Reviews (page 4 of 8)
I really have no idea.
This was interesting. I enjoyed listening to it. I liked the way he was teaching us about it. Like a class. Reminded me of the 1945 documentary Instruments of the Orchestra they used in Moonrise Kingdom. 3 stars
Bijzonder hoe je een bepaalde sound zo associeert met 1967, de psychedelische explosie, en de creatieve vooruitgang die er mee gepaard ging in de rockmuziek, maar ondertussen is het natuurlijk gewoon traditionele Indiase muziek van ver voor de 'Summer of Love'. Het tekent de toch wel een beetje de kortzichtigheid van de Westerse muziekluisteraar, maar vooral ook wel hoe krachtig inprenting van geluiden werkt. Hoor je iets voor het eerst in een bepaalde context, dan is die context ook direct de geboortegrond van dat geluid, ook al wist je wel van het verhaal van mannen als Donovan en George Harrison en hun avontuurtjes op het Indiase subcontinent. Oké, nu het album. Laat ik dan allereerst benoemen dat dit - ondanks dat het niet helemaal m'n dingetje is - echt wel in deze lijst hoort te staan. De muziek-culturele lading is te zwaar om het over het hoofd te zien. Het is misschien wel de bekendste Indiase muzikant voor het Westen, en de wijze zoals Indiase restaurants in Europa de ietwat fletse menukaart deed opspicen, deden zijn invloeden dat met de ietwat fletse rock & roll van de early 60s. Maar een geheel album is mij iets te spicy, net als dat ik waarschijnlijk een week om de WC pot gevouwen lig als ik in een écht Indiaas restaurant in Mumbai eet. Wel aimabel van Ravi dat hij de muziekvorm toelicht voor het maagdelijke witte oor, maar de spoedcursus ging voor mij te snel. Desalniettemin een voldoende door de culturele significantie. 6,5/10
This guy microtones
So as a self described psychedelic rock fan, it would be sacrilegious to say anything negative about Ravi Shankar. Without this man the sitar would never have made its way to American music like it has. This man is wildly influential and single handedly put Indian music on the global map. That being said, HOLY SHIT THIS ALBUM IS DRY! It’s like eating an entire box of saltine crackers with no accompanying cheeses or meats and no water to wash it down with. It’s the Sahara desert of dry albums. If you like the sitar, you will like it or parts of it at least. But god forbid you don’t like the sitar because this will be one of the most difficult experiences of your whole life. Dramatic emphasis aside, I did enjoy the informative parts, as someone who truly loves music I found that part really interesting when he’s describing the way a sitar/microtonal instrument works and he’s showing how the scales work, all that stuff is really cool for music nerd purposes. Seriously I know I have very dramatic feelings about this album but I do think it’s worth your time if you either a.) have a real love and curiosity about music and the composition/creation of it or b.) your just a sucker for almost a full hour of just straight sitar.
not my style but land mark
He's clearly talented and I appreciate the lesson about the music, but it just ain't for me.
Not much to say that I haven't said about the other Indian/Pakistani albums, along with the samba and bossa nova albums. It's good music for if I want the vibe, but I will only really want that vibe in films and whatnot to set the scene. Unfortunately I have no cultural connection to this music, so it's scene music to me.
I do not want to learn the sitar but thank you. I feel like I should take drugs while listening to this to like it more. Wille its nice to hear a new kind of music, this record is very repetitive. The only instrument used on this album are a sitar and some percussion. But Its no doubt that this guy is extremely talented.
Any album that needs to begin with a course, is not that great.
ja... indische musik halt... musikalisch sehr beeindruckend und kreativ und anders als ich gewohnt bin aber hab leider nix verstanden was der typ mir erzählen wollte und ohne lyrics ist es mir eh immer zu langweilig
Interesting listen, it is just instrumental with that single Indian instrument, the sitar maybe? It turns into solid background music, but I don't think I'd come back to it on purpose.
nossa 5 tracks e 50 minutos jesus FAVS (top 3): dádrá, bhimpalasi, sindhi-bhairavi mençoes honrosas: - nao tem tanta musica a ponto de ter ate mençao honrosa KKKKKK mas eu nem sei como comentar esse album, sao musicas indianas e no inicio o cara dando uma brevissima explicaçao, dahora, e musica indiana é bem dahora eu amo os instrumentos, queria q tivesse um album indiano aqui com mais musica pra aproveitar mais pq esse msm q as musicas sejam grandes queria mais tracks! se queriam representaçao indiana aqui deveriam ter pegado um maior, se bem q pra 57 deve ter dado um bagulho legal ne, enfim, faz parte nota final: 3.5/5
Haunted by Ravi Shankar. Every time I think of him I am compelled to tell everyone: "Did you know he's Norah Jones's dad????" And little Anoushka Shankar (less surprising daughter of Ravi Shankar) is everywhere (BBC Proms, SNL, etc) so I think of him often. Musical nepo-babies don't bother me as much as the other kinds, though. Also, the concept of this album is funny. I wonder if there are other "The sounds of _____" albums out there. Would be a fun series. Probably a lot more valuable in the pre-Internet era though. As for the tracks themselves... not that educational, it turns out. I do usually like sitar when it's in other songs, but 10+minute instrumentals never win me over, unless they're like, full symphonies. Still better than Norah Jones.
Loved the explanations tho it makes it hard to imagine listening to it again. Otherwise fun to listen to but not my fave style we’ve had introduced. The instruments have beautiful tones though.
Much like I was instructed to, I tried to listen with an open and relaxed mind. It certainly felt educational but I don’t think I would listen to any of these again. Hard to judge because I’m also clearly not listening in the way that was intended
This is more for those who like an education while listening to music. The explanations of the music cut into enjoyment. That being the case, I liked this much more than I expected I would.
