Reviews (page 4 of 6)
I have listened to a lot of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, he has collaborated a lot with Peter Gabriel on tracks such as Signal to Noise - https://open.spotify.com/track/2CnucOZJUTMviGIADnNFRY?si=bf7dd4ab95c54dd3 and Taboo https://open.spotify.com/track/4q9auAqHLCeJpXa4XoEidI?si=cdf0066d26b045cf Do yourself a favour and listen to how amazing this dude is!
I quite liked bits of this album - probably not something I would have heard of without the 1001 challenge. I found myself tapping along to a fair few of the tracks, but some were a bit repetitive. Great to hear some more music from outside the usual UK and USA!
Nusrat was Jeff Buckley's Elvis.
Well done, well produced. Unique. Not my style.
Not really my style (Pakistani) but seems really good for this style!
Crumbs - that’s a lot of music. Only managed to listen to the first couple of songs while driving Tilly to school. It was ok. 3* for being a somewhat left field contribution to the challenge.
Surprisingly not heard before but he doesn't do short songs. I can imagine getting into this in the right environment and may revisit should the need arise. Quite hypnotic.
Nusrat is apparently a legendary Pakistani singer whom I've never heard of. This album, as the title indicates, is a collection of devotional songs sung in the style of Qawwali. Firstly, the instrumentation on here is super solid. The tabla (I think that's one of the instruments they're playing) is such a dope sounding instrument. Nusrat's voice is very powerful. Combined with the call-and-response lyrical style, this recording gives off a pretty intense vibe. The songs go on for 7+ minutes and have a hypnotic value to them. Pretty cool listen.
I have a recording of his that I like better; I think it's more traditional Qawwali, a lot of call and response, but I'm no expert. Enjoyed much of this too tho, more diverse.
Not familiar with this genre, but what I heard was pretty cool. I like the passionate microtonal singing and the rhythm.
(April 12 2024) 2nd album in a row I can't listen to with Apple Music; I see there are about 9000 other albums of his there, so I will share a Wikipedia quote from Chris Nickson, of Global Rhythm: \"trying to make order of Khan's entire discography would be a nightmare.\" I'll get to Devotional Songs soon, but for now today's substitution is obviously Vampire Weekend (2008), followed by TV on the Radio’s Nine Types of Light (2011). Never really got around to hearing them, but I've often heard it said that Vampire Weekend is the Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan of New York indie rock :p (April 16 2024) It was there the whole time! Bundled in a release called Love and Devotion, and mistakenly dated 1988. Wot Ok, those were definitely some songs of devotion. I think my favourite ones were tracks 2 & 4. I might put on the “Love” half later, but no guarantees. I don’t have my copy of the book right now; curious why this is Khan’s entry into the book out of all his other 9000 releases
I dig it. There's a pulse to this throughout, I love all of the percussion and some of the vocal variations throughout. Just has a powerful rhythmic presence.
Good background music but not going to keep me actively engaged for an hour 30
Strangely likeable. My favourite song of his is still The Long Road with Pearl Jam.
Very different, but I can see how it is uplifting and joyful. Kind of tribal...
Not bad, got a bit repetitive for me and maybe not something I would necessarily go back to but respect it for what it is and thought the overall sound was pretty good
The tracks blended into one another a bit, but I loved the fullness of the sound. Not an everyday listen for me, but I dug it.
This was new to me. I feel like I'm barely scratching the surface with both Khan's output and Qawwali, but I liked this (though I wouldn't seek it out). Let's say a 3.
tajusin kyllä pointin ensimmäisen biisin jälkeen. vielä oli yli tunti albumia jäljellä sen jälkeen.. tää ois hullu opiaatti luolassa.. mutta ei olle huume hörhöjä täällä, joten mitä varten albumi... hyvin strukturoitua, biisit eivät erotu länsipaskaiseen korvaan..vähän progressiota olisi kiva, aina joku vitun bängeri intro ja sitten menee samaan huilutukseen... pakistan, strong, but why onli india listen?? because pakistanno spotify.. rich man magic spotify.. laulu on hyvåää. I applaud the attempt to break away from the western anglicized norm (though I have had French and German music tossed my way already) HHAAHHAHAHAAHAHAAHAH sanson ki mala pey
On saluera la dévotion de ce monsieur même si on aurait aimé qu'elle dure moins longtemps, disons une heure et quart de moins. Je souhaitais à cette occasion vous informer que je suis ouvert à toute opportunité de casting dans l'industrie cinématographique de Bollywood. N'hésitez pas à m'envoyer vos synopsis à l'adresse robertestleperedemikeladd@gmx.com
Ce novueau recueil de baragouinage m'a hautement convaincu, le baragouinage pop reste l'un des genres les plus appréciés du générateur. Et vous, préférez vous le brazilian baragouinage pop, ou son pendant indien ? Faites le nous savoir à l'adresse mail robertestleperedemikeladd@gmx.com
World music might be the least represented genre on this list. And I’m not necessarily complaining about that. It’s not a genre I ever find myself putting on because it’s what I feel like listening to in the moment. I feel the same about traditional orchestral music. I’m never really in the mood to throw on some Ludwig van Beethoven. That doesn’t mean this album is terrible though. I try to be as open to hearing new things as possible. And even if I didn’t love this. I still found things to take out of it, and it still stands as a unique experience. But truthfully I am in no place to really critique this, considering how little knowledge I have of the genre or culture this is from. Nusrat delivers some powerful vocal performances, and I can appreciate the complexity of some of the instrumentals. I can best describe this as like a combination of Pakistani jazz and classical music. Unfortunately that’s kind of where my observations end. This music is hard for me to attach myself to, and really get into, because there just isn’t much. It quickly becomes background noise that I have a hard time focusing on. I can’t think of a situation where I would recommend this to someone that I know. But it exists for a reason, because at least one person likes it. Rating: 5/10
3.0 Yeh Jo Halka Saroor Hae was a Jam. Dude can sing. Kinda interesting reading up on Qawwali music
Very interesting & beautiful
Interesting to finally get some different cultural music that is not British or American or Brazilian. Not my thing, but interesting.
