player, and this CD provides ample demonstration. The music is warm, loving and highly recommended!!

Anoshka'a new ablum Anourag is a tribute to her growth over the past two years. Her last ablbum, though good, showed nowhere near the amout of talent that she is now dispaling. Anougra is Indian classical at its' finest.

This CD would be a great indroductory piece for anyone interested in Sitar/subcontinental music. The production is clear as a bell--I've been disapointed with the production on some Ravi Shankar records--and the ragas are not the 35-minute monoliths so popular on Indian records 1968-1980s. Don't get me wrong, I love Ravi's records and the full-length Indian-classical stuff. But, if you aren't sure if the music is for you, here's a great starting point.