I appreciate this albums inclusion, but yeah - it’s an hour of someone playing the sitar. 3/5
Nice experience. Had a lot of fun specially in the beginning, but it did get a bit tiring.
I have never felt more like George Harrison.
Classic
I thought this album was extraordinary!!! I like how he provides explanations to Indian music theory, instruments and techniques in order to introduce the listener to the song. Overall a very interesting album.
The music was good but the music theory portion was unnecessary for the average listener.
More academic than really interesting. While I can appreciate the tutorial nature, Ravi is clearly playing it safe here and I would enjoy something a bit less targeted at western audiences.
good background music for a day at work
like his daughter’s music better 3.0
Mr. Shankar’s attempt at introducing Western listeners to classical Indian music would receive a helpful push from George Harrison about a decade later. This album is basically a 50-minute sitar solo with Mr. Shankar interjecting at various points to describe the instrument and the timing signatures he is playing. An interesting and educational listen that I’ll give an above average 3/5.
Historic, connected musical worlds etc., etc. in 2026 it sounds like an instructional manual
An interesting album, although one which feels a little odd in its inclusion on the list. The music is good, and it is always interesting to get a glimpse into the unique attributes of the Indian music system. Favorite track: "Dádrá"
I like that there's so much Indian music on this list. there's also music from Brazil, and even Africa. But what about the rest of the world? such a restricted vision this list has. Anyway, in this record Ravi Shankar takes the time to teach you about the music of India and it never feels boringly didactic and the songs are fun.
Interesting and important piece of work to include without a doubt. Is it the most enjoyable listen? It’s ok, sort of like 50 minutes of solo work from one of your favorite guitarists. Required listening that I may not go back to specifically for a replay, but that I can enjoy and appreciate when it shows up in other works.
interesting
“Hey honkys chill out for a minute” is a great intro. Like he pointed out, Indian music a little hard to analyze as a Westerner with no spiritual connection or really cultural understanding of what I’m hearing. So the simple conclusion I can give is that the little lessons were nice and I like sitar music in general, it’s very soothing. (3.5/5)
pretty enjoyable. felt like a music lesson, probably intentionally like that and it was good.
too much talking but enjoyable
Tough to judge with no other Indian music to judge it against. I like the educational aspect of this, and it’s a pretty chill album, but it lacks the heft I typically look for.
Not something I am likely to return to, but it is legendary how much influence Ravi had on the Beatles and in turn so much of modern western music as a whole.
This album made me feel like I was in opium den in Bombay, with a slack jaw... and not much too say, especially with the (what I believe) western equivalent of all the rapid picking and tapping on a guitar on the song "Dadra." It sounds absolutely sick. The only Indian music experience I have is from the Beatles few Indian songs, and maybe a couple other 60s songs, like "Paint it, Black" and maybe song or two from other drug-oriented groups in the 60s who had that one hit song that features a sitar, because it was the 60s that's just what they did as Paul McCartney would say. Highlight Song/s: "Dadra"
202/1001 Ravi Shankar - The Sounds of India Heard before? ❎ Revisit? ❎ Whilst I can appreciate how his sitar playing influenced the Beatles and bought this style of music to the masses in that period, I wouldn't knowingly return to this. It is a calming record and some of the playing sounds so intricate.
This a fantastic example of instrumentals narrating a story... Is the story ever-changing? Yes, but that adds to the appeal. The mind most likely will hear something different with each listen.
Chill to listen to. Cool to see exactly what influenced George Harrison and the rest of western music adopting Indian elements.
,,, sounded more like a training session with the Great Ravi explaining how to listen. Got Indian music not bad to hear from the bet... though you have to like the vibe.
got a bit impatient listening cause it's 11 pm but enjoyed learning but defintely got a bit repetitive since a lot of the songs are roughly 10 minutes
Ravi Shankar - The Sounds of India In today’s episode, Norah Jones’ dad gives us a short lecture on Indian music, plays the opening to Within You Without You, and then tunes up for 10 minutes. 4 times. It’s not necessarily bad, but it is boring.
I can definitely appreciate Indian music and what Ravi Shankar was doing in the late 50's to introduce the music, but this sounds more like an education piece than something that I can judge on musical and artistic merit, at least not more than 3 or maybe 3.5 stars.
Interesting to learn a bit about how Indian music is put together, but the improvisational style is not really my thing
Me pareció muy curioso que el propio Ravi Shankar explica sus métodos de interpretación y el significado de los instrumentos en su cultura, antes de cada canción. Está interesante, no me voy a hacer fan ni creo escucharlo de nuevo, pero no me la pasé mal.
This was quite an educational listen which I surprisingly enjoyed, not really the music part but the theory part.
Very talented musician and I love the breakdowns of the instruments. A little long but a fun ride
It’s fine - and fits a certain type of situation, but not a situation that I find myself in all that much. It’s interesting how the first track introduces us - like never before - to Indian Music
Das war ja mal ganz nett exotisch…
I honestly didn't mind the spoken word parts here, it's certainly weird for an album to do, but just based off the title alone, I assume this was meant to be at least somewhat educational. And the part where he saw to go in with an open mind in the introduction I'd say
Favorite Track: Sindhi-Bhairavi
This was interesting, I guess I understand why the Beatles really ended up liking this guy but it was interesting to say the least
More of a lesson than n album, but an interesting one.
29/12/2025 Never judge a book by it's cover. This wasn't horrible as expected. Spotify listeners: 1.1 million
I know Ravi to be the foremost sitarist in history, famously mentoring the Beatles and acting as their tour guide during a stint in India and psycadelics. I also know him to be the estranged father of former reviewer artist, Nora Jones. I have, however, never listened to his music. This was a nice experience. Calming and meditative. I don’t know that I fully understand eastern music but I enjoy it nonetheless. This would be a nice album to have I. The record collection.
interesting album very informative about Indian music
Interesting
Interesting, and educational.