Lovely music. Not being able to understand the lyrics is secondary. 3.5/5 Might listen again
Pas mal!
woh hata rahe hain pardah- im probably not gonna talk a lot for these songs because theyre so long so im probably just gonna lock in on mahjong or slaughter horse. its better than radiohead
ну интересный вайб но рабочий
Религиозно, мантрово, необычно. Но вряд ли я буду гонять на постоянке))
Jolly
its beyond me
Imma keep it 100 with yall I didn’t listen fully and I prob never will. All love and it was good but like I can’t listen to 1.5 hours of this.
Don't see myself listening to it on the fly but it's a nice sound
Devoted
Nice. Would never have found this without the 1001 albums list, glad I did. Liked it, haven't a clue what it was going on about though...
Definitely a change up from the typical stuff on this list. Beautiful, if not slightly too long, songs in a wildly different style than I'm used to. I'd listen to music from him again, but not this much at once. 3.5
Cool drum beats. Never heard Pakistani music before except for maybe in movies. I know it’s not true but it sounds like Native American music with what sounds like chanting.
I enjoyed this album a lot more than I thought I would -- six very different, enjoyable tracks.
Had to find on YouTube. I liked it.
Had a hard time finding this album because apparently he recorded over 100 albums and is in the Guinness book of world records. Hard to comprehend recording that much music.
I wish the list had included an album that didn’t have to be cobbled together on YT, but that’s nobody’s fault. Overall, I didn’t hate it. I won’t listen to it again, I’m sure, but I will forever know what it sounds like if it’s referenced. I guess that’s a win.
This is an album where more context on the songs, or the genre as a whole, would help appreciate why it’s on the list. Good beat and intriguing melodies, that was a plus. But the album felt repetitive, and wasn’t a big fan of the singer’s voice, so not sure where to land on it. But glad to see some multicultural additions rather than another LCD Soundsystem snoozer. Was it the middle eastern Aqualung? Maybe that would’ve helped . . .
Definitely different from what I'm used to and definitely not something I'd always be in the mood for. Still, the passion and talent at work here are pretty clear. Great driving rhythms and sometimes mesmerizing vocals. Worth hearing.
Engaging, like the different rhythm structures, kind of repetitive
What I find interesting about music from non-western cultures, is that its ritual function is so much more apparent than others. Sure, you have straight pop music from these cultures. But you also have this, where the music serves a function. It is useful. Given certain views on culture and artistic craft in the west, I think it makes it obvious that we have lost something that connects us. This music isn't just for putting on in the background at a dinner party. It is clearly a musical tradition that serves to connect people in praise. Might not be something I listen to more than once, but I am extremely intrigued and very keen on checking out more albums like this.
I feel like this had an impact on Wes Anderson, and that bothers me more than it should. Maybe it just reminds me of that movie he made called The Darjeeling Limited, which was him at his most pretentious. But if Wes Anderson never made a pretentious movie with Talia Shire's kid and the Wilson brother with a fucked up nose, I'd probably enjoy this more.
Did this guy record an album every week of his life? There is so much of his stuff out there and he died at age 48! Anyway, the music was not bad to listen to, just not a genre I'd put on casually. There is so much worse music on this list.
Well that was at least novel to hear. Dude had a really cool voice and this was certainly unique although honestly I'm not sure I really needed an hour and a half of it. Did get a wee bit repetitive after about the first disc. Again what is the deal with this site and giving double albums nobody likes them. Overall all a rather enjoyable and interesting experience although I haven't the foggiest idea what was actually being sung. I actually rather liked that to be honest cause it meant I didn't have to pay a lick of attention to the lyrics which is normally something I try to focus on.
Not my thing, but it may be if you’re into religious music from other cultures.
Uhh dude certainly has energy.
His voice is so powerful and the instrumental music is lively. The album is lengthy, but I found it wasn't distracting. I'm glad this album was included among the western music that makes up most of this list.
nice
Interesting nice to listen to but won't again
It's really difficult to judge this as it's pretty much out there in it's own genre. It's pretty good to listen to from an outsiders point of view and well sung, played and produced. If this is fair game for the 1001 why can't there be Mozart or Beethoven albums on here?
This is an album of Sufi (Muslim sect) spiritual music, so instrumentation, vocals, etc. are quite unfamiliar. The music is fun, exciting, varied - I could dance to it. 90 minutes is a bit much, though.
Listened to "love and devotion" on Spotify. I find it a little overwhelming, so much sounds in my ears and the melodies pulling me along
Surprisingly I found it rather good. It had interesting rythums and although I didn't understand the language the lyrics were pleasing to listen to.
Me gusta Nusrat desde que lo pusieron de moda con la banda sonora de Dead Man Walking. Y pasado el tiempo me sigue gustando, desconectado de ese sentimiento lo mismo es difícil disfrutarlo. Comprendo que esto tenga malas puntuaciones (no lo he mirado) y que su éxito se deba al arrastre de esos años 90, pero al menos como algo importante para una parte del mundo no puede obviarse algo de música de la India como algo a oír alguna vez en la vida.
I’m gonna be real, this fucks. Way too long. But it’s gorgeous and I like the call and response format. Reminds me of early southern gospel. The main guy is a killer singer. Probably won’t make it into my every day music but I’m glad I listened to it.
Quite nice. Not something I would just casually listen to, but I did enjoy it overall.
This is so far outside my cultural sphere that it's very difficult to critically appraise. However, I had a nice time listening to it and found it far more enjoyable than CofE hymns or Christian rock. Islam 1-0 Christianity. Rating: 3/5 Playlist track: Yaad-E-Nabi Gulshan Mehka Date listened: 17/12/23
Litt for mye indisk for min smak, kanskje jeg hadde likt albumet bedre om jeg forsto hva de sang
Not my COT, but I've probably enjoyed this mixed/ sampled into lounge/ chill / EDM
Comment il s'agit de chansons de culte, c'est basé sur la répétition comme vecteur de transe, avec des variations de type improvisation vocale (un peu comme les mawwal arabes). La mise en évidence de la voix rend difficile de se concentrer sur les instruments. Je réécouterais.
Better than expected. 90+ minutes is a lot though.
Happy to know about this. It took me a couple listens, but I got drawn into the hypnotizing rhythms. Interesting to see videos of the band live too, there is a lot of trading off the vocals between the several performers.
