Reviews (page 2 of 7)
Well, this is... Far different than I was expecting. And I guess it explains what that mess on the right side of the cover is. See, I was out here expecting this to be another traditional sounding Hindustani classical album, in the same vein as CALL OF THE VALLEY or (to use a very fitting comparison point) THE SOUNDS OF INDIA. And if it **had** been that, I probably woulda been perfectly fine with this album. Given it a pass, though with the acknowledgement that at this point I've heard it before. No, no, no, no, no. That's not what this album is at all. I mean, it is kind of, yeah, but to act like it's just raga sitar music is to ignore what I consider to be the **real** star here: the **Moog synthesizer**. You don't understand how much I love the Moog synthesizer. I am **all** about those records that were put out in the late 60's and early 70's, where they'd have the thing flart out versions of classical compositions, Christmas carols and Beatles songs. They were novelties, and they were incredibly kitschy, but damn it, I love them so much. To my ears, it's just such an irresistibly fun sound. Seriously, go check out The Moog Cookbook when you get the chance; they put out two albums in the 90's putting grunge and classic rock songs through the same ringer. Back on topic, though. So, if you were to tell me that there was an album combining the sitar and Moog synthesizer, I'd already be interested. But on top of that: that they're **also** refracting "Jumpin' Jack Flash" and "Light My Fire" through these things? Oh, I am so very, very, very down for it. It sounds so much like those Moog records I love, and it's **amazing**. And while I'd say the album peaks with the covers, the rest of the record goes along pretty dang well, I gotta say. It's where the thing shifts from MOOG PLAYS THE BEATLES to MOTHER EARTH'S PLANTASIA, and as someone who used to wake up to that album, of course I'd be willing to give this my seal of approval. It's just such an interesting and unique combination, that I can even mostly look past how the 13-minute "Sagar (The Ocean)" kinda stalls out for a while at some point. I'll tell you, this combination is **not** going to be for everyone. Despite Ananda's intentions, it can come across as kitschy and like a novelty, and if you're just not in the headspace for that kinda thing... I get it, honestly. For me, though, as I've made it very clear, I am so in favor of it. Like, all I'm saying is, for combining an old tradition with a modern instrument, it could have gone **way** worse than it did here. S'all I'm thinking.
What da. This album is fire actually. First song is immediately a banger. What's this? The second song? Also a banger? How on earth do you blend these two worlds of music so well??? What it transitioned to the next song already Honestly 5/5. Very great tunes, I'll be putting this consistently on repeat. 8.5/10. But I'm rouding up to 9.
mix of western rock music with indian traditional, sitar player; includes RS and doors remixes, some bright psychedelic
an extremely different and perhaps inherently less "respectable" presentation of indian music to a western audience than the ravi shanker album i got a while back...mapping the instrumental palate onto what is mostly western popular music structures, including two cover songs (from the rolling stones and the doors). the lengthy Sagar is the clearest nod to more traditional form, but even then it doesnt seem super crazy in a psych rock context (tho the genre was often v influenced by south asian music ofc). honestly i love this KGJGKG like to a kind of ridiculous degree. the bizarrely maligned covers are v interestingly arranged and set a great template for the other more western tracks, which with vocals and another arrangement style could have made up a beloved rock record all on their own, the melodies are sooooo quality!! and sagar is as beautiful and engrossing of a departure as i could ask for. ppl might whine about the v Existence of this music and theres prob not nothing to it but every part of this from the note on the cover to the clear effort to make the music as good as possible makes it feel sincere and even moving. and god its just great great nourishing music...underrated classic!!!
Who knew. Very fun
Fusion
cooool
I love indian stuff
this is amazinggg genuinely just a perfect blend of familiarity and an instrument i am not accustomed to it’s so beautiful and so lovely i want to listen again and i’m still listening
This was delightful
Wow! I'd like to hear more of this :)
Great mix of Indian and western music. Sitar heavy but wonderfully so. Jumping jack flash cover is excellent! The ocean is nice as well
Wow! Psychedelia supreme. Incredible skill playing the sitar, over great psychedelic beats, with some quieter, layered, beautiful synths.
I loved this, until I looked at the release date I assumed these versions of jumpin jack flash and light my fire were the original but i guess this is reinterpretations? Either way this album is sick
loved this - hidden treasure
Doing his uncle proud in my opinion. These tracks are gonna slip right into my instrumental playlists.
I really really enjoyed this album. Tasteful playing all around and even counter melodies. Sometimes there was like 3-4 Melodie’s all happening at the same time and it worked? Didn’t bother me at all. Sonics were great. Sometimes a lil harsh on the sitar but hey that’s the vibe. Super tight drums and drum breaks, loved all the percussion happening. This is something I’m keeping in my library and when I’m tired of words I’ll live here for a bit. Fantastic synth work and really enjoyed the whole album with the exception of the ocean song. 13 minutes or whatever it was, was just a lil too long. Beautiful track but yea anyways I’m done loved this tbh
So good. I was between 4 and 5 on this one. But this album just feels hugely important and groundbreaking. And something I'll return to frequently. 5 it is.
Classical Indian meets Rock - lovely!
Really cool how this album worked. Added it to my background music list
Nepotism will get you everywhere. Loved the Rolling Stones covers, and the rest of the tracks were a jam too.
Super groovy and fun! Yeah, baby!
That was the surprise of the month for me. Wow, I really enjoyed that.
Amazing. It's a shame sitar didn't catch on better, but this album shows what could have been.
love it
Sitar perfection.
Very artfully done covers. An enjoyable and interesting listen
Totalmente sorprendido!
Very calming, easy to enjoy
This was really interesting and had a decent edge.
Pretty interesting although the covers were hit and miss, the stones one I didn't like so much and the doors I was into - but that's covers for you. The rest I liked and liked the finale Raghupati a lot. Kind of an iffy unsure 4 here.
I really enjoyed this album, and I understand the desire to put some sitar-style covers of western songs to cement the point of what they're trying to accomplish, but those were the dud tracks for me. If this album just ditched those two tracks it'd be a 5-star for me.
Album #125, Ananda Shankar, Ananda Shankar ⭐⭐⭐⭐ And now for another long raga……Ananda Shankar. Totally new one for me. The extent of my Indian music knowledge is basically The Concert for Bangladesh and the opening half hour where Ravi Shankar plays. Despite loving that whenever I’ve heard it, I’ve never really gotten into Indian music. So this is probably one of the first full Indian albums I’ve ever listened to. I think it’s great. More than anything else, I just think it’s an amazing sounding record. The instruments are so interesting. They produce such unusual, distinctive sounds. The drones, the sitar, all the different textures. I don’t really know the names of half the instruments, so apologies for that, but it all just sounds fantastic. It’s a great new experience. The original compositions and the traditional tunes are the highlights for me. The covers I could maybe take or leave. They’re interesting enough, but whenever the album is doing its own thing, that’s when it really comes alive. One thing I’ve tried very hard not to do during this project is look at the list itself. I want the generator to surprise me. I don’t want to know what’s coming up next. I like discovering albums as they arrive. That said, I did look up whether there were many other Indian albums on the list. I was disappointed to discover that the only other one seems to be Ravi Shankar’s The Sounds of India. That’s a famous record and one I still haven’t heard, but it annoyed me a little. My criticism isn’t really aimed at this album. It’s more aimed at the list itself. Because what you’ve got here is an album introducing listeners to Indian music through a mixture of traditional influences and covers of well-known Western songs. It almost feels like the list is holding the listener’s hand and saying, “Don’t worry, here’s some Indian music, but they’re also doing versions of songs you already know.” Do we really need that? Couldn’t there be room for more albums that fully commit to the tradition without needing the familiar reference points? Not that the covers are bad, and not that I don’t think this album deserves its place. But it feels symptomatic of one of my biggest issues with the list as a whole. I know primarily from this subreddit that there are artists with eight or nine albums included. There are entire countries and genres represented by one or two records. I’m doing this project to discover new music, and to be fair, today I absolutely did. I’m delighted this album came up. I really enjoyed it and I’ll definitely return to it. I just wish the list gave more opportunities to discover even more music from places and traditions that don’t already dominate the canon.
This one caught me off guard. Super dope album through and through. The sounds of the east matched with the explosion of music coming from the West. Psychadelic blues played in a snake whispering room. Would recommend to anyone seeking to expand their palate.
