The Sounds Of India

This was really educational, which I appreciated. Pretty intense wig-outs too

not my type of shtuff

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.

Beautiful classical Indian music. It's hard not to give it 5 stars considering Ravi Shanker introduced the Western world to Indian classical music and thus it's one of the most influential albums ever. He may had other better albums but this album's importance beats all the others. Imagine how shocking it must've sounded in 1957 when almost no one in the West heard such music before. On a personal note I love this music because it's relaxing and totally unique.

Interesting and a worthy addition to the list.

Hard to differentiate between tracks. Any novelty which might have once existed in listening to such a different genre now gone.

World music India

I vibe with this

Strange sounds from another part of the world. Must have blown the minds of Westerners in the 50s (and blown them again when George Harrison adopted the instrument himself soon after). Has a quick charming spoken intro where Mr Shankar explains how to listen and then he shoves you right into the deep end into a meditative world of snaking loops, warmly ringing feedback and infinitely catchy ragas plucked out effortlessly at breakneck speed. He occasionally pops in to guide listeners along. Full marks. You can’t avoid getting swept up in 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.

cool and interesting but I doubt I’ll be revisiting this any time soon

I really appreciated the explainer at the beginning. I enjoyed this more than the other indian music on the list so far. The improvisational nature unfortunately results in a lot of moments of songs where I was really getting into what they were doing, then it all would completely change.

Not my style of music. I appreciate the lesson but still, no thank you.

Not my cup of tea. But will give it 3/5 for name recognition.

ngl as an instrumental music girlie i mess with this. i appreciate how the first track WALKS YOU THROUGH traditional indian music which is something i have NEVER heard in an album. little introductions were also present in bits and pieces throughout the album which was cool. this was completely different from anything i have listened to, but i’m really glad i did! 4/5.

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

From a historical perspective, this album is very interesting. In a world where the internet didn't exist and access to music was more difficult, this record was intended to introduce hindustani music to Western audiences. It probably created an important bridge between different cultures. Ravi Shankar also goes crazy on this one. A true sitar hero!

Good intro to the stuff you hear on many Beatles albums.

Informative and unique

He's the Eddie Van Halen of sitar and he's very polite too.

Absolutely wonderful! With this album, Ravi helped introduce the Western world to Indian music, and probably changed the very arc of human history. It's hard to imagine any other musician alive having more impact. It's also truly beautiful music.

Good album but I won’t be rushing to revisit it.

As informative as it is beautiful and entrancing. Ravi Shankar was a master of the Sitar as Miles Davis was to Trumpet, and Freddie Mercury to vocals. From this record, it is clear to see why he is so influential to the sound of the 20th century. Best Tracks: - Sindhi-Bhairavi Worst Tracks: N/A Rating: 9.5/10

This is a really hard album to judge. It's literally just sitar.

Fascinating and very very cool

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

May be someone’s jam, just not mine.

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.

Fun Indian rambling on the sitar

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 music lesson on track one is great

Interesting intro to sitar but I won’t listen to this again

Different and very good.

Great introduction to Indian music. 1957 - early introduction of Indian music into western popular culture no doubt influenced George Harrison. A great listen.

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

This was a very good album. I’ve touched on Ravi Shankar a handful of times in the past but this is my favourite work of his that I’ve had the pleasure to hear. I appreciated his commentary. I was quite fascinated when he pointed out one of the common timings - the two sets of 5 beats - it was fascinating to hear how well this sits with Indian music. Although not something I’d tune into every day, I will certainly revisit this recording, and Shankar in general, in the future.

The Sounds of India was the second of Ravi Shankar's albums released in the West. This record a monologue from Shankar; he spent a lifetime sharing and explaining Indian classical music to Western audiences. Skankar's mastery of the sitar is the featured element in these pieces, and his discussion is an interesting historical element to this recording.

A good introduction to a style of music a lot of people following this list wouldn’t be familiar with

I was shocked by how much I enjoyed this, and I really liked him explaining what was going on in the music

This mf shreddin’

an adventure!