I like a lot of what's going on here rhythmically, but if I'm being honest, it's not something I'd come back to on my own. I listened a few times in a row, and it didn't necessarily grow on me.
It’s fine rhythmically but that’s about all I get from it.
C+ Allah Hoo Allah Hoo 3 Yaad-E-Nabi Gulshan Mehka 3 Haq Ali Ali Haq 3 Ali Maula Ali Maula Ali Dam Dam 3 Mast Nazroon Se Allah Bachchae 2 Ni Main Jogi De Naal 3 Sandeep Gingipalli said this was sh**. He was wrong. He has an inherent anti-Pakistan bias though...
3.5 - amazing musician, just was a bit too much for a whole album
Really hard to rate this one. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would, but I can't say I would seek it out. Was very interesting to listen to but since I don't really listen to this kind of music I can't compare it to anything to know how much better or worse it is. 3.5 stars
I listened to love and devotion, which I think is probably close enough. maybe Devotional songs is a five star, but yahoo music didn't have it. what's a guy to do?
Ali Khan's voice makes you want to listen for hours, as does the music; but in the end, it does just become background noise. Excellent noise for all that.
3 - dont have too strong feelings about this one
I love music like this. "Devotional Songs" is a perfect title for this, because it is so apparent that there is a lot of spirituality behind this music. I was not really able to discern why this album specifically was included on this project, but simply looking at it through the lens of an "Eastern music inclusion" is enough; what you get here is a very passionate and very strong example of the cultural music of the Indian and Pakistani regions. The chanting alone is ethereal. Looking at the score for this album, I feel like people have been generally unfair, and maybe this type of music just isn't enjoyed by most, but I would certainly recommend this album to people who have the capacity for enjoying Eastern spiritual music like this.
I went into this very cautiously but actually left feeling pretty okay about the album overall. The lyrics and instrumentals are pretty basic but as you get into the album if you start listening with keeping the genre in mind you can get more of a feel for it. While of course not understanding him I can hear the passion in his voice and actually think he's a really good singer who just isn't using his talents to the full potential on this album. 5/10
I don't know how to rate this.
Good to have something non-western here for a change. I rather enjoyed this - I can see why he's such a celebrated singer. A strong 3 from me, close to 4.
Koste meg egentlig litt med detta albumet
Interesting sound but the opening of each song is usually the strongest part, when you don't know what to expect, after it, it feels like it goes for too long with the same sound, without many changes and it becomes a bit repetitive and tiresome
I’ve listened to Indian music regularly for years but can’t say I’ve explored any Pakistani. I really like some of the eastern song structures, scales, and rhythms. I can tell Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was very earnest and energetic about his performance but a 1.5 hr was a bit of a marathon. Not a huge fan of his vocal style and range, but did enjoy this album. Probably better if interspersed with other vocalists or styles for variety. Three stars
I couldn't find the exact album but listened to Nusrat's most popular on spotify. Alright!
Refreshing but not great
Well I'm just as ignorant as any other white boy doing this challenge so of course my only reference point will be Ravi Shankar.
Interesting, but this sounds very dated.
I like to listen to hindustani music sometimes, because of its very unconventional sounds and ways of composing and singing compared to the north american/european music I'm used to.
Surprisingly quite an okay album, even though it is culturally so foreign style for me. Khan just makes some lively and catchy music, which apparently can be enjoyed by people from the other side of the globe. It's not a record I will come back to, but at least it's much better than many other records on this list.
Zoned out to this album, in a pleasant way. One song blended into the next. I'm sure that upon further listening I can come to appreciate the nuance of each individual song. Good for yoga and art.
I really enjoyed the intros. It's too bad the focus was taken off the lovely guitarwork after they started singing, because that was my favourite part.
Was kinda dreading this as it's world music and knew I wouldn't massively get along. Can see the appeal though. it's obviously not something i'd normally listen to but it has more good points than bad.
Initial Thoughts: Oh we international now. Final Thoughts: I appreciate albums like this, because it shows how different cultures will approach music. I studied music for a while and I remember an entire period where we studied music from South East Asia/India because of how unique their approach to music is. It was nice to listen to a "modern" iteration of this music instead of the classical pieces I studied in school.
Indifferent.
I generally like this stuff, but prefer the more guitar-based work of Ali Farka Toure. This is good, but a bit samey.
This got my mind and my spirit right today.
More enjoyable than expected but not something I'd regularly listen to.
I can appreciate this. It would probably be more enjoyable, playing along with it then listening to it. Kind of like I love to play baseball but don’t really care to watch it.
Pretty monotonous but I see the value of it. I respect Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan for exposing the world to this type of music and his voice is incredible. Not really sure what to make of it though I think I need to listen to this with some mushroom pizza.
I don't have a ton to say about this, but it was lovely to listen to. Nice mix of the chill and contemplative, with progressive songs that gradually build in intensity and speed. Khan & Party's joy and passion transcend the language barrier, which is really the great thing about music, isn't it? Fave Songs: Haq Ali Ali Haq, Ali Maula Ali Maula Ali Dam Dam, Allah Hoo Allah Hoo
Mehhhh its just not my sound
Ok but not my thing I don't hate it but can't see why I'd choose to listen to this
Dit was eens speciaal om te horen. Doet ook wat aan de Indische muziek denken, maar ik vond deze toch precies wat langdradig
Must admit, I only got about half way through. Enjoyable listening, but not something I would necessarily return to regularly. Or at least not in album form - maybe choosing to pick out individual tracks.
I enter into some kind of flow state listening to this whilst working one evening. Magical stuff. Haven’t listening to much qawwali… a time and place to enjoy it, but it’s good stuff to help centre the soul.
Obviously unlike other albums because it’s in a language I have no idea about I had a couple of intros to songs where I thought it was for a different song, so it’s clearly close enough to “western” music at times Impressive vocals and I was low key vibing
Enjoyed this because I would never have listened to it without this website.
Cool sound! Reminds me of when I went to India. I think some songs sounded quite similar (my untrained ear) so will give it a 3!
Enjoyed it but I prefer the one he did with Michael Brook.
Enjoyed this more than I thought I would. Felt like if I went to an eastern worship concert? Islamic church music? Nice sound to it
I have never listened to this type of music before and was unsure of what to expect going in. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality and sheer conviction with which the songs were sung. Not something I'd throw on to listen to for fun, but would happily listen to again in the right setting.