Neat. Who doesn't love the sound of a sitar? The covers were a bit corny but well done. 3.5/5 rounded to 4.
LOVE! I think I love a sitar. Especially since seeing so many cool ones at the Met instruments exhibit. This was a lovely vibe for a drive back from Vass with Allison. The covers were fun, the electronic was fun, I didn’t even realize we started the album again and I would have kept listening.
i dug the mix of styles, didn't expect to
Quite enjoyable. Nice easy listening.
I liked this a lot more than I expected
quite enjoyed!! not something i’d always put on, but extremely well crafted and both of its time AND totally ahead of its time simultaneously
he took the genre that’s heavily influenced by indian music and made it even more indian
Oooooooh this one was super cool I love it!!
Very very interesting experience to be honest, some kind a of a fresh air in the world or punk rock and post punk ahaha. Love it!
Went into this album completely clueless of what to expect and ended up thoroughly enjoying the experience. I'll be tracking this down on vinyl.
This album really surprised me... I didn't know music of this genre could be so flexible and do so many things. I loved how the tracks utilised different ideas and sounds. 'Sagar (The Ocean)' really surprised me, being around 15-minutes in an album full of shorter tracks. This one didn't really have much going on, or even any variation really throughout, but I thought that it was just lovely to sit and listen to. I loved how calming, yet energetic and erratic, this album could be at times. This was a good length album, because as lovely as it was to listen to, I think if it was much longer it could have lost its spark. Favourites: Sagar (The Ocean) Jumpin' Jack Flash Mamata (Affection)
Cool fusion! I enjoyed getting another record from the Shankar family.
3.9 Extremely good entry to the list. That's the exact thing I thought would appear a lot when I initially started the project. Something new but something good. I think the only other spot of Indian music I can remember on here was some godawful Bollywood movie soundtrack. This was great - late 60s rock influenced sitar music. Long track was cracking, very atmospheric. Can't say it'll be on heavy rotation but I appreciated the 40 minutes it gave me.
Liked it!
Mais uma combinação com música indiana, interessante isso nunca ter chegado em mim antes. Pelo que vi é sobrinho do Ravi Shankar, que tocou com os Beatles. Citara sempre traz um sorriso, instrumento mágico. Interessante, tocou The Doors na citara huauuha, ficou muito bom. Faz sentido isso estar nos anos 1970, talvez um pouco atrasado, chegou depois do Woodstock. Gostei bastante do álbum, muito bem feito, animado, som foda da citara, me inspirou enquanto organizava minhas coisas aqui.
8/10 At first I was doubting that I will like it, but actually, its really good! Beatles knew what they were doing when they picked this instrument to make their music more unique
This was very interesting. Glad to see Indian music on this list. It's a pleasant surprise
Very very fun I like it! That one 10+ minute song did not need to be that long tho
Fun & cool
SITAR SHREDDING GOES UNFATHOMABLY HARD some tracks did drag on though so 4.
very cool
What a weird and wonderful album this was. Really had no clue what to expect, and came away pleasantly surprised. Not something I'd listen to all the time, but happily in the background. Some great covers, and a few decent original songs. Definitely worth a listen at least once.
This is an odd album. They are doing covers of 60's rock songs with a synth and a sitar. Yet it works WAY better than you think it would. It's fun. Yeah I'm digging this album far more than I thought I would. I saw it and went what? Now I'm going, this needs to be added to my library. It's still a super weird listen but I'm hooked.
Didn't see this one coming Will I listen to again: 50%
7/10 Very surprising album. I dig the psychedelic vibes
I love the sitar. Sitar covers, so good.
Yes, Side A is him piggybacking off of his uncle’s success with the Beatles, but it’s still a fun concept. I don’t know enough about Indian music to say if it was executed well or not, but I enjoyed it. Side A also did a good job of priming my western ears for Side B. Yes, “Sagar” was too long, but it works in an album where it’s the only song of its kind. I can see how this would have its place.
Shankar's album is one reason I do this project. The only thing I knew about the sitar before hearing this is the Beatles songs that incorporated the instrument or international movies with sitar songs. This album was something new and unexpected, and a true delight. I'll revisit "Dance Indra" and the Stones cover "Jumpin Jack Flash" again, for sure. "Raghupati" is my favorite.
Raga-rock som er indisk inspireret og så sådan fusion mellem indisk og vestlig musik. East-West hedder det. Men Raga er vidst normalt vestlig musik med indisk pynt så at sige, hvor det her album er meget stærkere på begge fronter. Så det føltes ikke bare som vestlig musik med en smule indisk så at sige. Som er det der har gjort albummet populært. Det er jo pisse fedt med psykedeliske lyd igennem sitaren og Moog’en. Som er en form for synthesizer åbenbart. Der er masser af gode lange numre som virker helt hypnotiserende og man bliver virkelig betaget af universet omkring det, så overall er det rigtig godt. Han er åbenbart blevet populær i elektronisk musik omkring 90’erne i London og lærte at spille instrumenterne af hans familie. Det er åbenbart både på Fatboy slim og red snapper haha
I liked it less as it went on. This is a generous 4
This actually slaps. Guy put some serious stank on that sitar.
Ananda Shankar is a nephew of the great Ravi Shankar. This 1970 album is a curious blend of Indian classical music with Western Rock, a features traditional Indican instruments such as the sitar and tabla, as well as guitars, drums, and a Moog synthesizer. Alongside the traditonal Indian music, therer are also covers of "Jumpin' Jack Flash" and "Light My Fire". My favourite track on the album is the 130minute "Sagar (The Ocean)".
Cool
This is awesome.
Favorite track: Light My Fire
Pretty neat! The cover of Jumpin' Jack Flash was pretty novel, and the blending of genres here was pretty bold and interesting especially for the time. I think some of the genre blending wasn't pushed far enough for what I was expecting, but honestly this is a pretty cool little record. I can see how something like this would influence a band like KG&LW down the line.
Algumas músicas são divertidas. Não conhecia essa banda.
Helt supert! Light my fire var amazing
I enjoyed that so much that I can't justify less than
Pretty interesting stuff. I could definitely listen to this over and over again.
This was fun. I like the sound of the sitar but especially liked the covers of Jumpin Jack Flash and Light My Fire. Give it a go, it didn't blow me away but I liked this quite a bit.
Glad we got some raga on this list! Ananda, the nephew of Ravi Shankar, blends the sitar drones of raga with psychedelic rock to great effect on here. A unique and captivating listen!
A wonderful fusion of traditional instrumentation with 70s rock sensibilities. Feeling a very strong 4 on this! The Mountain by Gorillaz has recently had me appreciating the sitar in a whole new light, so this entry really couldn’t have come at a better time. Funny coincidence too: it’s Ananda Shankar’s cousin, Anoushka Shankar, who plays the sitar on that album. Standouts: Jumpin' Jack Flash • Snow Flower • Mamata (Affection) • Metamorphosis
DAMN THIS IS GOOD. I love the version of Light My Fire on here especially, but the entire thing is such an amazing, wild ride. No complaints.
pretty psychodelic
A very fun album and full of life. Jumping Jack Flash was my favorite but all our solid. I think Shankar definitely achieves his dream of combining Western and Indian music with this album. 7.2/10
Well, I enjoyed his uncles album on here and this seems like a bit more of a modern amalgamation of something similar. East meets hippy west. Let’s see… I’m mainly interested in relating to this more than just some sitar covers of popular songs (at least in the opening) but initially, that’s all I’m really getting. But then a track like Metamorphasis brings the other side. Great track that embraces the originality, sitar and rhythm (loved this one). Think I actually prefer the second half that isn’t covers and may have been a better album as a whole. I think a 4*, for the originality and variety alone and glad I’ve listened to it. Raghupati quite a change up to end.
The original songs were great. The covers were interesting, and probably included to catch western audiences. Still, love me some sitar.
Maybe this revolutionized sitar music, but it didn’t sound all that different from other sitar music I am familiar with (admittedly, not a lot). Still a fun album that I think achieved its goal, but I found the two cover songs to be the most exciting of the bunch And a million times better than that godawful sitar Gorillaz album! (Jk, I just wanted Jon to get his panties in a bunch for a second haha it’s good)
Pretty cool
Man is shredding on sitar. Pretty good.
I applaud it for being different.
Anything that isn’t 70s rock automatically gets 4 stars minimum at this point.
Okay
I'll never say no to some sitar, and this shit bangs
This album's super rad. Has a few covers I prefer over the original.