Educational with Ravi going over and explaining the common tempos and progressions of popular Indian music at the time. Informative and enjoyable

Shankar was the master of this music. His influence on one member of the greatest band ever is absolute. Excellent primer for a music I probably would’ve ignored.

Interesting and educational too, but not a repeat listen.

Interesting

Lengthy songs and wildly exotic tones make this legendary

good, chill etc

3.6 I quite enjoyed that actually. I thought the vocal descriptions were unnecessary, just play the stuff, we're not in music school. But other than that nice to have on whilst working. Also impressive the Beatles heard that and thought "I'll have some of that"

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

What if that guy you know who is always playing obnoxious guitar solos instead played a Sitar? I think you would get this album. I didn't necessarily dislike it, but I would have liked it more if every song was cut in half.

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

I do not need to learn about the Sounds of India.. Not sure why it is on the list

Honestly if your album starts off with an explanation of the music you've already lost. This is nothing but a historical artifact which I kinda get if you're going to include make a list about the albums you should listen to before you die. From an enjoyment perspective... I can appreciate it but will not be listening to it again ever again lol 4/10.

Sette pris på tutorials før sangane. Mitt nye favoritt spoken word-album?

Makes for some okay background music. But it needs to be far enough into the background that the high notes don't annoy the shit out of you. Something about the way the sitar notes play. It's like there's a whammy bar on every other note. Which is cool but it gets to be too much.

Stopped paying attention at a certain point

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.

Не зашло

despite ravi's Very Helpful (and v pleasant to listen to) educational spoken interludes, i am not musically literate enough to rly follow the structures here outside of very very broad strokes (sometimes helpfully delineated by the presence/intensity of the percussion). still , tho im not anti-intellectual enough to assume i dont Need to learn more (id love to finally get some musical literacy in me) but i think my proclivities have always been set to hear music more as timbre than as structure (this rly is the explanation for me getting into free/avant garde jazz before i ever got into more accessible jazz lol), and its hard to beat these instruments in a timbre competition. not to downplay ofc the mastery with which theyre played...idk if this record's relatively low rym rating is because this isnt a particularly exemplary performance from shankar or because rym is bizarrely and irrationally allergic to spoken parts/interludes/whatever. but in either case i think everyone involved rips down the house!! tbh who even needs western harmony when everything sounds this rich to begin with. western harmony is a scam invented by composers to sell more chord progressions

Mit der Sonne im Gesicht auf dem Fahrrad richtig nice und habe das Gefühl, etwas gelernt zu haben. Aber der Dude hatte es nicht so mit Treue.

Joa, da kenn ich mich nicht so mit aus. Klingt nicht schlecht aber keine Ahnung. 😅

There should be more educational albums like this! I would love to hear them from all different cultures around the world, gently explaining the rhythms and patterns to listen out for, building appreciation. I’ve always casually enjoyed traditional Indian music and can definitely see why the Beatles and so forth fell into it deeply, even if it’s not something I listen to often. Also cool to read that Norah Jones is his daughter!

Loved this. The style isn't new to me, but so interesting to be listening and learning at the same time, and understanding it through a music theory lense. Very cool to think about how and why music has developed differently in different cultures, what is constant and what is the same. Also just banger music.

Can genuinely say I learned something today, plus I got to hear some good music.

Not really into learning Indian music beats

Nah.

Interesting from a historical and educational perspective, but not a great listen.