Kinda fun. 5/10
Good album. I like this style of traditional Indian folk music and Khan's voice is so great and distinctive. I don't know how often I would come back to this honestly, but very much enjoyed this play through.
I'm not used to this 'qawwali' sound; it's fascinating and compelling (e.g., Ali Maula Ali Maula Ali Dam Dam) although the intense vocals do get on the nerves after some time.
Ah bah pour le coup ça change vraiment beaucoup. Aucun élément de comparaison pour ce type de musique, mais ça va, c'est cool, ça se laisse écouter.
Would I have listened to this on my own? No. Did I enjoy listening to Sufi devotional music? Yes. Would I listen to it again? Probably not, but never say never.
Definitely a first listen for me, a little long for my taste but enjoyed trying something new to me.
Totally new to me never even heard the Peter Gabriel produced more celebrated in the west collaboraton with Michael Brook. However despite my newbie status to this artist, I quite enjoyed this album. Found my self tapping my foot along with the music. Also found myself in awe of the vocal performance which is at times sunning. Ultimately it proved rather too long to digest in one sitting, a better choice might have been the more easily digestable Mustt Mustt still a nice discovery. 3.5 stars
Mukavan erilaista!
https://music.apple.com/gb/album/love-and-devotion/1653513320 For those who use Apple Music - it’s the second half of this album. I bet this was an experience to see live. Loses a bit in translation listening while doing data validation tbh.
Cool blend of south Asia music style with some western influence thrown in. The music fan in me appreciates the talent displayed in this album; his vocal abilities are very, very impressive, as is his passion. Overall, though, it didn't move me as much as it probably should have.
This was alright. It kind of all sounded the same, but it sounded decent, so I'm okay with it. Just glad it wasn't longer. My favourite song was maybe Haq ali ali haq? I had a lot of trouble keeping track of which song was which.
Interesting but quite long
A lot of this has soundscapes that I find to be inspired. Layer upon layer of wonderful tonality is placed with a tremendous voice. Even if I can’t understand the lyrics I am grabbed by the singers sentiment. A beautiful piece.
This was pretty good. It's something I could see myself putting on in the background as light listening. Not my traditional style of music but I can see how it was influential.
For what it is, it is well done, there is a radio channel here that plays this kind of thing a lot, this is better than most of what they play. Thankfully I couldn't understand the lyrics, otherwise they would probs do my head in by being all goddy.
Best Song: Yaad-E-Nabi Gulshan Mehka. Don't ask me why. Worst Song: Mast Nazroon Se Allah Bachchae. Don't ask me why. Overall: Lively, joyous music that I can definitely imagine returning to. Being unable to understand the lyrics leads me to appreciate the rhythm of the language. Otherwise, I feel like I completely lack the vocabulary to properly evaluate/appreciate this music.
One of those things that I suppose I feel sort of unqualified to rate? If this kind of music isn’t part of your culture / socialization, I think it might be pretty hard to get into. It is good background music for reading? Yeah, why not. Do I understand the impact or influence of this at all? Absolutely not. Are the songs way too long and repetitive? Definitely. Uhh, I guess we’ll go with 3 stars then?
Good music. Not my typical listen, but I enjoyed the album for it's soul singing.
songs are way to long and repeititive. Quite a few enjoyable parts though.
It's fine but an hour and a half is a bit much
You can see why songwriters such as George Harrison and Jimmy Page were attracted to Near Eastern and Far Eastern music - a wealth of material from which to create music of their own.
I'm not an expert in this genre of music, but over the years I've been exposed to similar sounds and though it has meaning and purpose, I can't say I'm interested in hearing more. I have no idea what's going on and it seemed to go on far too long which really tests my patience and tolerance. Musically, it's skilled, world beat, folk, very ethnic with vocals that are used as another instrumental sound, so it's okay background music.
Different yet familiar, and I enjoyed it. Nice to listen to while I worked this morning. At times, the lead vocalist seemed to be yelling a bit but I get that was the intention.
Love that some non western music is on here. A bit long, especially for my european ears, but it's good.
A delightful album with a very unique sound. Enjoyed this one thoroughly. I am uncertain about what distinguishes it within its genre, but only because of lack of experience and knowledge on my part.
I was first introduced to Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan by Pearl Jam, actually. Khan partnered with Eddie Vedder for two songs on the “Dead Man Walking” soundtrack, including the amazing “Long Road.” That song was originally on Pearl Jam’s two-song EP “Merkin Ball” alongside “I Got Id” that came out of their work with Neil Young on “Mirror Ball.” That’s a fantastic and overlooked pair of songs that are among PJ’s best, but it’s also pretty cool the way they connect Neil Young, Eddie Vedder, and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.
Un dels noms més reverenciats de la world music. Aquest és un dels treballs que va editar pel segell Real World de Peter Gabriel, i dels més reconeguts a occident. Música qawwali tradicional amb un component religiós força present. Si et trobes en el mood adequat, és gairebé màgic. La millor porta d'entrada a la música qawwali
Pretty good, ended up liking it more than I thought I would
Didn't understand a word so can't comment on the lyrics but there is an energy, a liveliness, to the vocals and music that I enjoyed. Good beat, easy to dance to.
Too long and don’t quite like the voice. Well produced but that’s about it for me. I’d be curious how it does with other audiences
This was a nice change of pace. The rich, full sounds matched the intensity of Khan nicely. It could be a bit repetitive at times but also somewhat meditative. I may have given this a higher rating if it wasn't so long. Although I will probably never listen to this album again, I am glad I listened to it today.
I might enjoy this if I was in the right mood, but I wasn't really in the right mood today. 3 stars.
I had no idea what was going on, but I could feel the intent of the songs and power of his singing.
This is really good. I can only compare it to Bollywood music, and I know it’s a little different, but I need something to orient myself to as I listened to this. I’m pretty sure when I saw AR Rahman in concert he performed some Sufi songs, probably some of these. That’s all I can say about it besides saying I liked it. Energetic, always driving forward. As long as music has a momentum, I can get behind it.
I was very devotional during this time
Good background music but I simply lack the cultural exposure to appreciate it in what it fully is.