“Very long sir.” Very enjoyable too, Ananda. Sitar? Good stuff.
Very good background music. The cover songs were funny to hear but wel done
I had a really good time
In a foul mood, because I've been sick for all of February. So, I'm rounding up because that is causing me to be pissier about everything than I should be.
Might in some ways be exactly what you expect (those cheesy, completely of their era covers) and also still listen-able - especially when breaking away from the psychedlia trend - are we going for a bossa nova groove with Mamata? I esp liked Sagar. Maybe a high 3, low 4 kind of situation but grading up because vibes.
Love it 4/5
перша пісня імба ну це і прікол а не альбом індуські звукііі ну думаю через те шо дуже довга то 3,5 але нормальна прікол
another unexpected surprise
Who would have thought - but on a scale of one to amazing ... this is pretty amazing! 4/5 #musicsky #albumsky
From the album art, I expected classical sitar music, NOT THIS! The covers of classic rock tunes and originals are refreshing and interesting. Just like other Indian themed albums on the list, I feel like I should have been handed a mango lassi. It's cool, but I don't think it's essential. I'm glad I heard it, but I wouldn't have been heartbroken if I hadn't. My Rating: 4/5
Really liked it some cool Beatles-y stuff and cool sounds
Liked it
Pretty fun album and reminds us that western and eastern culture don’t have to be completely separate, and when we combine we can get surprisingly fun things like this album. I love the cover of light my fire by the doors, it’s an all time favorite song of mine and it’s one of those psychedelic songs without sitar so to hear sitar as the main instrument is really unique! Everything else is pretty good as well. 👍🏿
This is an interesting one. I am just speculating here but I would guess this was an attempt to introduce western audiences to Indian music after they got a sample of it via The Beatles. How successful it is in that aim is another question. The Rolling Stones and Doors covers I’d give a miss, but the sitar and Moog tracks I think are interesting and have a neat psychedelic/droney thing going on, almost feeling like it verges on krautrock at times. I’d like more of this. Sometimes the album veers into more traditional territory too with sitar and tabla, without the synths and rock drums, and I enjoyed that too, but not as much as the weirdo stuff. Glad I heard this.
I am 615 albums into this list, and this is the second album I have had from an Asian artist after Shivkumar Sharma's Call of the Valley. Nothing from Japan, nothing from Korea, nothing from Russia, the near or middle East... This list is WILDLY biased towards US and UK music. Once again, I am on the verge of actual anger at how little this list stretches the listener's boundaries. I wrote the above before actually looking at this album and HOLY FUCK, out of 3 Indian albums on this list, the editors saw fit to make one of them an album of SITAR COVERS OF ROCK SONGS?! What kind of insane process led to this album being one of, I believe, only three Indian albums on the list? I am done with the ediotrs, I am so fucking done, I'm the fucking Dones of Navarone. It's sad that my actual review of this album is relegated to a footnote, but here it is: I had heard the cover of Jumpin' Jack Flash before and I actually love it, and I dig the rest of these songs too. I am personally glad that this album is on the list as it's my kind of thing and at least everyone can agree that it's a bit different and unusual, you know? But my personal feelings aside, is this really one of only THREE essential albums from India from the last 70 years? Also, this 1-star review: "Yet another weird album, where I tend to find that it is in this list for curiousity reasons rather than it being actually good" - Yeah, exactly, that's the point?! This isn't 1001 Best Albums Ever, a list even more impossible to curate than Before You Die, curiosity is absolutely a valid reason for being on this list. If pure quality was the only requirement, we'd have even more Beatles than we do, and I personally think we've got enough. I'm sorry, Ananda Shankar, I'm sure you're a nice guy and you didn't deserve to be caught up in my ranting. Love the album, mate, great work.
4 out of 5. The sitar is a lovely instrument and this was a fun album. A good reason to do this challenge/project.
Very interesting. I liked it.
Wow, what a ride!
Favourite Songs: Jumpin' Jack Flash Matama (Affection) Sagar (The Ocean)
This is right up my street - fusing western music with music from other countries. That said, the opening track is so firmly stuck in 1970 it’s more of a parody of the time than an enjoyable track. ‘Light My Fire’, on the other hand is wonderful, as are the more traditional Indian pieces. Solid.
Really enjoyed this concept and execution. V-like Vibes.
I really loved this sitar masterpiece. East meets west fusion at its finest. 4.5/5
Metamorphosis was a hell of a ride! Great song! Groovy, foot tapping, and head nodding the whole way, this song made me reconsider this album. I was thinking it was more a novelty that had a couple of nifty covers, but nothing substantive to go back to. Sagar got off to a slow and almost painful start. Incredibly, I endured about NINE MINUTES(!) of it, but it settled into what I think is the coolest groove on the album so far
Vibes
I understand this list probably can't encapsulate all albums "worth listening to" but there's something that stings really wrong about the fact that any non-European and non-North American music must, for the most part, be some kind of cultural fusion with European or American music. But that's not the fault of the individual musicians on the list I suppose as the list itself. I didn't quite know how much I needed to listen to a Sitar version of Light my fire until now. Some of this really goes off crazy and sounds great, the album definitely builds and builds. I certainly enjoyed sitting through it more then the past few days albums but I think the real best pieces on here are those that are original. Metamorphosis sounds incredible to me, there's a section about 2 minutes in that just goes so hard. The first half of the 13 minute long Sagar didn't really capture me, but I really enjoyed the second half. Dance indra is probably my favorite song on here but honestly, there's a lot to like.
Sitar!
Such a cool fusion album, you never really see it go the other way. A lot of times you hear that western musicians have taken inspiration from some other culture, but rarely do you hear other cultures borrow from western music, on this list anyway. I am slightly disappointed in either the album, or potentially myself, or maybe both, that my favorite tracks on this album were all covers of western music. I think I would have liked it if they had one original western influenced rock song that wasn't a cover.
Not bad. A bit long in some tracks, but I enjoy the sitar sound.
Good, clean fun. Put a smile on my face.
7/10
I liked the covers of "Jumpin' Jack Flash" and "Light My Fire" as the addition of the sitar, drums and Indian rhythms put a different spin on the sound while the melody was still recognizable. I loved the song, "Snow Flower" a lot. Worst song: "Metamorphosis". I liked the start of "Sagar (The Ocean)" but it got tiresome after a while, and then the key change made the song more dramatic and pleasing to my ear. I liked the addition of the voices in "Raghupati Raghava".
pretty good album way way different from what i usually listen to
Who knew the sitar could bang so hard? Sitar cover of Jumpin' Jack Flash goes harder than it has any right to, and Light My Fire isn't far behind. The other tracks on the album are quite strong, with very tasteful playing. The sitar just sounds so cool. The only way someone wouldn't think this album is enjoyable is if they don't like the sitar as a sound. Which be a mighty shame, as it is a very cool instrument.
Strong 3,5
Before I even start listening to this album we should take note of a few 'issues' with this whole list of music. It should really be named 1001 Albums You Need To Listen To Before You Die (From The Perspective Of A White Boomer Who Really Loved The Music From Their Generation). Why is there so little, for lack of a better term, “World” music on here. You must listen to *almost* every fucking Beatles album but other fantastic music from around the world is not worth you listening to. Don’t get me wrong I love David Bowie, but we don’t need 9 albums of Bowie to get across Bowie some of those slots could have been used for other artists. This is the kind of album that I would expect to be playing in a headshop. It would go right along with The Grateful Dead and other "Hippie" music. I was first going to compare this to Muzak but it's much better than that. This is a banger and a nice pallet cleanse from the Brian Wilson album I got the other day.
I'm in a benevolent mood — not sure this is quite at a 4-star, but it made me realize that for all the Indian/sitar I've experienced as a listener, it was either pure raga or an Indian aesthetic being worked into a Western construct, and here this was the opposite, the Western aesthetic being interpreted through the Indian construct, and for that, I was totally tuned in. I guess it's a cultural bias, but it was also just fun and interesting, and for that, the 4.
Absolutely loved this!
What a phenomenal & innovative album this turned out to be! Combining the traditional Indian sounds with the (then) modern Western sounds made for a very pleasing sonic experience. The covers are nice, but the melodies that Ananda Shankar came up with on his own compositions are what really elevate this record. It fell off just a little bit toward the end, but this is still one of my favourite new finds from this project so far.
Nice.