I can appreciate the importance of this album, but it's not something I'm going to re-visit.
Cool record. Interesting to listen to for the first time. That said, I don't know if it would merit a relisten, so I can't give it a high rating.
2.5 stars. Interesting tutorial of traditional Indian music by country's most renown musician with lots of spoken word description of some music theory. Fine as a listen-through, would only have on in the background as something else to enjoy in the future.
I do like this. His wee educational talks are interesting. I did open my mind. It is good to zone out to and it certainly evokes a strong sense of place. By the end I was tiring a bit though. Enjoyable in small bursts for me
An okay album, I liked Dadra the most.
This album is an interesting curiosity. The first track was just Shankur giving the audience a music lesson. I can see how "The Sounds of India" influenced George Harrison. After a few nasty albums, this one makes a nice change. A lovely conclusion to the week. 3 stars for "The Sounds of India".
me puse este album mientras estudiaba q cosa mas rara con todo respeto no se si puedo get into this me siento muy alejada culturalmente las cosas raras que pensará la gente que me ve escuchando esto desde la compu, en fin un 3 por neutralidad. Creo que estoy sola hace bastante ya en el challenge asi que ojala me salga algo de jamiroquai o de los cocteau como simbolo de lealtad (algoritmo leeme porfa)
Educationally sound but not something I need to listen to again
It was good and interesting how he explained the music theory, but not quite as enjoyable as Call of the Valley.
Interesting and instructive
Not really my vibe. But it was ok
Favorite Track: Bhimpalasi
Exactly as advertised. Like the intro explanation of the Sitar.
Excellent crash course. I should get some tabla.
Sounds very Indian. Not really anything I would play again, but it kinda slaps also.
As the name suggests, this is a good starting point for anyone wanting to understand and delve into Indian music, namely that played on sitar. The first song literally starts with Shankar explaining the differences to how the music he plays differs to that of Western music theory. In it he talks about changing your mindset to fully appreciate the sounds of India. Which is fair. This is a different type of listen, but is as good a place to start as any for anyone wanting to listen to something from outside the anglosphere.
Interesting.
I'm right in the middle on this - do I want to listen to it over and over? No. Does it have it's place on this list? Absolutely. While I appreciated the instructions/commentary a couple times, it actually interrupts the album where I'd be less likely to put this on, and might rather pick something different from him where it's just the music straight through. It's still cool to have a brief lesson though.
Thoughts before listening: Sitar music by someone who was in the Beatles' general universe and influenced George Harrison. Looks like this was released in 1957 a full decade before his Beatles connection. Review: I understand why the Beatles and other 60s hippie musicians glommed onto this guy and his music. There is something entrancing about the sitar, and the way the music is constantly evolving and flowing means it aligns itself well to both psychedelic rock and an acid trip. I'm not going to add any of these songs to the playlist, but I am glad to have heard it. This is certainly interesting music. 3-stars
I’m always curious and receptive to sitar based music. Don’t know what the heck is going on but the slower examples of this music I find relaxing. The quicker stuff I like less but the pace the music is being played at displays what accomplished musicians they are. Ravi Shankar is no doubt the most famous and perhaps the master of sitar music. His attempt to explain the music at the beginning of the album is welcome but at 4 minutes long and considering how technical this music is it did not really enlightening me in my quest to understand. I suspect full mastery is more like a religion taking a lifetime of study and practice. So I think it best to continue in blissful ignorance accepting it on face value as an accompaniment to help me relax or as a background at my local Tandoori when snaffling a Chicken Bhuna. This album will serve those purposes well. 3/5 17/11/25
Could have gone either way, turns out I'm more pretentious than I thought. 3.4
I enjoyed this a high 3 star
Unique was for sure
Very vibey and I know Shankar is well loved. Nice background focus music.
very interesting, definitely not an album id find myself listening to again but it was very informative and neat.
I found the explanations helpful.
This was quite enjoyable. I imagine it must have blown a few minds back when it was released.
Interesting to listen, but not truly enjoyable to my western trained ears.
Enjoyable, glad I listened. Didn't meet 4 star criteria, so I guess it's a strong 3 - This kinda stretches the meaning of an album, but I'm okay with that. This is lovely music. Feels like the musical Bob Ross
Wes Anderson vibes, but weirdly the vibes from the fox one, not the India one. It's very cultural but it's hard to smash this on at a dinner party without getting some side eyes. I'm not really sure what George Harrison was on, but it's not really my thing. (Oh? That much? Ahh, no wonders). 3 stars because 2 stars felt racist. If you are Indian or a white guy who uses crystal deodorant and is already appropriating his dreadlocks, go for your life.
You have to be in the zone for this one. My first outing with ‘The Sounds Of India’ wasn’t enjoyable. Felt like it just went on and on and on without end. I’m listening to it again, and I am enjoying it much more. It’s very nuanced and immersive once your brain gets attuned to Indian drone music. Reckon this would be an even better experience with a joint.
A very interesting record with sounds I have been exposed to but to a far lesser degree than hip hop beats or electric guitars. It was an enjoyable enough experience and a very interesting experience at the very least. This is a good
The historical importance of this album cannot be overstated. It is also incredibly useful as an introduction to Indian musical theory and instruments. I honestly appreciated and enjoyed the spoken explanations throughout the album. It helps to understand the interplay of the percussion, drones, and soloing sitar. But the chances of me putting this album on to listen to for pleasure are near 0. 3⭐️
Not my jam at all, and I did find my attention waning over the full album, but it was interesting and I respect the technical ability.
I mean, it's Ravi Shankar. Ya can't fuck with it. That said, it does all kinda all sound like one song. But it's cool.
The Master at work
Couldn't figure out why this is so low. Then I listened to it. Clearly it was picked based on the cultural impact and not the musical quality. There's much better ravi Shankar albums. But this isn't one of them. This is on the level of a children's instructional album.