World music standard rating
I actually enjoy these little detours from music that was popular in the UK in 1982. I thought the book was going to have more of it - I didn't realise it was 99% known "classics", thought there would be lots of deeper cuts. This album overstayed its welcome but I really enjoyed the first song. Dude can really sing. It only had 1 speed and it got a bit old by the end. tbh I had always assumed Islam has some kind of stuffy ancient law against this sort of thing. (update: it does - this comes from India/Pakistan, while the purists in the middle east forbid musical instruments lol). Anyway, 3/5.
So why this album - of the possibly over 200 that Khan released? It's on a 'pukka' Western label, Real World, and has a western art director in charge of the sleeve. So I guess that. And that it's one of only four or so you can link to on wikipedia. My point being, and I enjoyed this album, is that is it better or worse than the other 200? I have no idea. And bluntly I'm not sure the compiler of this list really does too. Maybe he has a quawwali expert he can run this one past. But I've got no reason to believe it's not representative, and its a good listen, even if it's cultural value entirely goes above my head. let's finish with an anecdote: I attended an early WOMAD Festival in Essex in the mid-eighties and Nusrat was on the bill. We listened for an hour or so, then decamped to the main field to listen to New Order, who were great, then we came back and the man was still going strong. Respect.
Cool to get something so different. I probably won’t revisit it, but it was a pleasant listen
I found this very interesting to read about and I think what is great about this challenge is to be exposed to popular music from different cultures, which is a completely different music style: in structure, language, chord structures, timbres, everything! So for my music education this was great. Was it my bag and would I listen again? Probably not. And no disrespect to Nusrat as he was a really big deal! He brought the Sufi style of music to the main stage internationally And literally he played at WOMAD and everyone loved it and it shot him and the style into notoriety. 1hr 30 mins felt like a lot but apparently that's was one of his talents - absolute stamina to keep going.
Interesting stuff here, was quite the jam.
This went on for way too long
I nearly stopped this album after the first seconds. While I was always interested in music from middle and eastern Asia it's certainly something just for certain moments with our western ears. After a while it clicked. There is something uplifting in it that I can't put my finger to it. While this won't turn me to Islam I see the general appeal.
Rating: 6/10
I enjoyed this way more than expected.
I enjoyed some of this album, it was just way too long
Well I guess I did need to listen to this before I die as there was no chance I would have listened to this if it wasn’t for the list so props for that.
It's clear from reading the reviews on this site that a lot of people don't understand that "Devotional Songs" is Side B of what is now a double album. I can see how doubling the time you spend with this genre might wear on you, but as it is, it's an enjoyable enough experience. Best track: Yaad-E-Nabi Gulshan Mehka
3/5. Quite good music, great rhythm and overall vibe. Don’t think I’d listen to it in my free time but it definitely was not bad.
As far as religious songs are concerned, this was not too bad. This may be partially influenced that since I do not speak the language of the singing, I could just vibe with the music and ignore any proseletyzing.
Enjoyed this very much, especially the percussion. 3/5.
I'm having trouble rating this one as well because I'm just not very familiar with the genre. I was also having some trouble finding it on Apple Music (managed to find a playlist on YouTube but I'm not 100% sure it was the whole album). I definitely liked the sounds, especially the drums in a few of the songs. I'm giving it a 3/5 based on personal enjoyment but he seems like a very influential musician and I should probably do more research, lol.
Yeah, I don't know how to approach this at all. This is so far outside my wheelhouse, I'm thinking about things and musically things sound very good, I especially like the sound of that really deep drum / percussion throughout. The vocals have a great rhythm, and they flow in and out of the music really well. No idea what's going on, though. An hour and a half is a long time. 3 / 5 stars.
Beautiful music but i don't think it's for me
I don't understand it but it is very pretty. Essentially it's like Islamic prayer I think, in which case they're miles ahead of Christianity's bland hymns!
Mjög áhugaverð plata. Kröftug og heillandi. Dýrka raddbeitinguna sem er í gangi þarna!
전통적인 느낌이 듬뿍 느껴지는 노래였다. 노래는 내 스타일은 아니었다. It was a song with a strong traditional feel. It wasn't really my style, though.
Just not for me
This is so repetitive. This was not. my favourite.
There's obvious talent behind this, so giving it one star would be wrong. Still, the music did not resonate with me in the slightest, it dragged on for way too long.
Mietityttää kun jollain levyn biisillä on 45 miljoonaa kuuntelua ja toisella 200000, mutta kaikki on ihan samanlaista hoilausta. Huomaako ne edes että biisi vaihtuu. Noh tätä jäämme pohtimaan.
On kyl helvetin eksoottista tavaraa. Vähän jäi avoimeks mikä levy nyt ois ees pitänyt kuunnella kun spotifyn linkin takana olevat setit ol mitä ol. Toisaalta noinkohan mikään ois muuttunutkaan vaikka ois vähän sivuosumaa tullut. Mut joo, annetaan vaikka kakkonen tasasesta joikaamisesta.
This was different and in a good way. Very peaceful to listen to.
A slog
wasnt devoted to this
weird
I couldn’t find this album streaming anywhere but I did listen to a different one by the Pakistani Scatman
I can't speak much on this as I cannot understand it, however, I found it rather boring for me and rather long and samey.
Okay.
I guess it’s fine, but this album made me fucking hungry. Normally if I’m hearing this sort of music there’s gonna be some lamb or falafel heading my direction soon 🐑🥙 2.5⭐️
It's not unlistenable...and it sounds like they're having a good time (I hope). I would spin this again before Roni Size...or Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water.....can't really give it a 1.
There may be beauty here, but not to my ear.
It’s, fine?
rhythmic, indian, sitar like sound. 'wailing' vocals
Nice to have on the list, but I won’t be revisiting.
I don't really feel equipped to review this in a meaningful way. One of the greatest voices of all time according to Wikipedia, but to my ears it sounds like much devotional/call to prayer music in SE Asia.
Too long, and not for me.