Light My Fire was so good! I love sitar music. Interesting combining it with Western music. Do I like traditional better though? Giving it a 4 because it's different, but for me it lands at somewhere around a 3.5.
This was my first time listening to Ananda Shankar’s self-titled 1970 album, and what a fascinating experience it was! Ananda masterfully blends Indian music—especially the sitar—with Western rock and electronic influences. The album is largely instrumental, featuring sitar, percussion, and the Moog synthesizer, creating a unique fusion of Indian classical sounds with psychedelic rock and funk. Standout tracks include vibrant covers of The Rolling Stones’ “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” and The Doors’ “Light My Fire,” alongside original compositions like “Metamorphosis” and the epic 13-minute, raga-inspired “Sagar (The Ocean).” If I had to pick a favorite, it would be track number 3, “Light My Fire,” which I found particularly captivating. Here’s a fun fact: the album was originally intended to be a collaboration with the guitar legend Jimi Hendrix. The two even jammed together in Los Angeles before Ananda decided to record the album on his own, wanting the music to fully reflect his personal artistic vision rather than a joint project. If you’re curious about a pioneering blend of East and West in music, this album is a must-listen!
Badass Jumpin Jack Flash cover gives this one 4 stars
Pretty cool and unique album! I especially like the use of moog synths and is very reminiscent of a lot of Indian fusion I would listen to in high school I especially liked the cover of Light My Fire and Mamata
pretty interesting album. the more "traditional" stuff on here is really great, and the less "traditional" stuff is interesting but kind of goofy. i never thought of the combination of sitar, moog, and classic rock. it's an interesting concept but i don't know how well it pulls it off. it is a bit dated and clunky sounding, and while i think a lot of applications of moog from this time period can sound cool or charming, it does sound a bit out of place here. still, it was an interesting listen, and i did enjoy listening to it, even though i think it somewhat misses the mark here.
Surprisingly dreamy and enjoyable! I'd listen to this again for sure
Jag diggar det här! Jag har inte så mycket att jämföra med eftersom jag inte lyssnat så mycket på sitar eller indisk musik. Det är en uppskattad omväxling från att bara höra västerländsk musik som använder sitaren för att få in en österländsk touch. Istället får vi nu höra den indiska motsvarigheten, en tolkning av västerländska låtar med sitar istället för gitarr. Albumet i sig blir lite tröttsamt att lyssna på från början till slut, det blir istället något jag har i bakgrunden på lägre volym när jag pysslar med annat. I övrigt: trallvänliga, bekanta melodier med ett roligt sound! Kul! Jag vill lägga poängen på typ 3,5/5, men det landar på en fyra tack vare Anandas musikaliska skicklighet och det vackra omslaget. Bonuspoäng för att jag älskar instrumental musik. I helhet känns albumet som en vacker klenod att visa i en monter. Svårt att placera vad det ska fylla för funktion, men vackert är det från alla håll.
Awesome! :)
*Interesting take on the covers with the sitar *No question about great musicality, just don't know how much I would re-listen to this, but it was cool to be exposed to
W sumie to całkiem ciekawe. Taki folk rock z coverami kilku znanych utworów. 4/5
Pretty fun listen. Lots of great tracks. The covers were cool, but the last track “Raghupati” is absolute money!
It’s hard to believe this album was released in 1970. With the use of synths and sitar it could also be from 2020’s. A timeless instrumental record. “Light my Fire” cover is superior to “Jumping Jack Flash”
Overall very chill album.
Very interesting. Indian and rock fusion, with electronic overlay. Very instrumental, with a few covers.
Album 922 of 1089 Ananda Shankar - Ananda Shankar (1970) Rating : 3.5 / 5 Certainly not something I’d normally reach for, but I actually enjoyed this one quite a bit. It’s always nice to hear familiar tunes in a completely different style, and this album offers just that - recognizable covers reimagined through a sitar-led, psychedelic lens that gives them a whole new feel. It’s not the kind of album where you’re judging melody or lyrics — it’s more about the atmosphere and the artistry of it all. A unique blend of East and West that feels both experimental and surprisingly easy to listen to. Not your typical record, but absolutely one I’d recommend giving a spin.
Fun
3.5 Fave track: Snow flower
maneirinho demais, musica indiana com uma pegada velho oeste + um toque psicodélico dos anos 70.
Love a sitar album
The sitar is an amazing instrument, and this guy plays it masterfully. I enjoyed this but because they were all covers I can’t give it higher than a three.However, I like all the songs he played, and the sitar gives these songs a sound I have never heard before. So on second thought, maybe I can give a 4.
Le neveu de Ravi que je ne connais pas tant que ça. Quand j'étais au Cégep je voulais m'acheter un sitar et devenir aussi bon que Ali Akbar Khan ou Ravi Shankar. C'est jamais arrivé évidemment. De façon paradoxale, j'ai accumulé entre autres avec le temps un bouzouki grec, un oud syrien, un pipa chinois, pour finir par jouer pas mal tout le temps de la guitare...
Ça l'air extrêmement complexe jouer de la sitar et les arrangements sont bons. J'aime beaucoup la musique microtonale en général, mais je sais pas dans quel contexte je reviendrais spécifiquement à cet album.
Wow, what a cool fusion of Indian and more electronic elements. Had never heard of this guy but will happily return to this album in the future, and check out some of his other work. Low 4*
Pretty fun and light, surprisingly easy to forget it’s a largely instrumental album. Some really great melodies, Mamata stands out as a beautiful song. Personally found it to drag a little bit at the end, but could just be me.
This had me Light My Fire, just like Jumpin’ Jack Flash.
At first glance, I figured I wouldn't like this, assuming it was just sitar covers of songs. It was what I assumed, mostly, but I actually enjoyed it and it lifted my mood after that boring mayo ass Aimee Mann album I listened to earlier
I quite liked the covers. Overall nice album for a change
This was a fun discovery. I’ll occasionally listen to Ravi Shankar as focus music while working and enjoy listening to the sitar, but I had no idea about Ananda. This album was a great mix of western and Indian music, especially his take on Jumpin’ Jack Flash.
I should listen to more Indian music. I hadn’t heard Shankar before, but listening gives me the same feeling as Ali Khan: inmersion in the rhythm and the repetition, the chanting, the way voices will counter the wild high-low of the music. It puts me in a meditative state. He covers “Light My Fire” here in a way that improves on the original in every way. I think a Doors album is next on the list, so I’m bracing myself.
Took a bit to get into but Sagar slaps! Metamorphosis was good too.
VERY surprised, did not think I would enjoy this a ton and ended up really digging it.
Some neat instrumental sitar music. This album is a vibe, and a nice relaxing one. The sitar covers of popular songs are certainly novel, and the lengthier pieces feel classical in composition and playing.
A really good album, with great songs I liked Jumping Jack Flash, Snow Flower, Dance Indra and Raghupati the most.
This was an interesting listen, you hear a lot of Western band incorporating Indian music in to their songs but not sure I've heard it the other way around. Was a good mix of western songs on the sitar and Indian rhythms. Think my favourite one was the long one towards the end that had this repeating outro, bit mathy. Unlikely to come back but well worth one spin. 3.5.
Dette er grunnen til at man følger slike lister. Av ting du ikke visste at du måtte høre: Light My Fire på sitar!
- Sitar work is outstanding - Loved the cover of Jumpin’ Jack Flash - Snow Flower has great percussion, and the synth in the background adds to the tone of the song. - Light My Fire is interesting, but it’s not my favourite cover (my favourite is by Jose Feliciano) - Synth work has been consistently good so far. - Love the acoustic guitar accompaniment in Mamata - Metamorphosis has, as the name suggests, a great change into a fast and hard dance track - Sagar (the ocean) takes a while to get to the point by establishing a very moody sway of the ocean, but gets a bit more energy around the 8 minute mark - Dance Indra has some nice Sitar picks, but it felt a lot like it was missing something. Maybe some singing or a more urgent backing synth. - Raghupati is great. So starved for some vocals, and they work great here!
