The Sounds Of India

This is bearable for all of about 5 minutes before I desperately want to turn it off forever. A little goes a long way with this album. I’ve had to listen to probably about 5 albums from India at this point over the course of this project, including a soundtrack from a Bollywood film. I can confidently tell you that this is the worst out of all of them. I find it admirable that in the 1950’s a single Indian man was eager to share his music with the world. That’s very cool, and I respect the hell out of it. I’m sure that Ravi Shankar was a very cool guy, and I think that for the time this album might have been an interesting listen. But I have made it my quest to listen to every album on this list, uninterrupted, at the bare minimum one time through completely. This one was tough to get through even the bare minimum one time. It’s just an hour of the same guy playing a sitar, and I don’t even know what my “favorite” song is, because it sounds the exact same for the entire hour, interrupted briefly by Ravi explaining what he is doing. Again, it’s admirable, but it’s a lot. I actually really like Indian music when it’s not just the traditional sitar the entire time, but this was all substance and absolutely no style to be had whatsoever. There is no way I am going to be returning to this one when I’ve already heard now multiple much better albums from India. And I do like what I’ve heard. But this is just a lot, and it’s so repetitive, and I can’t say I enjoyed it all that much. If the reasoning for making the album wasn’t so admirable, I’d probably rate this a 1. But at the bare minimum, this album is at least bearable to make it through, even if I have no reason to ever return to it. For those reasons, I’m going to be rating this album a very low 2 out of 5, and promptly forget about it in its entirety by tomorrow at the latest. I would question why it’s on here at all, but the author has a proclivity to add plenty of albums from other countries that he deems important to listen to, so I understand why it’s here. But if this is your first experience with the Indian albums, I can assure you that it gets much, much better than this. This may be a good introductory album on what Indian music sounds like, but it’s also stripped completely bare, and lacks a solid enough reason to actually listen to more than a few minutes of it at a time. If you’re in to the sitar, man have I got an album for you!! For everyone else, there’s Mastercard, err, I mean, there’s better albums. Yeah, that’s what I meant. It’s a 2 out of 5. My “favorite” song, in copious amounts of air quotes is “Máru-Bihág”, which I basically just picked at random. I have nothing nice to say about it. Ok, that’s all I have to say about this one. Luckily it wasn’t my Friday album, I say tempting fate once again. Until next time.

Sitar slop

Not my thing, but I guess it is good

I enjoy Ravi Shankar's music. Thank you, Beatles, for introducing me to him!

I appreciated the little introduction, when he said don't expect to hear any harmonies like in western music I did think Oh those are my favourite bits. I kept losing focus throughout the album, with their not being chord progressions and just drones, the sort if limited sonic pallete of just sitar and percussion, I struggled to focus on Shankar's sitar playing apart from a few moments towards the end of each track where he'd step it up a bit. My favourite was Sindhi-Bhairavi, maybe because the tintaal was the closest to a typical Western 4/4 it felt a bit more familiar.

Ok, so I'm not a fan of Indian music. But, this is more engaging than the pan flute stuff Zamfir puts out. Happy I heard it, and don't plan to come back to it.

Лекция, которую я бы прогуливал

I bet it's excellent, but it's not for me

like its fine? Just like an hour of sitar playing. Not bad or anything, just very samey. Could be good for some background music, but not really the highest praise in the world

nice to hear a different sound

No chance

ngl the parts where he's talking about counting in 14th's etc were pretty interesting

Interesting but not my thing at all.

This probably is an album you should listen to because it was so influential. Today, the sound is familiar and doesn’t need the narration - making this not quite what it must have been to western ears 60 or 70 years ago.

rate

This was super interesting. It’s almost like a textbook on Indian music with the explanations of how everything works and rundowns on all the instruments. Not to mention the music itself is great. This was a really cool experience.

Phenomenal

I do not care for Indian music.

Idk why but we've gotten a lot of Indian music recently. This was alright and a good mix up from the usual list music, but it was long and a little plain for my liking.