Eine andere Art von Musik. Mal interessant zu hören, die Energie ist spürbar. Ist trotzdem nicht mein Genre. Trotzdem schön, das Album mal gehört zu haben. 2/5
very different from what i usually listen to. I like the world themed instruments but all the songs soundes very similar
Interesting album, reminds me of the one I got from, I think it was Egypt, but I am not sure any more. Anyway this is quite enjoyable however very repetitive and stretches for quite a while. So no more than 3 stars, but I appreciate opportunity to listen outside my comfort zone.
Could be great, not my idea of a good sound, couldn't get into it.
Devotional Songs seems to be available on streaming services as a double album with Love Songs... I imagine I'd get more from this album if I understood the words, but I'm a monoglot anglophone so it all becomes acoustic background.
Tja.. Har hørt et annet av han før som jeg likte mer (Mustt Mustt)..
Yeesh Fave track: Yeh Jo Halka Saroor Hae
Not for me habibi. 2/5
Proof that western music is just better
I don’t want to listen to devotional music for any faith. But if I must, I do prefer that I can’t understand the language.
I'm going to assume that the YouTube playlist I listened to was this album... It sounds like this guy was known as a pretty iconic qawwali singer. I can hear that, although I don't really have many other similar performers to compare to in this case. The content on this album didn't really do any favors however, as things got repetitive pretty quickly.
Not exactly my cup of tea, would love to know what was being said. Songs were quite long, listened whilst coding and was actually productive, probably won't revisit but interesting listen.
not for me
What? Huh? Music from a part of the world that isn't near where I live??? I hate experiencing other cultures noooo. While I jest, I do find that popular music rarely transcends cultural boundaries, at least for me. Not counting indigenous music or "scenes" of genres I’m familiar with; the stuff that hits the charts in far flung locales is usually as perturbing to me as the schlock that appears on the charts on this accursed continent. I find it very strange that there are so few inclusions on this list from Asia, and yet we throw in a token record from certified power hoss (google the guy) Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. It almost would have made more sense to just not have this record? It seems like an extremely random inclusion. I'm not going to skewer this because I know absolutely nothing about it. I really enjoyed the intensity of the vocals here. Dude was a beast. I personally thought most of the melodies were extremely sunny and boring but the insane nutso shrieking warmed my heart. The worst part about this record is my review. 2.5 HIGHLIGHTS: The Islamabad Unit Shifter
I... well... give me some hallucinagenic cactus juice and I'd probably buy into this. It's not a great album as a non-religious English woman driving to and from work, but I could listen to this at a festival, round the fire, high as shit and get into my not-spiritual-spiritual-chillzone. Aaaaaaalllaaaaaahhhhhhoooooooo🖖☮️
Трохи дивний тут вибір "незахідної музики". Я не можу сказати, що мені сподобалося, але й якогось негативу теж немає. Другий раз я б не увімкнув.
Not my cup of chai
Meh
I respect it just isn’t for me 4.3/10
The music was interesting, but I had a hard time with the singing
Better than Mariah Carey’s bullshit.
A cool addition to the list for expanding the pallet. That being said, while I'm coming around on Indian music, this one didn't really scratch that itch for me. Just felt tedious.
Too much of a cultural gap for me to really have a feel for it. It didn't really do much for me, but I can respect that it is likely good at what it is trying to do
I appreciate the musicianship and vibes, but it’s just not for me. I could never find the groove.
It's just not my thing especially as a Saturday morning listen. I'm across who he is, he did a Womad once a thousand years ago. I remember he garnered a lot of attention (might have been the final night headline act), partly due to to the melting pot of Islamic and Punjabi cultural influences he'd appropriated to create what was seen within this genre as a unique sound. So I get all that, and I do like the fact that outside of the Western appropriation discourse it similarly happened in the diverse mix of Islamic cultural contexts. Who'd have thunk it eh? A curio for me and very hard to assess in terms of needing to hear it before I die. Would I listen to it again, no.
Nice to have some none English music on the list but I must admit this did nothing for me. Not offensive, just not my thing 1.5
Just a bit much for me.
Not for me. For something devotional I found it quite harsh and jarring. And it’s very samey
Jeetje, 1,5 uur dit. Is me niet gelukt
Like Colton, I am an uncultured swine.
I struggle with a lot of world music. I slimmed this listen down to the original six songs on the “Devotional Songs” album. And, while I don’t anticipate ever listening to any of these songs again, I found moments of enjoyment. And yes, I’m an uncultured swine. 4/10 Acceptable
IDK man I can't really get into this.
It was okay!
This isn’t for me, and that’s okay!
As far as devotional music goes, this wasn't bad.
The songs in this album are really long, and they seem to be quite niche, so I assume there is a special part of the world that enjoys them a lot, as some of the songs have a really high number of listens, but it's overall not too bad. Not really my thing though.
Overly repetitive, twice as long as it needs to be. Meant for a very specific type of person. When I find out what kind of person that is, I’ll let you know…
I got nothing.
Amazing voice.
Apparently this is the Elvis of Pakistan. The man can sing but without lyric translations it was a difficult listen.
That sure was music. 2.5 I guess
Not really my jam. One or two songs are OK at at time but the entire album was too much.
Checked on Discogs, and the album in question here is the second "disc" on Love And Devotion on Spotify... I didn't hate this, but also found it hard to love. Lots of similar-sounding grooves over seven minutes long in a language I don't understand. It would be just fine in a festival field in the sunshine with a pint in one hand, but it's not something I'm going to listen to at home.
I would have appreciated knowing the actual album is THE LAST FIVE SONGS OF THE DOUBLE ALBUM. As it stands, it's festive and definitely beautiful, but man it is repetitive. I realize the express purpose of it is to be religious music, therefore chanting and mantras are to be expected. But I don't want to submit myself through this again.
Ok so, the Spotify link and the YouTube link bring you to two completely different albums. Also, the Wikipedia doesn’t have the album Devotional Songs so no way to know which one is correct. I went YouTube because the playlist was Devotional Songs and Spotify’s was Love & Devotion, which to make it all the more confusing, is what the cover art says on this website. So I have no idea if I listened to the right thing or not. That being said it was ok. I am not a fan of call and response or group chanted vocals so that really put a damper on things. The main singer has a good voice and the instrumentation, while repetitive, was calming and hypnotic.
Wow.
A lot going on here. Too much for my honky ears.