This was a fun experience! I really appreciated the introduction teaching me how to listen to the music before diving in, it definitely increased my appreciation. While I don't I see myself listening to much more music like this in the future, I was glad to get to hear this album! Best: "Sindhi-Bhairavi" Worst: "Máru-Bihág"
I really liked the informative bits, as well as how well-paced it felt.
This was really interesting! I didn't know I'd be getting Hindustani classical music lessons today. The sitar is such a cool instrument.
Interesting, especially his spoken explanations. Glad I heard this. Shankar is obviously a maestro in his genre. I’d heard Indian and sitar music but never really spent as much time really listening. I do think this record absolutely belongs on this list. But after a few tracks, the music got very repetitive.
india innit. Yaps a bit
I like how this is laid out like an instructional manual for playing the Sitar. Relaxing and interesting music.
How often do you get a walkthrough of the music before you actually hear it? Certainly gives you a deeper appreciation of the melody compositions, but it's still sitar music and sounds like its just made up as he goes, like experimental jazz
This feels like the token Indian guy pick. Still a fun listen though.
Just quite hard to judge it without knowing a lot about the genre! Really good and cool that there are explainers in there - it's literally to intro Western audiences to the genre and it works! Enjoyable album.
Not for me.
Nice little introduction to Indian music
Really cool educational-style album. I don't have too much to say as I'm sooooo out of my depth here, but it was fun comparing all the scales he talked about, how some sounded more suspenseful and some sounded more tranquil. I think in one of the scales he played there was a note that went back up in the descending part, and a note that went back down in the ascending part?? Crazy to hear in my white western ears. I want to highlight "Bhimpalasi", this one sounded the coolest to me. The scale introduction also made me think back to George Harrisons "Within You Without You" (that's a George song, not a Beatles song". A quick search doesnt tell me anything conclusive about it being in this scale, but it still sounded most similar of all the songs on here. Very cool concept, another happy day without classic rock. Also I ran a marathon today and this was a good mood setter for it all. 3/5 I enjoyed, woul've liked a visual accompaniment at times.
A few records back, there was another sitar focused album, which was a better album, but this was very educational. Probably won't listen to it again, but it was a good time. Mid 3
I feel like I'm in Desert Hills
ware het niet dat het soms lang duurt, maar dit is zo slecht nog niet... ik kon het ook wel zonder de uitleg...
Enjoyed the music!
This one was very unique and informative. The music was strangely hypnotic and relaxing while complex and rich at the same time. Not my fav but very interesting nonetheless. My rate: 6 out 10
Mesmerizing music. The lessons are interesting. Put this one on and obliviate.
Oddly informative to begin and a little throughout. This really showcases the sitar, and I can understand why this may have been influential to western ears given that this released in the 50's. That's...pretty much it though. Might be best consumed as just an introduction to Indian music.
6/10
The music was fine though I did not need a lesson on how they make it.
I respect the first song and explaining it; however, I didn’t like it.
It's ok.
I suppose this was interesting. But I am not sure there is a circumstance where I would listen again.
A bit too much of mansplaining ;) quite interesting though.
„Thank you if you appreciate the tuning so much, I hope you'll enjoy the playing more" Somehow I line it, but still don't get it.
I appreciate the tutorials on this album. But a little raga goes a long way for me.
Meh.
Didn't really make sitar music anymore accessible for me but particularly liked the last track Sindhi Shairavi.
Got a little tired of this
I mediated while listening to this, and now I have reached enlightenment 3/5
3.5 - fantastic playing but it does get a little old by the end of the album
It is fine. The individual songs feel a little too long for how much goes on in them for my taste. Mid 3.
1. indian - 2 2. dadra - 3 3. bihag - 2.5 4. palazi - 3 5. baravi - 2
I appreciate the variety. Not my cup of tea, as it was a bit samey and unexciting.
Gracias a George Harrison descubrimos la música india con sitar. Interesante.
Technically impressive but not my type of music I probably have to be on something to truly enjoy it
This is a really difficult album to review, or appreciate. My ears are totally untrained for this type of music. I guess the sitar-improvisations by Ravi Shankar are exceptional, but I have no reference. Also, the lack of melody and droning nature of the music, the total absence of structure (except the raga as basis) make it hard to distinguish the 'songs'. It's just there... Having said that, I liked this a lot better than I expected. The sitar playing sounds impressive, I like the tambura. It's just that I can't stand the sound of tabla. It makes me nervous as hell.
More of a lesson than an album but I enjoyed the music and the teaching.
Something different. A soothing and occasionally engaging intro to classical Indian music.
Made me dissociate and speed lol. I liked the music, but I felt like the explanation in song one was unnecessary.
I just think it's neat
At first I was put off by how aimless and meandering the music is, but then I kind of started to appreciate that and sorta enjoyed the overall vibe.
Good music, but didn't care for all the explanations. I get it for the time, but would rather just hear more of the music.
Не те щоб я дуже люблю саме індійську традицію і звук ситара, але дуже подобається як Раві Шанкар пояснює прям на альбомі якісь моменти типу розмірів, або гармоній. Це цікаво.
I thought this was fun! I love following directions
I read the top review, about the guy doin drugs and fucking a frog or something like that, and knew I needed to invite friends over to get stoned and listen. Did not disappoint. Will never listen again though.
It was cool to listen about sitar but like... this was half podcast half music... which then brings up the question of what qualifies for an album... which then also pisses me off because if we're including podcasts, the albums that are on the list should be amazing right? RIGHT? 3 because I am too simple to rate something that is as complex as both words and music
Interesting, but not for me.
V interesting
man, this guy can shred a sitar. Funny thing is, the only reason the editors put this on the list is due to his influence on western artists like the Beatles. They could give a shit about Indian music.