I can't understate the impressive feat pulled by this guy in convincing a whole movement of hippie culture that his music should define their generation. I know very little about Hindu and Indian music, but it sounds to me like Shankar simply gaslit his audience into thinking that disorganized and unending sitar solos are the keystone to all music of his culture, and that anyone who doesn't appreciate his self-indulgent style of music is merely close-minded. This guy is the "Anyway, here's Wonderwall" guy of Indian music.

Neat.

Soundtrack to take away curry

What next, the instructional VHS for "How to set up the IBM System/36 (Model 5360 / 5362) server? My MiL is a yoga teacher and even she doesn't subject me to this. He's right on one thing, this shouldn't be compared to jazz. Jazz is good. I checked twice that I didn't have this on 1.5* speed. I've had more relaxing stress dreams. I'm sure he's very talented, and adored, but there are bagpipe players holding their ears listening to this, and those fuckers listen Bagpipes all day.

I feel like I can’t in good faith rate this because it doesn’t seem to be made to be an entertainment listening experience as much as a didactic instrument. It was interesting but I don’t know this type of music enough to rate it. I can’t say I particularly enjoyed it or would want to hear it again. It also kind of gave me anxiety, and my cats became agitated - can’t tell if they like it or also got anxious. 2.5?

oooookei lets not .... para gustos colores

So this is what George Harrison was on about. The introduction is helpful - yes, you should be in the right frame of mind before giving it a listen.

так вот чем упоролся харрисон прежде чем ему открылись все духовные чакры не осуждаю, 3.5

I never critically listened to Indian music. I know Indian music, and can recognise it, but I never learned its principles. this album aimes exactly at this: teach the listener some basics of the Indian music theory and building blocks. however, apart from its educational purposes, I didn't enjoy the music itself. it was too repetitive, and I think I won't listen to this album again

This was great! I get why George Harrison changed his life over it lol

Likte tutorial i begynnelsen. Lurer på hvorfor dette almvumet var på listen? Liksom en oppsummering eller introduksjon. Påvirket den mye musikk senere, denne spesifikke platen liksom?

Loved a bit of sitar back in the day in my Beatles revolver phase, but not sure I can do a whole album

This dude is Norah Jones' dad?

1.8

Def interesting I just don’t think I’m at the best level of understanding to fully appreciate it.

9/28/26. Need to put a pin on this one so I can give a full, dedicated listen. Challenging listen at first since it's outside my Western bubble, but really appreciated the short lessons and explanations throughout. Maybe this can be my entry to another world of music.

This is George Harrison's fault

I don't know what to listen for when it comes to raga, so I really appreciated Shankar giving background information on this! I'm still not sure I quite get it after the first listen, but I'm probably coming closer than I would have without that?

Was going to joke about "listening with an open and relaxed mind" but then I did, and actually largely enjoyed this. Its *very* sitar heavy which, as someone who does not listen to this type of music often, is a little grating after an hour. But its always great to be exposed to great music that Ive never heard before. 3/5

Whilst I absolutely see this album as interesting & clearly an education in Indian music, I just can’t force myself to enjoy it. The tracks feel laboured and boring to me. I’m fully aware that listening to this requires a cultured ear, but realistically I don’t take much enjoyment from listening to it.

Just can't get into it. Like the explanations though.

This album is a sonic tapestry. Spins: 1 Playlist Additions - An Introduction to Indian Music - Dádrá - Bhimpalási

OK. 2/5

One for those on a higher plane but there is no doubt about his mastery of his instrument. However it's a bit like going to your Indian take away to be told your order will be ready in 5 minutes. 50 minutes later your still waiting with anticipation. Neither the takeaway or the music will be getting a revisit from me

4/10

Actually really nice I like how he talked me through it It's like Indian music for dummies

Ravi Shankar is not my thing I’m afraid.

Learning and instrumental background music to put me in a work flow?! more likely than you think

Nope!

this is some crazy shit for 1957

As my wife like’s to say, “There’s music out there for everyone…. and then there’s this shit”. Tough crowd.