Pleasant enough but became wallpaper pretty quickly. Not one I'd return to.
lordy this gentleman has dozens and dozens of albums on Apple music that are all posthumous. More than Hendrix! The qawwali music style is fine, but it's just not my taste.
De Spotify link is van een ander album van anderhalf uur. Gelukkig ben ik een oplettende participant. Via Google het origineel gevonden en die is de helft korter. Ik hik hier al een dag of 3 tegenaan. Ik kan hier helemaal niks mee. Zelfs Leo Blokhuis heeft dit niet grijsgedraaid. Ik ga vandaag niet de beleefd knikkende toerist uithangen en ik hoef mezelf niet te bewijzen door hier een voldoende voor te geven. 2 sterren, ik ben blij dat het erop zit. Waarmee ik niet wil zeggen dat er helemaal niks goeds aan is, maar ik heb er echt niks mee (vandaag).
Moet je heel erg voor in de stemming zijn wel goeie pokkoes
egzotyki ciag dalszy, kiedy to szalenstwo listowe sie skonczy, tym razem podroz muzyczna az do palistanu, juz sam tytul zdradza kontent devotional songs to dokladnie to co mowi tytul spiewanie typu medytacyjnego modlitwnego, ktore kojarzy mi sie jedynie z indyjskimi brzmieniami, a nawet nie wiem jaka religie czy filozofie praktykuje pan nusrat, ale imie ali moze zdradzac islamskie korzenie, wiec tym bardziej dziwnie, ze brzmi to tak indyjsko, wikipedia zdradza, ze gatunkowo nazywa sie to qawwali, co mozna tlumaczyc na sufi music, co znowu przeklada sie na dewotionalna muzyke, wiec taka tautologia tytulowo tlumaczeniowa, a co do samej muzyki to dziwny odsluch, plyta z 92, ale z takim kontentem jej wiek calkowicie nie ma znaczenia, bo jest to muzykowanie tak oderwane od normalnego, ze ciezko cos takiego oceniac, bo nie rozumiem mantrowania i jedyne co moge powiedziec, to ze przez 45 minut podzielonych na 6 nie czulem az tak tragicznie na uszach zebym musial zmieniac traka czy skonczyc odsluch, wiec jako muzyka ktora sobie gra w tle sie sprawdza, ale nic wiecej z tego nie moglem wyciagnac, no jednak troche ciepelka czuc z takiej egzotyki, mam nadzieje, ze to nie rozwijajacy sie orientalizm, a raczej bizarnosc i niezbyt cos niezbyt czesto slyszanego dla moich uszu, nie moglem rowniez znalezc tej plyty na spotifaju, wiec znowu stary sprawdzowny soulseek musial pomoc, to oszczedza trudu dodawania na plejke, ale z plyty zapamietam glownie openingowy trak mocno przepelniony allahowaniem
This isn't my thing at all, however it is very easy to get caught up in the repetitive rhythms which become hypnotic and lull your brain into a strange kind of daze. I can see why this kind of thing is used in a devotional capacity, it's very meditative. I'm glad I've heard this though would never seek it out again.
not for me
Liked the sitar and drums. Liked his voice. No clue what he was saying. Probably more than I wanted, but it was pleasant.
I really appreciated the instrumentation and the driving rhythms, especially the superb percussion from the Tabla. However, the vocal tone didn't resonate with me, and I found the tracks tended to overstay their welcome. Had this been an instrumental album, the technical excellence would have earned it three stars, but the vocal element is so prominent that it dampened my overall enjoyment. With apologies to fans of Indian classical and Qawwali music, this is a two-star album for me. The whole album is not on Spotify. I had to find a playlist on YouTube - https://youtu.be/v7BOqCT7nHE?si=IgOScLSFsmHxextM 1 Woh Hata Rahe Hain Pardah (2/5) 2 Yeh Jo Halka Saroor Hae (2/5) 3 Biba Sada Dil Morr De (3/5) 4 Yaadan Vichhre Sajan Dian Aiyan (2/5) 5 Sanson Ki Mala Pey (2/5) 6 Un Ke Dar Pen Pohchne To Payen (2/5) 7 Allah Hoo Allah Hoo (2/5) 8 Yaad-E-Nabi Gulshan Mehka (3/5) 9 Haq Ali Ali Haq (3/5) 10 Ali Maula Ali Maula Ali Dam Dam (3/5) 11 Mast Nazroon Se Allah Bachhae (2/5) 12 Ni Main Jogi De Naal (2/5) Total - 29 Average - 2.42 240/1001 133/240 albums reviewed were new to me.
Didn’t understand it
And so we swing back to the dregs after a few good albums. It's almost certainly, in a large part, due to my lack of familiarity with this music and artist, but this album does nothing for me. I struggle to spot the gaps between any of the tracks, there is nothing different in any of the tracks, it just sounds like 45 minutes of some guy wailing over random Indian/Pakistani music - and occasionally being in tune and in time with the rhythm. The most amazing thing was discovering that Rolling Stone ranked this guy in their '200 Greatest Singers of All Time' list. Although I didn't technically listen to the whole album I am going to give it 2 stars, as I feel I could have made it all the way through.
Really not my style, I’m sure many enjoy this though.
It’s hard to rank this because I’m not familiar with the genre, but it does feel overproduced and maximalist which is a bit overwhelming
Reading about this guy was interesting- the “King of Kings” of qawalli music. A shame he died at 48. I recognize his talents, and that there is beauty in his music. But you could argue there is beauty in all music. This will may to suffer the same fate as Buena Vista…
lol, this one falls pretty far outside of my paradigm for what makes music good. I’m not gonna make it through the full hour and a half of what sounds like middle eastern tribal chants. I guess, as a positive, I don’t hate what sounds like a sitar, and I normally despise the sitar. But this one isn’t for me, and my horizons have not been expanded. 2/5
3/10
I mean +1 voor de legend die deze guy apparently is maar niet voor mij
I don’t want to dislike it, I think it just isn’t my taste. Which isn’t to say I don’t enjoy cross-cultural music styles… just not this one.
I’m getting older, life is short, and I don’t need to impress anyone anymore by appearing worldly, so I can say it: I don’t like this kind of music.
? (im actually trying to be more open to regional folk music but sadly my eurocentric mind just cant comprehend it.) 2/5
I liked bits of this! Its nice also to have a name to this sort of sound with Qawalli
I wasn't that big of a fan
Not my type of music.