Not something I'll listen to regularly, but worth listening to for historical and musical history. Absolutely belongs on this list
It's certainly interesting from a curiosity perspective - I actually enjoyed listening to it as a nice calming background for my thoughts. Not something I expect to listen to very often but I do see it has its place.
fun and interesting, sounds good for nearly 70 years old
Interesante, algo nuevo pero no de mi gusto, escuchable 😁
I kept waiting for The Beatles to come in.
probably the furthest i've drifted from anything i'd usually listen to. i enjoyed this waaaay more than i thought i would. you HAVE to go in with an open mind - don't try and compare it to western music. this album helped me find a true appreciation for this style of music. i loved how the first track is the artist explaining the basics behind indian music - he makes music that is so complex and sophisticated sound so beautifully simple. i can't see myself listening to it again but i feel like i've learnt so much from listening to it even just once. as a huge fan of percussion, the drums (which i know as the tabla, the dholak and the djembe) lie so neatly beneath the sitar's melodies.
I really enjoyed this and could hear his influence in the Beatles.
I respect him ig but sitar is not my thing
I'm glad to get this instead of some dad rock. It was alright, educational but I felt pretty indifferent about it.
I know I’ve said in other reviews that certain albums are good for newcomers, but this album is literally a great starting point if you want to get into traditional and classical Indian music. Ravi Shankar actually gives you instructions on how to enjoy the music and understand it. He explains the different instruments and beat counts. I personally found the album pretty enjoyable, but it’s not really a genre I usually listen to, so right now, a lot of it sounds kind of stereotypical and the same to me.
Pretty jazzy sitar playing, but it's hard for me to get into when it's only two instruments the whole time
I don't think as an art piece it's too interesting, but I like the form of it - a presentation of the culture.
I do not have the minimum requirement to listen to sitar music and judge it. Personally, I think it is pleasant and wonderful to listen to as background. But I don't have enough knowledge to analyze it further. 3.5/5
Stinky album.
"Everything is in 4/4 if you don't count like a dumb nerd." All joking asalad, this was a unique of sound with a calming vibe. You can feel that this music originates from the meditation mecca with the trance-y sitar sliding around the notes and the minimal percussion drums filtering in from time to time. Good background music while I'm playing No Man's Sky and warping through systems in my starship, but not really something that "hooks" me to seek out a specific track to listen to again.
I have very little experience with Indian music. I did have a Best of Ravi Shankar CD back in the day, but it got very little play and I don't remember it much at all. So really, my entire experience revolves around George Harrison, and the opening music track so closely resembles Within You Without You that I have to feel like it was a direct inspiration for George. Overall, it was a very enjoyable listen, but not one to keep focus on, more of a 'you know what, this is pretty great' as you are doing something else. It might be a little too samey to really focus on, but again, I'm not any sort of expert. I enjoyed it and will listen again in time, but for overall rating, it is stuck in the midrange, a 3 from me.
Dadra was a fun one, but not enough for me to save. If I could give half ratings, this would be a solid 3.5, but unfortunately not enough to push into a 4 for me 1 - would not listen to again 2 - if some one played it, I'd probably just zone it out 3 - didn't hate it, didn't love it 4 - saved some songs from the album 5 - would buy the album or already own it
I feel like after a listen or two, if you’re not using the album to learn, the instructional segments pulls you out of the zone the instrumental segments were pulling me into. I appreciate the album but not sure how often I would listen to this album as a whole.
A great introduction to the music of India. Ravi was clearly a master of his art. Fun to listen to, and you can absolutely see how this music clearly influenced the kinds of noodling we see in later years in Rock music. Probably one or two listens is enough for me though.
Sitar Phish
I love albums like this. Def want to relisten
Had no idea this existed, really interesting.
I enjoyed this album much more than I expected. Guess I'm into Indian traditional drone music now.
I very much appreciate the uniqueness of this album while having no interest in listening to it again.
3/5. Interesting. I liked the asides where he explained the scales and rhythms of Indian music.
Wszystko spoko, ale po co instruktaż na tej płycie? W razie jakbym nagle zapragnęła zostać wirtuozem tego instumentu? Reszta albumu jest ok, chociaż momentami trochę monotonna. Wszystko zlewa się w jeden wielki kawałek. No ale Beatlesi go kochali. Plus jest ojcem Nory Jones - samo to zasługuje na gwiazdkę więcej. 5.5/10
Glad to be exposed to this in its deliberate, expositional manner. I have a western ear for music though: it's interesting but not ... comfortable.
Not sure what to do with this. Is this our 3rd Shankar family project? 4th if you include Norah Jones? If I’m going to listen to Ravi I think it’ll be this, traditional Indian music. That said, I don’t think I will be. 3 stars?
Not my first time through this and definitely not my last either. With that said, this can be a challenging 53 minutes. Each time I listen this specific record, I imagine how mind bending it mustve been to have had a copy of this in the west. The instruments are so deeply set in a different world. That makes Ravis introduction to some conceptual stuff all the more charming and genuinely interesting. I probably wrote this in a different review already. I highly recommend playing a sitar and tabla if you ever see one around. They are super fun instruments with so much feel/configuration.
I mean, I'm not a big raga guy, but I guess as far as ragas go, this is top shelf stuff. Nets out at "fine background music" (unless you're my wife, who immediately demanded I turn it off when she came into the room). But she would have done that for most music
really nice but I have to read about this music
will i listen again soon - no did i enjoy it - hell yes conclusion - 3/5
The explanations of how to play the sitar are cool, but it’s not for me. 3.5 stars.
3.5* 83*
first listen great stuff but the instructional side takes away from the flow
Lowkey mesmerizing, this guy shreds, never gonna listen again but gotta tip my cap
I really enjoy the Intro to Indian Music at the beginning to help those of us who are unfamiliar with this music! It was nice music, but not my style.