I skipped the instructions, knowing I won’t remember them anyway. Halfway through “Dádrá,” I’m enjoying this so far. The pluck of the strings is nice. Ooh, now it’s speeding up, almost in the way that a guitarist will do in a rock song. It all blends together after a while but not in a bad way.

First time listen. Ughh. I appreciate the influence on the Beatles and all, but good lord this hurts my ears and almost makes me hate music.

Vaca catch up

Not for me

Индийская музыка уже и не выглядит очень экзотичной.

uhh idk I kinda approached this with a closed mind and was looking for the harmonies as well as other western influences and was also trying to attribute this to jazz but maybe I was just listening to it wrong

While I didn’t like it I am glad that this project has albums like this. I never ever ever would have chosen to listen to mr ravi and now I have. So now when I make the claim that I am not a fan of the sitar, I have someone to point to And aside from the 53 minutes of sitar the album also had some sitar! Ok but for real I’m not going to rate this as low as my heart wants to because I still have to recognize his pure talent and his goal of spreading indian music to the west. This might get bumped later as I ruminate but a three for now

I actually really enjoyed listening to this: all of the music I listen to is very much western and I appreciate how shankar is trying to educate people on non western music.

Ravi had that shit locked down on the sitar. I actually appreciated the introductions since I am wholly unfamiliar with the style and processes of Indian music, so being reminded to go into the album with limited expectations was needed for me. While the album did feel like it dragged on a tad, each song was more dynamic than I originally imagined, partly due to the rhythm section that we lack in western music. Good stuff

Extremely tough to rate fairly, if there is such a thing. This is a completely different world to mine and as such it would take hours and hours of getting used to this for me to enjoy it. I didn't just now 1.6

Not sure why, but back in the day I actually listened to this, and I still like it!

Very interesting. While I can appreciate the musicianship on this album, and it is good, I did find it a bit of a chore to listen to nearly 50 minutes of it. Having instructions was pretty cool and I am sure if I now picked up a sitar I would be an accomplished player.

Year Zero for "world music", for better or for worse - judged purely by itself, this is a crystal clear recording and representation of a great musical tradition

Interesting and I can see this would have been pretty mind-blowing when it was released.

It's jarring to have an album that gives instructions on how to listen to it and yet I don't have the music theory to back it up. Not a huge fan of solo sitar. More a curiosity than an appealing listen to me.

While I can appreciate the musicianship and found it interesting to experience something new, this isn't an album I find myself wanting to listen to again.

Such a vibe. Not sure it’d be something I’d casually listen to but I found myself getting lost in the sound of it all

Soothing and interesting, but average

Iconic.

There are whispers that ravi Shankar was not good. That he was really lucky. That a chance encounter with a naive George harrison saw Shankar elevated to status his musicality didn’t warrant. This simplifies things. Shankar was excellent as this record shows. Was he the best? That’s a subjective view. To be fair this is a good introduction. And some 7 or 8 years before he meets George. I prefer the music of U Srivanis. But Ravi should be heard if only to decide what all the fuss is about.

I absolutely recognise the spoken phrase "and those subtle touches and usage of microtones" in the introduction. It's been sampled in some track I know really well, but I cannot put my finger on what. It's driving me bats. I have been thinking about the way that non-Western music fits into this list, which is clearly aimed at Western listener. Sometimes we just a get a better recorded version maybe with a few more familiar instruments or playing added (for example, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan or Ali Farka Toure), or a choice of least threatening repertoire expensively recorded (eg Ladysmith Black Mambazo), or we might get a 'fusion' of sources, which can often descend into a horrible mess (worst example, Ananda Shankar). Here, Ravi Shankar tries a different approach again; explaining what he is doing. By explicitly describing the features of the raga and setting expectations for the listener, he makes his artistic tradition more accessible to the Western listener without compromising his art. I respect that. That said, his explanations are like basic arithmetic, and his playing is like advanced calculus. I'm still struggling to keep up. In fairness, I also struggle to understand hard bop for similar reasons. It's a bit like chess; I know how all the pieces move but I can't understand the whole structure of the game well enough to see the strategy. I can appreciate this moment by moment, but I don't really get how the whole fits together. As such, it washes over me a bit. But, as Ravi says, we should not expect harmony, counterpoint or other elements common in Western music. We should maintain "a relaxed and open mind". Right on, Ravi, preach!