I love getting exposure to different kinds of music, and this is my first experience of Qawwali, but this collection of songs doesn't really work as an album. First, this is a very difficult album to find (even the name of the album seems to be different from what is on the list), so I had to dig around to find all the songs. Second each song is much too long for what it offers. Third, the album itself is 90 minutes, which is absurdly too long. Overall, I understand why this album is on the list, but it's disappointing. 2.0/5.0: Disappointing
India
Had to go to youtube for this one; apple music had nothing. Music was alright but 1.5 hours was a bit much
very beautiful, didn't finish but honestly might come back. also jeff buckley covering one of the songs is awesome. saved: yeh jo halka soor hae.
Not my jam
I don't want to sound insensitive, but I really didn't care for this one. It wasn't bad, but each song was 7+ minutes of the same vamp with little variation. If I was walking down the street and heard it, or if it was playing in a restaurant I would have really enjoyed it, bit just sitting in my bed and listening to it became more of a chore. The individual parts are good, but as an album it is a little much. This is right on the edge of a 3 and a 2 for me. High 2.
Not bad but not my cup of tea. Good instrumentation, though.
Even though to many, this is Qawwality music, and Nusrat comes in strong with gusto and energy with every moment, I doubt a time will ever come where I, personally, as a westerner concerned that this list and similar such lists exclude much non-western music, will ever get a jonesin’ to put this on. In fact, making it all the way through the hour and a half was a testament, I believe, to the love and devotion I’m showing to this 1001 project. My only hope is that now I’m not on some FBI watchlist for choosing a Pakistani artist for today’s musical deluge instead of someone like, say, Taylor Swift.
Some of the tracks are not available on Spotify but it still goes on a bit
This was the first album I’ve had generated for me that I wasn’t actively excited to listen to. It’s not something I would ever have considered listening to without it being semi-forced on me and I will almost certainly not revisit it. However, it is plainly obvious that Khan is a tremendously skilled singer. It is just a style of singing and a genre of music that I, perhaps through cultural predisposition, do not find terribly interesting or rewarding. Worth having heard it but as I say not something that will garner repeat listens from me.
Glad that an album from this part of the world was included on this list, but I didn't jive with it. 4/10
If I could give this negative stars I would
Gear: ZMF Bokeh Artwork: 🪵💄⁉️ Production: ↔️📢🧏 Music: ಠ_ಠ Rating: ☪ (☪) /5
nok noget kulturelt men jeg synes jeg lyttede til det samme nummer i 30+ minutter
As always, a pretty difficult listen. There was some nice parts, but overall kind of hard to listen to with western ears
I mean, ok
i won’t lie it’s just a random album to me, i bet this would’ve gone hard back in the day in the designated area but it ain’t me, from what it sounds like, sounds well made, but i won’t be going back to this unfortunately
Nusrat har tydligen kopplingar till sufismen, vilket man kan förstå vid lyssning. Låtarna liksom bara pågår. Rätt sköna rytmer. Fungerar definitivt att lyssna igenom, men tror inte att det blir så mycket mer än så.
Hour and a half long and it is mostly the sitar. Idk, just doesn't hit me at all and it actively annoyed me after a while.
I have no real reference points for this. It wasn’t terrible but I would be extremely unlikely to revisit it
I’m sure sitting in my apartment is the wrong way to listen to this. And I’m sure music like this would be a lot better listening with others or in a live setting. I just didn’t really like it. Felt almost exhausting to listen to and the songs just kept going.
The only reason this album isn’t getting a single star is out of respect for how prolific this guy was. The man was a legend, no question about it. But Love and Devotion was rough to get through. I enjoy a lot of Eastern music and artists like Ravi Shankar, but this one just didn’t work for me. Every track blended together until it felt like the same song looping for over an hour straight. I get that Qawwali is built around repetition and vocal phrasing, but there’s a fine line between hypnotic and exhausting, and this album crossed it. I can appreciate the artistry and vocal skill, but as a listening experience, but this felt endless. Respect for the man, not for this record.
Good chunk of songs not available on Spotify smh. Decent if you're into this kind of sound.
I hated this but it’s played in a competent manner.
nicht mein Ding
Started listening to this with interest in the lush instrumentation but I quickly lost interest.
Album No. 0039 on my list. This was the first non-english, non-western album on my list. I had never heard of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan or listened to Qawwali music in general (at least not, well, on purpose). I was not sure what to expect of this, but I actually liked the album and I get why the singer is considered an important and influential figure. While I have to admit that Qawwali will likely not become a thing I'll reguarly listen to, I certainly enjoyed the album nevertheless. "Allah Hoo Allah Hoo" was my favorite. Since the songs are quite repetitive (to my untrained western ear!) and quite long, I'll give two stars, even though I could have imagined giving three stars as well. 2/5 stars it is.
I didn't hate it, but I don't see myself putting this on in the car.
I got a fever and the only prescription is more tabla.
I mean it’s very different from anything I’ve listened to before. But honestly, I was hoping it would’ve opened some portal to another dimension or at least to inner peace or something like that. But it was still an interesting listening experience I suppose. I must say, I was kind of relieved by the end of it. Only because it got tiring how similar the songs sounded, especially to me since I can’t understand what he’s blabbering about so all that stood out was that moaning that sounded like an untuned violin.
It is *very much* not my thing. But at least its different.
90 mins? Come on man. 90 fucking mins I'd rather listen to the audio of stoke vs west brom It was alright to be fair
I've never listened to this album (31). Even though I won't go back to it this was the most original suggestion yet, please keep bringing them!
I should rate this higher given he’s a childhood household legend but the songs are too long and droning.
It’s the lyricism for me
Must be good, 9.5 million monthly listeners, just ok
ok...
Fav Song: Allah Hoo Allah Hoo
Even as a British person, I’m sick of listening to British albums each day so this was quite a nice switch up. However, it doesn’t mean it was AMAZING…
Fine, didn't change my life and frankly I don't have the context to appreciate it. That's my fault, not the albums.
interesting introduction to qawwali. its the kind of music that improves upon relistening (or understanding the lyrics) Tracks to Track: Haq Ali Ali Haq
No album available