The actual music is fine but i dont really want the explanatory detail. Not sure i will ever revisit this album but kind of enjoyed the experience of listening to it at least once
Undoubtedly novel to western tastes at the time. Now this music is infused in the culture across the UK. Exemplary playing but overall not earth shattering.
Enjoyable, not a style of music I've listened to before. Will probably revisit at some point. 3/5
I don't usually listen to Indian music, but this was interesting. Also the explanations were interesting and quite impressive what one can do with such an instrument
I didn’t expect to learn Indian music theory today but here we are. This was actually pretty calming to listen to while working.
I appreciate the tutorial. I enjoyed it, but despite his efforts, it still sounded all the same to my western ear. Maybe if I listened to it a few more times, but I don’t think I’m going to.
It was pretty and interesting. I also enjoyed the explanation at the beginning.
The sound of the sitar is very enchanting. I lit some incense and totally grooved out. I wish more bands would explain their scales and time signatures before every song. It's cool that we are getting some world music in this project. Maybe the next album will be some Tibetan Ritual Music, Balinese Gamelan, or some Aboriginal Aussies doing didgeridoo diddies. C'mon Album Generator, hit me with that world music challenge! Don't even make me get out my Ramayana Monkey Chant album. Props, Ravi really shreds it.
One of the many things I love about this project is getting exposed to world music I’d never know about otherwise. One spin through was enough of this particular album for me, but the sounds were cool and it was fun that he was explaining the music as he went along.
Honestly quite good— I was doubtful when I heard the first track (about letting go off your preconceptions from western music, which I assumed were subconscious since I didn’t know the terms), but this was definitely cool. A real get lost in the sauce record
Believe it or not, I own this one on CD (thanks Andy). When Ravi talks, this has some major Wes Anderson energy. It’s interesting to learn about the structure of Indian music, I wouldn’t have really thought about the time signatures being different, but it makes sense. It made me consider music to be more like language in the sense that it evolved differently in different cultures. As far as the music is concerned, my guy was definitely jamming. It was very impressive, but probably not something that I will return to with any frequency. I am glad I heard it though.
I mean, judging by the way people rate Indian and other Eastern music on this project, it seems rather appropriate that this album would open with a track that basically equates to an Indian music tutorial. Honestly, this album is mostly a highlight of sitar, and I liked that. But then again, I like sitar, and man is Ravi Shankar good on that instrument! A lot of people have rated this album fairly low, but I see lots of praise for the Western musicians who were inspired by Ravi Shankar and use his methods and style. He might as well be a rockstar, shredding on that sitar (and he definitely IS shredding on it). That's the type of influence we are talking about.
I tried but couldn't get into this.
Lød rigtig godt! Det var meget sjovt med de der introduktioner til indisk musik (selvom jeg ikke rigtig forstår det mere end jeg gjorde før), men synes da egentlig godt bogen ku ha valgt en af de mere anerkendte Ravi Shankar plader som ikke er produceret specifikt til et ikke-indisk publikum. Forholdet til ikke-vestlig musik er sgu lidt sketchy.
I can appreciate how talented Ravi Shankar is, the historical significance of this album, and I even enjoy this music style, but ultimately this is just background music to me. I don't even disagree with its inclusion in the 1001, I just can't rate it higher than a 3 - something that was fine but I wouldn't seek it out again.
Good but I’m not sure I’m in the right state of mind for Indian music there’s so much listening I have to do before I look for something completely new. Interesting though I liked it
Reminds me that placing a numerical value on music is all relative - how an album or song compares to the area of music it is talking to. Thus, it is silly placing a value on this, for which I have no reference point. Really enjoyed listening to new music though, and appreciated the explanation of the music throughout. I'll give an arbitrary 3*, glad to have listened and happy it was on this list.
It's a breath of fresh air to get something on this list that didn't come from the US or Britain. This was a nice introduction to Indian music by Ravi Shankar, who is clearly a virtuoso with the sitar. I'm not used to this kind of music so it was a little hard to really get into it but I still enjoyed it.
I liked how he introduced the format and structure of Indian music, I definitely respect it a lot but not sure if I'd go back to it much as an album
Fun, an educational bit, and then music I never would have listened to otherwise.
go back to school with Ravi
Didn't love the music but did appreciate the educational aspect
I love the exotic sound of a sitar, but I kind of zoned out while listening to this.
Look not to the West But rest and open your mind To sitar world’s best
Can get lost in this in a good way.
Interesting and a worthy addition to the list.
I know I’ve said in other reviews that certain albums are good for newcomers, but this album is literally a great starting point if you want to get into traditional and classical Indian music. Ravi Shankar actually gives you instructions on how to enjoy the music and understand it. He explains the different instruments and beat counts. I personally found the album pretty enjoyable, but it’s not really a genre I usually listen to, so right now, a lot of it sounds kind of stereotypical and the same to me.
cool and interesting but I doubt I’ll be revisiting this any time soon
Not my cup of tea. But will give it 3/5 for name recognition.
There are much better Shankar albums out there, but I guess this one’s important because it illustrates the interest of the West to the music of the East. The tutorials makes it feel like we’re listening to something basic
India's Van Halen
He's the Eddie Van Halen of sitar and he's very polite too.
Good album but I won’t be rushing to revisit it.
This is a really hard album to judge. It's literally just sitar.
Would love an album like this for more genres of music. It’s a great idea to get one of the pioneers of a genre to give context and attempt to provide a further understanding to a western audience. As an album of songs it’s not one I’m likely to put on all the time, but I appreciate what it’s doing.
