Customer Reviews

Mondo Rama

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This CD blows my mind! I'm new to Jai Uttal and the Pagan Love Orchestra, but I'm an instant convert. Every song moves me in a different way. I'm no music critic and I dont know how to write a review, but I just LOVE this disc. Funk, jazz, Indian, Brazilian, Hebrew, folk, and just plain wierd.......but all from the heart. And it all goes straight to my heart.
Super cool!

I have quite a collection of Indian classical and fusion music and have been a devotional singer for years. I also love Miles and SRV. I really love Jai's/Pagan Love Orchestra's muted trumpet/Miles Davis/devotional sound from parts of his first two realeases and think he is the best musician in the devotional genre. I understand what Jai is doing with Mondo Rama, but the result in my opinion doesn't work well. A perfect example is the Beatle's "Tomorrow Never Knows", one of my favorites. I was wondering when someone was going to cover this song, but was disappointed with Jai's attempt; it fell flat. Though I love both, I find the electric guitars and "phychedelic" sound very detracting from the devotional feel of his music. I think Jai needs a really good producer to show what he is capable of doing. He has all the components, but isn't really bringing them together as well as he could.

Jai Uttal has nothing to prove. His God-given talent, lifelong musical training, and profound spiritual quests have given him one of our age's great voices. Jai could sing from the telephone book, and everyone in the room would get a joyful buzz (and find themselves charmed a little farther down the spiritual path).

On this CD, Jai has fun taking musical risks. For some, these risks may not fully succeed, but I believe that for most, the enthusiasm, creativity, and musical virtuosity which Jai and the Pagan Love Orchestra have poured into this effort will make each track charming and interesting. And when the risks do fully succeed, the results are spectacular. Track 3, Tomorrow Never Knows/Shivaya, looks impossible on paper: an old Beatles song, Hindu chanting, electronic effects, a worldbeat groove... The result? Mind blowing -- you'll play this track over and over. Track 7, Mood X, is a poignant ballad about the difficulty of trying to simply "live in love" in this crazy world.

To get an idea of what you're in for, there are 17 musicians listed in the credits, and they play instruments ranging from "turntables" to "Bengali mridanga." Jai himself plays the following startling array of instruments: dotar, harmonium, electric and acoustic guitars, keyboards, gubgubbi, ektar, kartals, sarod, BANJO (!), gopichand, flute, and harmonica. Skeptical about the banjo? It is used to amazing effect, sounding almost Japanese and forming part of some truly unique musical soundscapes.

Shining through all the music is the compelling purity and sincerity of Jai's voice. If you like that voice, and don't mind accepting a beautiful gift which happens to be a little different from the one you opened last time, you'll like this CD.

Peace to all.

You've got to hand it to Jai Uttal; never content to make the same record over and over I think he's really reached another level with Mondo Rama--to make perhaps the best record of his career. Again he's taken devotional and tradional sounds from India and combined them with less traditional elements from around the world; but this time he's really stretched out and added some wonderful electronic sounds and Beatle-ish (especially George Harrison-ish) psychedelia. As a longtime fan I find it a great progression--maybe the logical next step--from someone who's always impressed me with his ability to meld seemingly disparate elements into his own unique music. I love this one, and highly recommend.alike.

I really enjoy this album. Jai uses a great mix of Indian, American pop and jazz with interesting musical instruments and arrangements. Track EXILE is worthy of a top 10 spot.

Hey! You have to check this new CD out!! A mixture of sounds that spane the entire music world. Beautiful compositions that move the soul. Jai has done it again. His voice is strong and his instrumental compositions impeccable. With Track 1, "Narayana", to be flown around the world to Brazil with the sassy, passionate sounds of the tropics and the sun beating down; the waves crashing in the distance with love on our minds. Then to go into the club to dance to the slammin' rhythms on Track 2, "Shri Krishna".
At times, like in Track 8,"The Whisper Stream" and Track 10,"Hot Button" ;I close my eyes and feel like I am in the midst of the ancient land of India filled with sweet wonder and devotion. In Track 3, "Tomorrow Never Knows" with the backward playbacks of music and trippy reverb ,I then feel like a passenger on The Beatles magical mystery tour.
Touched again at the heart of Jai's Jewish roots in Track 5,"Shalom", sung simply with the kind of peace and understanding that we all long for.
He dishes out funky,jazzy,rock'n roll tracks behind this beautiful rendition to the Goddess in Track 9, "Kali Mata".
This album is truely a treasure.Amazing.

I think this is Jai's best Pagan recording yet. Each song is uniquely masterminded by him and co-producer Ben Leinbach with amazing new textures and melodies. Only world-class artist Uttal could so seamlessly weave together Indian devotional chanting, rock, jazz, reggae, brazilian, techno, and American folk music into one record,and even at times, one song! This one is not to be missed!!!

We've been waiting 4 years for a new Pagan Love cd and it's been worth the wait ! Jai Uttal's musical vision has matured
immensely since the great "Shiva Station". He brings a new conception to ancient prayers (we can pray and dance at the same time!), and dives deeper into an expanded pallette of sounds, musical themes, moods and colors . Listening to this collection of songs, I feel like I'm travelling across the globe.
You have to listen to Jai's version of the Beatle's classic, "Tomorrow Never Knows", and the Hebrew prayer for peace, "Shalom", to understand the vast scope of this CD.

The diversity of Jai Uttal's musical ability shines through in this album. He took some risks with turntables and effects(in 1 or 2 songs) that could possibly have been a turn off to fans of his more traditional sounds like myself, but I found myself appreciating and being taken by all of the album. He managed to bring together this wide variety of musical styles and instruments with a grace that few would be able to pull off. In doing so he has continued to expand the scope of devotional music and further pave the path of devotional expression just as he has always done. It is exciting to hear his art continue to evolve.

If you have been moved by Jai Uttal's passion and voice this album will not be a dissapointment.

Graceful and heartfelt. Rich and interesting sounds, yogic themes, and a Beatles cover like you've never heard before.