Ravi Shakar's nephew doing sitar covers of popular Western rock and pop songs sounds pretty much exactly the way you'd expect it to. But in 1970 there was still plenty of excitement around that idea and these two covers were enough to sell a lot of albums and generate some nostalgia for the recently passed psychedelic era. However, those were really the least interesting songs on the album. Ananda Shakar's debut album began life as a proposed collaboration between himself and Jimi Hendrix. While that would have been great, I'm glad that he turned the offer down to make his own music. After a few years of Western musicians incorporating Indian music into theirs, Shakar turned it around by leading an American band with guitars and Moog synthesizers. Kind an anti-cultural appropriation. However, it was more controversial in his native India where many people felt it was diluting traditional music with rock music. I understand this concern but for many, Shankar was opening up possibilities and allowing his music to reach a greater audience. Not simply as a background to rock bands, but with the sitar and tradition front and center. It's an incredible album.
Really enjoyed this super fun, genre bending ride. My favorite track was Metamorphosis, a hypnotic jam that felt like a street parade through San Francisco and New Delhi at once. Least favorite was Sagar — at 13 minutes, it overstayed its welcome (but that’s my bias with marathon tracks in any genre). Overall, this album is pure joy, unpretentious, and one more reason to add “India trip” to my bucket list.
This album rocked. Metamorphosis and Sagar were incredible.
That was some really awesome trippy sitar! Could see this being music made today as well. The couple of covers that were on here that I knew were very cool versions of them. Kind of got lost with which songs were which but I really liked all of them. Raghupati with the singing was a great way to end it.
Damn thought this was gonna just be straight sitar for awhile, but the synths on Jumpin' Jack Flash are sick. What an awesome cover. Cover of Light My Fire is also excellent. Psychedelic af. Sagar is a fun one. I would absolutely trip to this at night and it would be delightful with the wind noises. This was solid.
Part of the reason I enjoy this project is that it sometimes introduces me to music I otherwise would have never discovered, the other is that it gets me thinking about the history and progression of modern music. This album definitely fits in the former. By 1970 when this album was released, many musicians, like David Crosby, Jimmy Page and George Harrison had commented on their love of Indian music, with artists incorporating raga-like elements into their music, albeit sometimes with modern instrumentation. For the most part, this album explores the reverse, letting modern rock and pop take the lead, but incorporating the sitar. Of coarse this was not the first use of the sitar in modern music. The dream-like sounds of the instrument lends itself to psychedelic rock so well that many artists had already incorporated the sitar into their recordings. However, I’m not aware of any psychedelic album at the time where the instrument takes to lead throughout. This experiment created a unique album that I thoroughly enjoyed listening to, so much so that I’ve also started exploring his later music, which I recommend if you enjoyed listening to this album. For the most part, I enjoyed the originals better than the covers, but I can see why the artist and producers felt the need to give the listeners something familiar to hold onto. That said, the covers are incorporated smoothly and like I said previously the entire album is pretty solid. I suffer from depression and have found relief through psychedelic therapy. My sessions often utilize music without lyrics and I’m definitely pulling some tracks like “Sagar (The Ocean)” into my playlist. I deeply regret not being able to see Shankar perform with Hendrix, which actually happened, can you imagine?
Great, love the unique style of classic songs.
It's no wonder that lots of fun was being had in the sixties. Most of this made me want to dance around in a psychedelic kaftan, bare-footed of course. It's groovy as anything, and I'm here for it, drawn in by the fabulous, whirling cross-rhythms. The production actually seemed really fresh; as clear as anything. Most enjoyable.
Interesting and cool. I could never rate it 5, but very listenable as background music.
4.4
I enjoyed this. Indian classical music is always an acquired taste but this fusion with western music is a good stepping stone for me.
Yes, this is a bit kitsch, but I think there is a real bridging of cultures at a time when that was something very new, and I think that the covers serve as a good part of that bridge, smartly placed at the front of the album, leading the listener into the deeper and more interesting stuff towards the end. I find the album very listenable and enjoyable for all that it is.
So good. Love this. Al green, Shirley Bassey and Ananda Shankar all have AMAZING covers of light my fire. Also is you like this you should check out the track 'streets of Calcutta' by Shankar.
Indian tunes mixed with pop is a nice combo. 4.5 bumped down to 4.
For a moment, I thought I was in Shifting Sand Land in "Super Mario 64" because of that intense sitar. I only wish this album had a bit more versatility. This is my second straight day I've listened to an album from outside of a Western Nation. To be honest, I'm all for it. Favorite Track: "Raghupati".
Really fun and interesting. Definitely not for everyone, but it surely is for me!
The Sitar is a beautiful instrument and Shankar is pretty damn masterful with it. There are other elements of sound on this album, including percussion, acoustics, vocals on the last track and so on. I love his interpolations of songs and melodies, Light My Fire was like the perfect cover; I did not expect to enjoy as much as I did. While these tracks are incredibly fun and meandering, they do come across as musical wallpaper with some psych-prog elements with traditional flair. Mamata is probably my favorite song on this album just because of how damn breezy and whimsical it sounds. Metamorphosis is psychedelic as hell and even gives me some Ashra vibes. Very psych, much prog, Sitar grooves for the mind and soul.
Interesting album, but the covers blow
Pretty cool!
Aurinkoinen sitra-coveriloittelu! Hymy tuli huulille.
The covers here are super interesting. They sound familiar and yet very different. I'm a big fan of sitar so I greatly enjoyed this. Adding in the Moog at points was a very interesting choice as well.
Hello, would you like to listen to rock covers on the sitar? You'd expect the answer to that question to be a look of abject horror and a swift knee to the groin, but actually, it turns out I very much would like to listen to this. I'd like that a lot. It's ideal working music, jaunty, tuneful but not in the way.
can’t even lie i messed with these sitar rock tunes. hugeeeee fan of the sitar. i really liked the cover of “light my fire”. i think this is a super cool intersection of genres! he SHREDS in “metamorphosis”. lowkey an easy 4/5.
the sitar slaps
Outside of a couple skips, this album gave me some genuine 'wow' moments, and generally felt like water in the midst of a year-long drought. Let's get the big ones out of the way, there are two classic rock covers on here. "Light My Fire" isnt all that appealing to me, it doesnt heighten or altar the song in any remarkable way. But the "Jumpin Jack Flash" cover to open the album was spectacular, setting the tone for the album as a whole. The colorful, textured, slightly psycadelic sound of his sitar playing lead on here, combined with that whirly synth arp in the background - it's a hit (and makes the album cover seem so fitting). "Mamata (Affection)" was a very fun time, the bossanova guitar under a wandering sitar sounded like relaxing on a beach in India. But the best song here is easily "Sagar (The Ocean)". This song is masterful. A little while ago, I voiced my frustrations over a lengthy song on a dulldrum album (which I cant even remember currently). I said that just because you can do a long jammer doesn't mean you SHOULD do a long jammer. "Sagar" feels like a song so powerful that it was meant to happen, Ananda Shankar was just the messenger. The way this opus starts out in slow disarray and methodically brings together a long-winding sitar solo with those three acoustic chords under it -- chefs kiss! Despite the 13 minute length, I happily listened to this song again before doing this review. Those aforementioned 'wow' moments were frequent during this song. "Dance Indra" had the impossible task of following that up, but it was a cool song in its own right for how mysterious, upright, and regal it sounded. Lastly, I liked the messaging of "Raghupati" a lot. I dont know how culturally relevant this was in the states back when it released, or if it is even considered honest-to-goodness Indian music from listeners in India - I'd love to hear what they have to say about it. But to me, this was a great time. I wish so badly for more diversity like this, I could go without a few post-punk, 90's slow rock, or even 60's psych-rock albums and replace them with music from all over the world. Earned a big 4/5 stars
Groovy, baby! Yeah! Very 60s. It was actually a fun (if cheesy and dated) listen. Still, I'm a sucker for crossover music and I wouldn't mind listening again. Favorite tracks: Jumping Jack Flash, Snow Flower, Sagar (The Ocean) - particularly the end - the intro was way too long but at least sounded cool, Dance Indra (I thought it was pretty weird at first - it was, but a cool weird), Raghupati (especially the end, like an Indian Hey Jude).
Good vibes. Is this like a sitar pop cover album? Probably won't play actively but could be good as just chill background music for hanging out or whatever
The covers at the start are a little tacky, but it really kicks off once you hit the second half. The 13 minute track is a real journey, if the whole thing was like that it would be something special.
Deeply virtuous and a love letter to the sitar.
Dig it. Sitar music. The last song is directly religious and I disagree with what is said. But otherwise really enjoyable.