My doctor’s got me on a course of prednisone, a steroid, to help treat an upper respiratory infection (along with an antibiotic). Let me just say, I am shaking like a toothache right now. This thing’s got me more jittery than grandpa’s cellphone with the oversized buttons. I can’t believe people take steroids on a regular basis just so they can appear jacked. Like…what? My skeleton is trying to jump out of my flesh right now and there are people who walk around all day, for long periods of time, like this? I don’t understand people. …or the world for that matter. Sorry, I need a minute. …that’s better. Eating some lunch seems to have helped with the jitters, at least physically. Mentally, I’ve got about 5 different streams of consciousness going at once, but I’m going to see if I can pluck an idea out of one of those streams, focus in on it and deliver something resembling a review. In my current state, the polyrhythms, improvisational busyness and (probably most importantly) the drone of the sitar are coming into hyper focus to create a soothing soundtrack for this weird physiological experience I am undergoing. I actually kind of love this. The resonant drone of the sitar is one the most beautiful sounds on the planet: it undulates, expands and contracts, almost like it is drawing breath…a living musical instrument. A record like this is a reminder that not too long ago the world was a much smaller place. It wasn’t like you could just hop on YouTube, type in Indian Music and get a crash course on its theory. No, in order for this record to exist as presented to us here, a Western record label executive would have to decide it was a worthwhile investment and green-light it. Then, it would have to be recorded, pressed to vinyl and distributed. If you were interested in Indian music, you’d have to hope your local record store carried it or else spend your time tracking the record down. It could take months or even years from the start for it to reach the intended audience’s ears. It’s actually kind of quaint to think about the lengths we used to have to go to acquire knowledge. Now that it’s at our fingertips at all times, however, it sometimes feels like our instant access is taken for granted.

I mean, it's Ravi Shankar--what's not to like?

AYYYYYYYYYY

I'm sure this is amazing and really technical, but sitar music is similar to electronica for me--just background.

This guy is clearly good at what he does. But it's not for me. 2.5

3.7 didn’t hate

All sounds the same.

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

Not the biggest indian music fan but come on... it's Shankar

This is just a banjo with an accent.

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

No Thank you!

Interesting as a historical curio but deeply boring and unlistenable.

Really beautiful, calming and stirring sitar. Having heard of Shankar through his relationship with the Beatles, it was nice to delve into his own music

Lowk the concept of this is so insanely based. He's like "listen up this is what this is now let me fucking shred" Like Ravi Shankar is speaking imma listen and learn

Good album

I appreciate his talent.

The guy the listen to for Sitar. Great intro to Indian Music, World Music and just good music.

1/5

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.

taste of india

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

I find this more interesting and a bit meditative than great. as someone who likes to learn about music It's fun to dive into other cultures different musical systems like micro tonal music. as a 1001 album it feels like there are probably more accessible albums to choose. so this is not for people who don't like non-western harmony I won't claim I'm that it was eyeopening for me but as he said in the beginning "don't expect anything". If you want to give it a chance just don't focus on the music and just let it wash over you like a sound bed. maybe you like it, maybe you don't. personally it was interesting and i did enjoy some of it but wouldn't re-listen to it.

Very nice for soothing background music. I kept expecting for some of these to breakout into a Beatles song (my brain has been wired that way). 3.5 stars.

I do enjoy the music of Ravi Shankar sometimes. Today was one of those times.

Not my thing, but loved the explanations. This had me counting all the time

Yes, there are only five songs, which excited me a lot at first, but that means that you get a lot more of those last four extremely long tracks, because the overall length is of a normal album. There is some sort of a tutorial in the first 4-minute song and then after that, he just parties with that instrument. Overall, pretty alright as a background listen but definitely not too easy focusing on it throughout, and yet slightly interesting though.

se a ideia era aprender com esse álbum eu aprendi legal!!! (infelizmente não é bom e detestei o conceito)

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.

a good chunk of this album felt like a music class. I first started listening during work, and it was a little difficult to pay attention, but I finished out at home and it made for a better experience. First and foremost it was just a cool experience, no one song stood out to me, and due to the length of the tracks its hard to pick a favorite, but I'd chalk that up to being unfamiliar with this genre. At the end of the day, cool.album, and the sitar fucking rules.

Really cool album. Took Mr Shankars advice to heart and listened with an open mind. While I had a hard time following the patterns he described the music was very enjoyable. Bhimpalasi was probably my favorite track. Would definitely listen again

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.