Interesting, but ultimately not for me.

La unica forma de escuchar esto es drogado, malisimo

Sitars. It’s nice to listen to, but does get a bit tiresome after a while.

The music was interesting and new to me. I know the story of Ravi's tuning being applauded, but I don't think the album benefited from the notes. It made it feel more like a lecture or a museum piece than something to enjoy.

This was great! I would rate this a 3 just for the lesson on Indian music in the first track alone. But I loved the whole thing: the additional mini-lessons, the different ragas, and just the overall drone of the album. This won't get regular rotation in my playing, but it was a fun listen.

I was edified. Thanks, Ravi.

Interesting; I probably should have paid more attention to the explanatory spoken parts.

1/5 - Sitorture

Interesting, and entertaining in its way. Clearly massive levels of instrumental excellence, both on sitar and tabla. Pleased it found its way onto this list - can't, however, imagine circumstances where I'd choose to play it again.

I’m sure to a connoisseur this would have been fantastic. Maybe even someone interested in music theory and technique would have enjoyed. For me, it went over my head and just sounded typical of a genre that doesn’t speak to me.

Never before has the phrase «It isn’t you, it’s me» been said more earnestly. I have nothing but respect for Ravi, but I hated every second of this album.

La mejor pero no. Solo me gustó la primera canción.

I burnt dinner while listening to this and it was actually very stressful background music while trying to get the smoke alarm to stop going off. I don't recommend it. This was exactly what I expected it to be, I did like the introductions explaining what I should be listening for.

Jeg nåede kun til introduktionen til indisk musik. Kæmpe kaninhul. - Mine vestlige øre forpurre en god oplevelse her. Det virker i bolliwood film, men som rent album, nej tak.

Jeg forstod ikke meget af forklaringerne på musikken. Og det åbnede absolut ikke en ny verden for mig.

Didn't love it, but it might just be that I am not used to this kind of music

I m tired and it s quiet , yes

Top 4 Indian Ragas to relax/study to

That’s a lot of sitar

I'd prefer to not have the instructional bits, but fine overall

My first time hearing the sitar was through the Beatles, so hearing George's teacher is a cool experience. You can tell he's a pro. Still, the album is not to my taste and gets long after a bit.

Interesting and impressive, but definetly not a sounds I'm accustomed to.

Didn't do much for me. He seems like a nice guy. The narrations are fun.

I feel disappointed in myself that I found this a bit boring.

I wish I could truly understand and thus evaluate this album, but sometimes it is wiser to simply admit to your ignorance and thus defeat. To the raga-connoisseur, would this be considered a deeply moving and spiritual experience? A sick shred-fest? Or, simply a demonstrative exercise for Shankar, akin to Clapton doing a 40-minute rundown of standard blues licks in in between his morning stretches? Among Indian critics, is Ravi Shankar considered to be an undisputed master of the sitar? Is he merely 'one among the greats'? Or might he even, by the harshest of these critics, be considered a hack musician or sellout who just happened to make it big internationally? And how about this: does the almost fetishist 'wow drugs and psychedelia and shit dude' Western view of Indian music hold any ground, or is it like associating the climaxes of Vivaldi with copious amphetamine use? I'm not sure if I'll ever truly know the answers to these questions. I do know that I had a very decent, laid-back time with this album, so three stars it is.

Fine to have on in the background.

Sounds a lot like the beatles lol

I appreciated that he explains and demonstrates the raga and taal for each song before they begin playing. It’s helpful for people who are new to the genre.

An interesting historical document it says, True, I wonder if a bit of work might have found a better album to exemplify Indian music as I guess there will be no more representation. 3 Heard before? No Owned: No, 105/402 (26%) Will I get: No