This is perfect music for yoga, tai chi, meditation, the poetry of Rumi, or just spinning around in circles until you see God or barf (whichever comes first). I especially enjoyed the Doors cover. I'm convinced that Metamorphosis is about a caterpillar turning into a butterfly. The fist part is it's happy caterpillar life munching on the green things and crawling along. Then in the middle things get confusing as it goes into it's chrysalis halfway into the song. And the beat gets faster and has to break out while the notes keep stretching to expand it's wings and the rest of the song is about being driven to it's instinct to fly. But that's just my interpretation. Sitars make a beautiful sound and Ananda Shankar really makes it sing.
ou, legal demais esse, hein. bem mais interessante que o último shankar que passou por aqui!!
For those who don't know, Ananda Shankar was an Indian sitar player and the nephew of classical musician Ravi Shankar. If that name sounds familiar, it's because his uncle introduced George Harrison, and by extension the larger Western world, to Indian instruments for use in popular music. As a result, bands like the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and the Yardbirds all combined elements of raga into their rock music throughout the 1960s. Unfortunately, it got to a point where the market became saturated with more formulaic stabs at this combination, and thus interest declined in the raga rock phenomenon. That's where Ananda comes into the picture. After playing with contemporary musicians like Jimi Hendrix in Los Angeles, he traveled back to India to bring Western rock music back to his country for a change. Using sitar, Moog synthesizer, and more standard rock percussion, Ananda created a sound indebted to his country's musical roots while paving his path forward. There are some truly transcendental pieces to be found on his self-titled debut. From the gentle descent of "Snow Flower", the bossa-nova sway of "Mamata (Affection)", the crescendoing progressive rocker "Metamorphosis" that ramped up tempo throughout the track, the 13-minute serenity with the wind blowing in the background of "Sagar (The Ocean)", and the tabla-driven mystique of "Dance Indra", there was excellent sitar and synth play in these compositions. The album ends on a pleasant call-and-response in "Raguhupati", praising a higher deity regardless of the name we use to identify. There is an issue I have with this album, and you might have noticed it towards the beginning. There are two sitar-driven covers of popular rock songs, in this case the Rolling Stones' "Jumpin' Jack Flash" and the Doors' "Light My Fire". These covers were done as a compromise, to ensure that this album could still be marketed to a Western audience with songs loaded in the front that they were already familiar with. Even if it sounded like they tried for more bombast with "Jumpin' Jack Flash", these covers cheapen the overall product. There was an opportunity to push the existing style on this record into more innovative territory. As it stands, though, Ananda Shankar's debut is still a promising album that opened up doors for more world music fusion. Other acts will follow and combine other countries' musical elements into their own, which I'm sure is a fitting legacy for Ananda to have.
Beautiful instruments. Awesome tunes. Very happy to see Indian music represented in this collection.
I was ready to write this off as a novelty album after hearing the cover tracks, but it turned out to be a very cool blend of Indian classical and psychedelia.
In a twist that will surprise nobody, i really liked the traditional music in this and hated the pop song covers. As there’s only two of them, I can keep to a four star rating.
I mean, what can you say? He's a master of the instrument, the songs are great (though I'm not completely sold on the covers personally), Sagar is a blissful tune to unwind to, definitely worth being on this list
As someone who seeks out albums that are rare gems, I was stunned that I had not heard this album, nor even heard of it. An awesome merge of Eastern Sitar and Popular Western music tropes. Familiar enough to Western listeners to follow the path, but mysterious enough to cause actual wonder and delight at every unexpected turn.
Ind jjf
Fuck yes. Sick blend of Indian sitar music and and western rock influences. Jumpin’ jack flash cover blew my mind. A couple of the more traditional ones didn’t quite work for me on first listen but still overall banging.
Covers but replace all the vocals with zither track.... Neat concept
I like this sooo much more than the Western bands who just sampled a sitar every now and then in the 70s. I am reviewing from a Western perspective, so maybe I see it differently because the Western elements sound more 'neutral' to me, but I feel like this was an actual well-considered blend of styles. It takes the Indian-Western pop fusion to something a bit more than a fad, which I always feel it is to some extent. Plus I did fully vibe
Absolute sitar master. I love Indian ragas, incredible sounds. I’m into the covers of rock songs of the time too—they are arguably improved.
Beautiful background music
Definitely not my type of music but very interesting even still. Did end up enjoying most of it.
I was in the mood for psychedelic rock, so this album was quite perfect. I had never heard of the man, even if I'm of course familiar with his uncle. But it was a very pleasant if slightly strange listening session. When closing my eyes, I could just picture the spirit of the hippie 70s in my head. This album has a massive potential as background music to set the mood, and I'll probably use it like that. (Really liked the sitar, and that cover of Jumping Jack Flash).
Fire
Really interesting mix of sitar songs, with a variety of moods. I enjoyed this the most of all indian music so far. Stand-out: Metamorphosis, Raghupati
This shit is rad.
Funsies
Quite nice - pleasantly surprised
Melkeen 5, ainakin viime tylsien levyjen jälkeen jotain mielenkiintoista
interesting, i leven liked the 13 minute song quite a bit though i think where it's placed in the track listing is quite odd
This was very cool! I love the covers.
ohhhh mommmy. Fave Tracks: Jumpin' Jack Flash, Snow Flower, Light My Fire, Raghupati 4.1/5
This is really interesting and eclectic! Matching a sitar, a Moog and traditional rock instrumentation shouldn't work, but somehow it does here. Liked Songs Added: Jumpin' Jack Flash Light My Fire Metamorphosis
Baby, can you light my sitar. 7/10
Groovy psych!
Yes, this is a good one. Haven't listened to it in quite a while, but I do recall enjoying it.
Fun! Kind of cheesy, but I liked it
Great album. Really ground breaking sounds at the time. Definitely a classic
4+/5
Ok, I see you Ananda! The first song grabbed me in a way that the last few albums on here haven’t.
lovely
Off the success of his uncle Ravi Shankar and the proliferation of sitar influence in western psych rock music, Ananda Shankar completes the circle by covering a Rolling Stones classic and a Door's hit. He further innovates on the Raga Rock genre by utilizing synthesizers in beautiful harmony with the sitar. Side B opens with the incredibly floaty Sagar (The Ocean), which slows everything down for an ambient chillout. This puts the true majesty of the sitar on display, as Ananda weaves a microtonal solo that harmonizes perfectly with the accompanying instrumentals. The result is an elevated experience that showcases the true potential of the sitar, a piece of work so incredible that it feels as though it overshadows the rest of the album with how damn good it is. The last two songs are traditional folk songs that are still worth listening, but pale in comparison to the beast that is The Ocean. Few albums feel as though they are exemplary of a genre or style of music. This is one of them.
This kind of ruled, I'd definitely listen to this again. Sagar (The Ocean) doesn't need to be 13 minutes long though, it really slowed things down.
When I saw that this was an Indian/Western rock fusion album, I got excited. However, I found it only really delivered that fusion for the first couple songs, and then reverted to straight Indian music. I don't mind that, but really enjoyed the fusion sound, so it was a bit disappointing that it fizzled out for me. I'll be keeping "Light My Fire" on my phone because that was a JAM and I think I like it more than the original.
sitar rock!!
Very enjoyable album. The covers weren’t my favorite, not that they were terrible, but it felt a bit forced. Sitar + Moog synth makes for one hell of a trippy sound. I’ll likely revisit the full album for sure.