Pretty cool
This is pretty hard to rate, since it's probably the only record on here showcasing a kind of music that can/must be classified as truly "traditional" or even "classical". I listened to this on the train from Berlin to Krakowa and found myself getting lost in, almost hypnotized by the sounds I was listening to while watching the Polish landscape drifting by outside the train window. As such, I found it to be a pretty enjoyable and even somewhat enlightening experience, as I'd never really immersed myself in Indian Classical Music before. At the same time, this is not something I'll probably ever listen to again. I feel kind of bad giving this a relatively poor rating, since it's without a doubt among the most (if not actually THE) most expertly and skillfully performed music represented on this list.
interesting but odd
Super cool and impressive and legendary but did not finish. Not my thing but I respect the hell out of it
definitely feel like I learned a tiny little bit about indian music/music theory, but not enough to properly wrap my head around it. Cool concept for an album.
Don't get me wrong, it is definitely great, and a good way to get introduced to Indian music and its styles. However it's just that compared to other Indian music i've listened to so far, this was by far the most repetitive one.
The musicianship is excellent, it's meditative and hypnotic at times, just not something that I'll listen to fully again, in the right time and place this music is brilliant
A good introduction to a style of music a lot of people following this list wouldn’t be familiar with
This mf shreddin’
Educational with Ravi going over and explaining the common tempos and progressions of popular Indian music at the time. Informative and enjoyable
It was a fascinating listen, and I definitely did not hate it. But being so far removed from western music, it’s not an album I’m going to be going back to again and again. The explanations Ravi gives before each track was great and I did learn a lot, but it made the album feel like one of the children records that teach music
I actually liked this album wayyyyy more than I thought when I originally say what the album of the day was. I loved that he introduced what he was going to do, the keys, the time signatures, it made me appreciate the music more. It was awesome, but in terms of replay-ability, probably not. I'm also amazed that this came out in 1957
Sette pris på tutorials før sangane. Mitt nye favoritt spoken word-album?
the sitar is a beautiful instrument, and this is just a lovely experience exploring the experimentation using this instrument.
This album is truly special. Through introducing the sitar to a Western audience, it delivers a captivating experience. The unique blend of elements in each song is beautifully composed, making for a fascinating listen. Not sure I'd go back to listen again, but very grateful I could.
Leuk met die uitleg, maar ook wel een beetje huiswerk om te luisteren. Toch best vermakelijk.
Joa, da kenn ich mich nicht so mit aus. Klingt nicht schlecht aber keine Ahnung. 😅
3.7 didn’t hate
Old folksy music, seemingly the kind some old person would play at the corner of a tavern with other old people happily cheering around. Stand-out: Dádrá
meh
I enjoyed the learning aspect of this album immensely, but honestly, it's just not hugely my kind of music, but if I ever want to listen to this style again I will choose this
Good album
super fun insteresting
This was an interesting listen. Clearly skillful and fun to have him explaining what he was doing at the start and between the songs. Good to listen to and worth being on the list. Not sure if I'd go back.
One of the good things about the internet is that an artist can talk about their art to their audience and not put it on the album that they might want to listen to on repeat. It's cool that this exists and the music itself can at times hypnotize. It would be really cool with some more dynamic sound. This will probably get me to seek some more of his or other Sitar music.
Divisive The music is both for me, an introduction to the sitar, and not. I never would have found this on my own. 3/5
Not my thing, but loved the explanations. This had me counting all the time
pqp sitar é mto foda. a vontade eh gritar QUEBRA ESSA PORRA RAVI pq o mlk é bom. não é minha pira, mas foi bem divertido. escutei organizando coisas aqui na empresa, passou rapidinho e me deixou menos cansado (?) eh bacana tbm as explicação dele. música indiana parece complexa.
I didn't like how the music was explained to me, but I did like the music itself.
Interesting listen. May put it on in the background sometime when the mood strikes.
The descriptive intros made it more enjoyable to listen to because it made me focus on the complex song structures. I'm dense, so I never would have noticed otherwise. Decent listen
nice and different
This was pretty cool, not sure I'd listen to the whole thing again but I did enjoy.
I liked the instructional parts, that was really cool. The rest was enjoyable too
Dude can shred.
I thought it important but a bit dated.
And here we have the newest winner of the "Most Literal Album Name" award! This is definitely what I expected an album called The Sounds of India to be. The only way this could be more literal is if the album was just recordings of life in India. What we have here is effectively an introduction to the stylings of instrumental Indian music, brought to us by acclaimed sitarist and George Harrison collaborator Ravi Shankar. Let me tell you, this is a man that knows his stuff. The bits of him talking about what he's doing with the music are nice, albeit a bit unnecessary for someone like me. The music is pretty good. It's very interesting to hear the differences in what non-western music focus on compared to the western music that I'm more familiar with. It's nice. The compositions are quite good. The Sounds of India is a pretty good introduction to what classical Indian music can be. It doesn't really do much aside from that, but it succeeds at its goal, so can you really call this album a failure? I wouldn't. I like this album. It may be a bit long and repetitive, but I'm happy I listened to it, even if I'm probably never going to listen to it again. High 3/5.
Seemed cool, i wasnt in the mood for a music lesson but in the right vibe I get it. The guy literally taught the Beatles
At last, something outside western rock. Still western-rock adjacent, and a gateway into Asian classical music. Worthwhile, but not one of my favorites.
Interesting, I suppose.
I like the idea of it and Ravi as a person. Wouldn’t listen again
This album was good overall, and certainly was exactly what I was expecting out of a Ravi Shankar album, but I felt a little uninspired anyway. I think that the intro part where he's talking about and showing examples of the structure of Indian music for a long time kinda took the wind out of my sales 3/5
Enjoyable in the right frame of mind
It's probably good, but its not my bag.
This is a great example of where I get confused with my ratings and where they may be artificially inflated re. usefulness to me. Musicianship and influence: 5. My interest in listening repeatedly: 3.
I really enjoyed this album, definitely reminded me of where the Beatles got the sound from in a few of their songs.