The sitar is a fascinating instrument. Not only sonically, but harmonically. In spite of its quarter-tone scales, it can perfectly adapt to Western music, a feature that Ravi Shankar's nephew uses to generally great effects on this record. The addition of a moog synthesizer is also a nice touch, and for every electronic music nerd out there, this LPs helps document what it was possible to do with what was at the time a quite novel instrument. Which is quite a lot, actually, as the conclusion of the short and moody "Dance Indra" can prove. Very nice to hear from today's vantage point. Covers of the Stones' "Jumping Jack Flash" and the Doors' "Light My Fire" were obviously added for commercial reasons. The first sounds great, but the second is a little ridiculous. I would even venture to add that this cover of the Doors enhances what's potentially annoying in the original composition to new levels of grating. "Light My Fire" is such a weird hit -- an iconic earworm for sure, but also one that can quickly become tiring or self-indulgent. But, as the hilarious review that's gonna top this section until the end of time suggests, maybe that second rock cover is just added there to prevent the end of the world from obliterating us all... 🙃 This record is mostly interesting for the original compositions anyway. "Snow Flower" is a delicate ballad that's perfectly placed after the Stones' cover opening the proceedings. "Mamata" veers too close to sickly sweet territories, and at this point, you wish you could hear music that sounds closer to real Indian raga traditions. Fortunately, that's what Ananda Shankar elects to do on the next two very fine cuts, "Metamorphosis" and "Sagar". The latter track even ends on a hypnotic segue, both meditative AND melodic, and nicely supported by a simple yet effective moog bassline. After "Dance Indra", "Rhagupati" returns to the patchouli-scenting, sun-baked turf of the record's first side, with quite stereotypical vocals (first and last time they appear) uttering somewhat clichéed lyrics, sure, but also chanting an outro section that manages to sound both "pop" and mesmerizing. This closer here epitomizes both the assets and pitfalls of this sort of project, aptly summarizing the album. Luckily it ends *strong* on the assets, which can make you forgive the quaint-sounding shenanigans in its first minute. All in all, a pretty cool album. The thing is, this is the *second* record in the list mixing classical Indian traditions with sixties rock / pop rock, if my memory serves, and I fear that might be one record too many. *Ananda Shankar* is probably the better album in the pair (don't quite remember what the first one was anyway). Yet I'm not sure that even this one is the sort of record that screams the word "essential" to my ears. Once again, the "problem" might stem from the title of Dimery's book. Maybe this is an album you need to listen to at least once in your life. But in that case, there are probably more than 1001 of them, and it's disconcerting to think all those "interesting" LPs might use a slot that could be used for masterpieces in different music genres (including some badly represented in the book). That said, I can readily admit that listening to this album in California in 1970 must have been a memorable experience for a lot of music fans out there. In other words, that it was a whole trip, man. 🙂 So I'm leaving the door open to this LP, as quaint and dated a couple of tracks on it may sound today. Because, interestingly, and apart from that couple of misses, most cuts aged quite well, all things considered. And that if you open your shakras, so to speak, there are enough evocative soundscapes in here to spend a good time. After all, and all concerns about 'album podiums' left aside, that's what music is for, is it not? 3.5/5 grade for the purposes of this list of essential albums, rounded up to 4. 8.5/10 grade for more general purposes (5 + 3.5). Number of albums left to review: 27 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 419 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 247 (including this one) Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 311
I never knew I needed a sitar cover of light my fire until now.
Meditative un a way, it ebs and flows. Great music if you're willing to take the trip
And I applaud any artist who tries to do something different and interesting like Shankar is doing here. This is something really wonderful and special. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-ananda-shankar-by-ananda?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
I acknowledge I'm a sucker for the sitar! It has such a unique sound that is so easy to recognize, and it feels both mesmerizing and energizing at the same time. The sitar can, however, be a very intense instrument and difficult to master. Ananda Shankar knew exactly how to wield it! Hearing sitar-heavy versions of two major sixties songs is riveting. I didn't know The Doors' "Light My Fire" could become any more psychedelic, and Shankar's version of "Jumpin' Jack Flash" is on the experimental side. Both were different and enjoyable, but what I liked more were the original compositions. There's something about the freedom Shankar had in these songs. He didn't confine himself to any singular tone or mood. Beautiful, soaring, trance-like, whispering, striking, mysterious. A worthy inclusion that I enjoyed hearing. (At the very least, it's better than another brit pop album, huh?)
kind of a novelty but also i listened to it back to back 3 times so it was doing something right
Yeah, I was really into this. Refreshing to hear something really unique after hearing a lot of punk/ rock music back-to-back. Not that I despise those genres or anything. But there was something groovy and whimsical about this whole album. The "East meets West" thing maybe doesn't totally work for me, I probably agree with what appears to be a consensus that the covers don't work as well as the rest of the album. But I basically disagree that the last half of this album drags. Metamorphosis and Sagar were probably my two big pulls from this album. (I also liked Snow Flower). Which I think mostly means I liked this album most when it leaned towards it's Indian roots (but maybe someone with more knowledge of Indian music would have differing opinions because I know fundamentally nothing about Indian music). Anyhow, really enjoyed, the three that I mentioned will be joining a couple of my instrumental and dancey/party playlists.
A lot more interesting than I thought! Ravis nephew, so nepo album warnings were everywhere. I came to learn that Ravi didnt even teach him, so thats pretty cool I thought there were some super interesting tracks and the mesh of east and west is always cool. Freaking Moog synthesizer! Metamorphosis was a great building track. Really enjoyed all the covers. Having played a sitar recently, ive come to appreciate all the resonating sounds that come from that box of strings. Pretty fun album
How many Shankars played sitar?? On this list I was maybe expecting some Ravi, maybe some Anoushka, but never even heard of Ananda (apparently Ravi's nephew). This is basically Indian jam band music. I don't like this style when it's on Western instruments, but when it's a sitar, for some reason I dig it (probably because it feels exotic to my gringo ears, like shopping in the ETHNIC aisle at Whole Foods). So maybe I'm giving too much credit for novelty, but I dig it. Also any album that I can listen to while I'm working gets an extra star, which is basically the opposite of the point of what we're trying to do with this exercise, but this is my truth / lived experience / personal journey so I can give stars however I feel like it A cover of Light My Fire was unexpected and fun.
2024-09-22...
I believe this is a sitar and I love the sound. The covers were a bit whatever to me and I enjoyed the music that was unique but all around really enjoyed. 4.5
Another album I was surprised to like so much. Not really my thing, but my rock n roll soul appreciated the Stones and Doors covers enough to vibe with the whole thing. Some really cool stuff throughout! B
This is NOT what I expected to hear. How have I never heard this before!!!?!! This is AMAZING! 4 STARS
The two cheesy covers early in the record are a serious misrepresentation of how good the rest of this is, especially "Mamata," "Metamorphosis" and the furious closer "Raghupati." Even if one weren't an Indophile, one would dig thoroughly.
I was expecting this to be annoying and boring, instead I found this delightful and entertaining. I especially liked the covers of Jumpin' Jack Flash and Light My Flower. 3.5 stars.
This was such a fun, calm and soothing listen. I'm definitely coming back to this one when I want something light in the background.
I love sitar!
The two covers may have been the best part of the album, proving that Eastern and Western music can mix. 3.5, but I’ll round up.
Loved the originals, kinda meh on the covers. Particularly the last four tracks. 3.5
This sounded pretty cool! It was a really interesting mix of early 70s psychedelic rock and Indian rock. Normally I don't love albums where it's a lot of instrumental noodling, but I listened to this as I was doing work, and I really enjoyed it. This is not something I ever would've discovered without this project, and I would definitely listen to this album again.
This fucking rules. About to go rip some hash and travel the cosmos
The two covers on this album sound very silly to me and set my expectations for this album very low. But then eye album got better and better. Metamorphosis was thrilling and Sagar was incredible. If not for those dumb covers, this would have been an easy 5 stars.
Very Sixties
Really nice to listen to something different. Favourite tracks: Mamata, Snow Flower
Pleasent surprise tho
Very interesting album. Organized chaos. Some of the chord progressions were so cool.
Outstanding album that combines Western and Indian traditional music very well. It begins with raga rock then it goes more traditional, pure raga music which then ends again with a more Westernized song at the end. I enjoyed this album very much, it was exciting, different, and fun at the same time.
Whatever I was expecting when I got this album today, it was not the music that is actually on this album. It opens with an electric guitar. The sitar is ever present in the album, but it's often complimented by Moog synthesizers, which is an incredible combination. I wish that the album featured more original music, or at least less popular songs to cover, but the execution is tremendous 4/5
3.5
Good background noise.
Now here’s an album! First song really sets a fun tone of Indian music mixed with some 70’s flower rock. Got a cover or two in there too! And I liked his story on the last song. So glad this was on here.
Another interesting album, I'm a sucker for the sitar. This is from a Shankar I'm not familiar, and it's a combination of that sound with more rock and pop-type music, including the Doors' "Light My Fire." Quite a few hits on here for me, as I expected, but I can't pretend I like this as much as the real-deal Hindustani stuff we've gotten, like that Call of the Valley album. Still, it's a great departure. Favorite tracks: Jumpin' Jack Flash, Snow Flower, Metamorphosis, Sagar, Dance Indra. Album art: What you see is what you get: sitar. Plus a nice descriptive paragraph of what they're going for. The font and colors are really cool. Not the most creative cover, but it gets the job done. 4/5
Cool sound
Big fan of Indian rock fusion and while this is far from the greatest example, it still has compelling moments. Favorite track is metamorphosis
Really great combination of instruments and sounds used throughout this album. Usually a sitar wears on me after awhile but I enjoyed this listen.