It sounds cool and I guess it's a good introduction to this kind of music but its so strange to my ears that I don't have the context to judge it.
Dude can definitely shred. Not really my type of music, and I don't think I needed a tutorial album for it. That being said, there was nothing wrong with this as some working background music.
I know George Harrison worked with this dude a bunch when he was going through his Indian phase. Oh yeah it seems Within You Without You is a direct influence from Dadra. I like how he's kinda teaching as the album is going on definitely a different approach to recording an album. I'm kinda a sucker for the sitar. Not something I'm going to be seeking out but I do enjoy the psychedelic sound of this album.
From the Wiki article "It is regarded today as being of historical interest for showing both Shankar's musical skills and his interest in teaching the West about classical Indian music." This is exactly what is wrong with this. I don't listen to music to be wowed by someone's skill or to be taught about some aspect of that music. I listen to music because it is an enjoyable experience and this is not enjoyable at all. I don't hate it but neither did I enjoy it so 3 stars.
This was interesting to listen to as someone who has not listened to anything like this. While I didn't follow what he was explaining it was fascinating to listen to him describe the music before playing it.
Already reviewed
3+
Appreciate the education on Indian music, but it didn't do much for me.
Muy interesante pero no lo pude terminar de escuchar. No es para mi
bueno pero no el mejor de ravi shankar
realmente lo puedo escuchar 10 veces pero no voy a poder juzgarlo porque es algo muy particular, y la unica referencia que tengo es George. Mi voto es secreto.
It was very interesting to hear about the different ways indian music is structured, but I'm not sure I feel it belongs to an album you want to put on to listen to. The music itself was nice, but I don't feel that I am knowledgeable enough in indian music to know what makes this stand out compared to other similar pieces, and therefore find it hard to see why this particular album should be on the list, and not some other sitar album. I do enjoy the sitar quite a lot though, would be very fun to try out sometime.
foundational Indian music sound. Not generally my preferred genre, but represented it well.
Here’s the crazy thing with expectations. Basing it on the current consensus I was preparing myself to have this. Instead I came away kinda liking this. I definitely appreciate it! An attempt to show the music of India isn’t “weird” to an English speaking audience. I thought there was some good stuff in this. 3.5/5
I like the album as education conceit. Still can't wrap my head around indian classical, and I even took tabla lessons in a different life.
3.5/5. George Harrison heard this once and made it his whole personality for the rest of his life, pretty cool. Partially a how to on approaching these non-western sounds.
Holy crap could Ravi shred. The end of Dádrá is wild. My thing with Indian traditional music is that I just have no attachment to the Ragas. I have no context, so it's all over my head any my head. And it takes a long ass time to get anywhere.
Eine sehr gute Einführung in die indische Musik. Hat was Meditatives. Ganz nett und sehr gut produziert.
Very different from most records on this list, but it’s still welcome all the same! The artist’s notes about the fact that this music has a different notes and structures than what one is used hearing in traditional western music is a very notable point. As they say, because of these differences, it helps to keep an open mind as an effort to enjoy music that might sound “strange” to you. I’ve certainly heard Indian music before, mostly through sound tracks and theme songs. But I’ve never sat down and listened to an entire album of it, especially in one sitting, and the experience is definitely quite “different”. I think the microtonal scales that this music typically functions under just feels like a lot for me to mentally process, at least after listening to it for long period of time. Thus, overtime, it feels mentally “busy” for me rather than enjoyable. I’d say that due to the fact I’m not used to actively listening to this type of music, it was hard for me to fully enjoy. This is not to diss the record in any way. It’s more or less just the result of my own music experience given what I’m used to hearing throughout my life. That being said, I believe it could be something I could get used to and come to appreciate over time. At the very least, it helped me create a baseline for what it means to broaden my horizons in the type of music I listen to from a cultural standpoint.
an unfamiliar sort of music that i did enjoy listening to
AITA because I kept expecting the music to break into The Beatles' Within You Without You? I appreciated Shankar's explanations and his musicianship is amazing but ultimately I don't see myself playing this record very often.
I'm guessing this must have been a very popular album at some point (it seems due mainly to the Beatles and George Harrison), but it still feels like a weird selection in this collection, especially with the opening "Introduction". It's almost a meta-musical-tourism experience, as we're getting a clearly talented Indian musician's sampling of a specific musical form in a specific musical tradition in a huge, sprawling country with an enormous diversity of musical traditions, yet ambiguously labeled "Sounds of India". I appreciate it that Ravi Shankar is making an effort to educate Western audiences to a very old and established musical style (and apparently the liner notes are extremely extensive); I'm not as sure that this album necessarily belongs in "1001 Albums" (but given that it is, it's surprising that the book editors were off on the release date by a full decade). But that said, it's a fine experience, and I'm pretty sure I haven't heard any of these tracks before.
I enjoyed this well enough playing in the background while I worked. That's not very compelling but it's the truth. Sorry, Ravi.
Good introduction to indian music
I greatly appreciate the lesson on the music of India at the start of the album. One thing he said is “we listen with an open mind and no expectation of melody or counterpoint as is found in western music.” By listening in this way I was able to relax into it. Good stuff.
3.5☆/5 09.12.2024
3.5
It seems like someone just picked a random album because it was somebody admired by a Beatle.
Oppitunti Intialaiseen musiikkiin. Oikeasti. Selityksillä oikein. Kiva tällä listalla kuulla kaikenlaista etnistäkin musiikkia.
Second Indian album I received this week. It’s OK but I have to be in the right mood to listen to it.
i mean, this guy whips ass at the sitar. this cannot be denied.
Education is a good thing.
I don't know how to rate this, it happened and was tolerable
intro- um idk how to rate this dadra- 5 maru bihag- 5 bhimpalasi- 5 sindhi bhairavi- 5 to be honest i was just zoning out while this way playing but it sounded ok when i was half conscious so