Psychonautical
Okay. Jeg er på røven over hvor fedt Sitar og synth lyder! Albummet hørt igennem 4 gange, og kun sidste nummer med 30 sekunders vokal som jeg ikke kan lide. Det er messende og forførende.
Varied and sonically interesting. The re-arrangements of Stones and Doors stuff is very cool
This is a pretty rad blend of rock n’ raga. I dig it.
Somewhere between hindustani classical and psych pop, Ravis nephew leads a fun set.
"Ananda Shankar" is the debut album by Indian musician Ananda Shankar. Ananda is the son of dance and choreographer Uday Shankar and nephew of classical Indian musician Ravi Shankar. The album's music fuses Indian music with Western rock and electronic music. The two main instruments are the sitar and the moog synthesizer played by collaborator Paul Lewinson. The songs are mainly instrumental. The album had major influences on world music fusions. The album opens with a cover of the Stones' "Jumpin' Jack Flash." A guitar and bass and the sitar carrying the melody. The moog synth joins in and carries the melody too but mostly stays in the background along with some vocal chanting. Interesting. They also cover the Doors' "Light My Fire." This is a better cover capturing the pyschedelic vibe of the song. The sitar and moog carry the melody again. A pretty standard rock rhythm section with a tabla added to the beat. "Metamorphosis" is more Eastern with the sitar front and center and is a fusion of the long classical musical songs I've heard from his Uncle Ravi and Western jam band songs. The 13-minute epic "Sagar (the Ocean)" begins the second side. Wind blowing with moog deep in the background. This is a sitar jam. The tabla and an acoustic guitar come in halfway. Very chill. The album closer "Raghupati" is an acoustic ballad. The only song with sung vocals. Some more chanting. Acoustic guitar and drums. I guess you couldn't do a Western album at this time without trying to capture the "Summer of Love." This is an interesting album. The fusion works for me. Overall, the music defintely has a more western feel with the Indian instruments, the sitar and tabla, added to standard rock band instruments. There's a nice job too of the capturing the pyschedelic and progressive rock music of the time. If you're interested in checking out Indian music and want to take baby steps, this would be a good place to start. But, overall, this is just a good album to listen to without any intentions.
Hilarious. Covers of 70s songs, like the Stones’s Jumping Jack Flash, with sitar and Indian instruments.
this is the kind of shit i came here for
A rich and engaging fusion of Western music with Indian music. My attention does drift away a little from the longer more improvisational stuff, but there’s a lot of interesting turns there, too. A worthwhile, unique listen. Best song: Mamata (Affection)
A sitar cover of "Jumpin' Jack Flash?!" Awesome. I don't know why I associate the sound of a sitar with something mystical or spiritual. Each pluck of the sitar is like words to a song. Really enjoyed listening to this instrumental album Shankar is clearly talented. "Rahupati" was also a great listen.
aside from the 13 minute track, I found this quite pleasant!
A completely new sound for me. I enjoyed the fusion of sounds.
Really creative blend of Indian and rock music. Sounds timeless
A DJ played this version of Jumpin’ Jack Flash at Levitation 2022 between the Hooveriii and King Gizzard sets. That was pretty fun.
That was super interesting and fun.
Started off a bit 90s winebar lounge music, with its wacky Doors cover, but it got stranger as it progressed and the electronics becoming more prominent really made me warm to this. FUn.
Awesome, rock ‘n’ roll and Indian music.
4.25
Another trepidatious listen as the idea sounds horrendous, then I instantly recognised the Jumping Jack Flash cover from the nights at Tiger Lounge where it would regularly drop in amongst northern soul bangers etc. Moog is wonderful. Sitar can be great. Less enamoured with the Light My Fire cover. The other tracks are nice enough listening. Bit like that incredible Bongo Band record it feels like this has been included for one track. Longer it goes on though I think that's unfair. Really like how the long track Sagar developed, feeling that towards the end. Good groove. The last track is banging, dig it.
There's really nothing I don't like about this album. I like the covers on this album more than the original tracks.
Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Jumping Jack flash, Snow flower
Such a delight. Jumpin' Jack Flash is certainly a banger. Unfortunately Light My Fire reminded me too much of those baby lullably albums which are basically cover versions of popular songs using instruments like a sitar. The rest of the album is great though especially Sagar (The Ocean)
Blind album and artist. I thought this was some crazy cool sounding music and I was intrigued and hooked from start to finish. I loved the long jam Sagar as well as the opening track/cover
That Jumpin Jack flash obviously slaps. But at the same time, I get exactly what someone else, perhaps Ravi Shankar, said about using traditional instruments like the sitar for pop and jazz, that it sort of undermines its spiritual significance. This blending kinda reminds me of a college party in an uncomfortable way. The illusion of having a multicultural experience, though the difference is only skin-deep. Timbre. At the same time, trying not to see the sitar as a sound that's been smuggled in, being bent over backwards to accommodate scales that it's not really set up for... maybe it's more like a proud ambassador, Ananda showing the world what it can do. I'm sure that's closer to this album's intent. And yes, maybe a rebuke of Indian traditionalists thrown in the mix. After the recognizable pool party cover songs are over, we get some mind-bending fusion jams. Whether Sagar (The Ocean) works for you or not depends entirely on the time of day and the lighting.
A novelty cover album that actually works and does its own thing.
Enjoyed this a lot more than I expected to. Its a really interesting fusion of genres and cultures that I suppose would make some cringe, but I think it worked. I much prefer the Rolling Stones cover to the Doors cover, but I don't really care much for the original Doors song to begin with. Found myself getting fairly meditative during "Sagar". Not sure how often I'll revist this, but I would gladly give it another listen.
This was lots of fun. A nice mashup of cute, gentle psychedelia, pop and Indian classical. I loved the cover of Light My Fire, super funky.
Pleasantly surprised by this album
Another solid entry for this week! The covers were slight but fun; this one really came alive with the epic Sagar (The Ocean.) Really enjoyed this.
Innovative Fusion: Ananda Shankar's eponymous album is a groundbreaking work of music that marries the rich traditions of Indian classical music with elements of rock, funk, and jazz. His innovative fusion sound was way ahead of its time and marked the beginning of a new genre that later came to be known as "world music." Instrumentation: The album features a wide array of instruments, including the sitar, tabla, and various traditional Indian instruments, as well as electric guitars, bass, and drums. The interplay between these diverse instruments creates a captivating and dynamic sonic landscape. Diverse Tracks: The album consists of a diverse selection of tracks, each showcasing different aspects of Ananda Shankar's musical prowess. "Streets of Calcutta" is a standout piece, combining traditional Indian melodies with modern rock rhythms, creating a vibrant and evocative composition. "Dancing Drums" is another highlight, featuring intricate tabla rhythms and lively sitar melodies that make the listener want to dance along. Cultural Fusion: Ananda Shankar's ability to seamlessly blend Indian musical elements with Western ones is remarkable. This fusion of cultures and genres results in music that is both engaging and thought-provoking. It bridges the gap between the East and the West, making it accessible to a wide range of listeners. Expressive Sitar Playing: Ananda Shankar's sitar playing is a standout feature of the album. His virtuosity and expressiveness on the instrument are evident throughout, and his ability to convey a wide range of emotions through the sitar is impressive. Timeless Appeal: Despite being released in 1970, the album has a timeless quality that continues to captivate audiences today. The fusion of styles and the innovative approach to music still feel fresh and relevant, making it a classic in the world of world music and fusion. Influence: "Ananda Shankar" has had a significant influence on subsequent generations of musicians and composers. Many contemporary artists have drawn inspiration from Shankar's fusion style and his pioneering efforts in combining Eastern and Western musical traditions. Production Quality: The album's production quality is exceptional, given the era in which it was recorded. The arrangements are well-crafted, and the sound engineering is top-notch, allowing the diverse instruments and elements to shine through. In conclusion, "Ananda Shankar" by Ananda Shankar is a landmark album that remains a shining example of cross-cultural musical exploration and innovation. It's a must-listen for anyone interested in world music, fusion, or the rich tapestry of Indian classical music. The album's ability to transport listeners to a different time and place while simultaneously feeling contemporary is a testament to its enduring appeal.
Really fun