As a long time musician and listener, I like to think myself to be a student of music, but this was too much like a lecture to be an enjoyable album to just listen to. I enjoyed the explanations he gives, but it takes away from the listening experience almost 100%

While quite good from a technical standpoint, it's not really my thing.

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

Beautiful album. Super relaxing music. And I loved the explanations of modes and talas! The last improvisation it’s absolutely wonderful, full of energy! 4 stars

This is the kind of project that should be put into outer space, for the aliens to find, to prove that humans occasionally did beautiful things. There’s just nothing quite like this.

nice and different

This was pretty cool, not sure I'd listen to the whole thing again but I did enjoy.

This was just the meditative music I needed for my Christmas day run. I really enjoyed the explanations of the music structure, and appreciated and engaged with it much more. Inspired to explore more

Good stuff, I always enjoy having this kind of music on in the background. I enjoyed the explanations, an interesting thing to put on your album!

jesus you’d think from this list that there hasn’t been music made in India in the last 60 years

not my bag, respect the culture

A rather interesting introduction to Indian music to western audiences from Ravi Shankar, that is both groundbreaking and intriguing. Unfortunately, I still don't "get" it nor do I find the music easy to listen to. I realize it was historical with Ravi's interactions with the Beatles, but I usually skip over those songs with Sitar, because in my opinion it "ruins" an otherwise decent song. Sorry, not a fan of the sitar.

Not very good for listening to, but it was interesting to hear him explain things and it was probably important at the time

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.

Awesome. I could have done without the narration, but aside from that it was great.

Love me some microtones but this is quite repetitive.

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

Interesring, but not an audible album. I don't belive there aren't other albums with Sitars and Tablas that are much, much better as an album.

interesting in a scholar way, headache inducing after a while

No one should leave this life without having had some Ravi Shankar in their ears.

mehhhhh

Kuulostaa miellyttävältä. Mietin vain, miksi just tämä levy - nimenomaanko siksi, että se opettaa länsimaisen kuuntelijan kuuntelemaan itseään? Kyllä introsta hyötyä todella oli, mutta sen myötä levy tuntui joltain maailmannäyttelyteokselta eikä omalta itsenäiseltä teokseltaan. Ehkä projisoin, mutta tää tuntui silotellulta.

Opetus käy vähän raskaaksi parin kerran jälkeen, ja vaikka minun on mahdotonta pysyä musiikin kanssa kärryillä, se on kuulemisen arvoista ainakin intensiivisimmillään - mikä kertoo harjaantumattomuudestani.

I've had a lot of world music this week and this one was the most boring so far. I thought it would be intersting since it opens with some listening exercises, which is kind of cool on a first listen, but these songs are all just too long and too homogenous for me to want to listen to more. Ravi Shankar is obviously talented and this feels very influential to a lot of stereotypical Indian music and psych music with Indian flares, but a whole album of it is pretty dull.

At last, something outside western rock. Still western-rock adjacent, and a gateway into Asian classical music. Worthwhile, but not one of my favorites.

This album is beautiful and soothing. I am pretty sure it is not for everyone's taste, but I found it quite amazing. In many ways it is not all that far off from low Fi techno or electronica, stuff you can play all day in the background of study or work. I like how the artist was so matter of factly as he explained how the various components of the music structure was set up worked, as if "oh, that is easy" would be our reaction. There are lots of yoga poses that "look" easy as well, but I dare say not too many people can master an instrument like Ravi Shankar!

4/10

Man it's like I was back in college watching a youtube video explaining how differential equations worked. Incredible vibe

This one felt educational. Like sure I enjoyed what I was learning, but I do not feel the need to repeat the same lesson again in the same way.

The exact kind of thing I was looking for when I signed up for this challenge. I won’t blast this on repeat, but will definitely return to it when I need some sweet sitar sounds.

I really appreciate what this guy was trying to do with this album, but this is quite possibly the worst possible way that it could have been executed. Trying to get westernised people to be open to Indian music is a great thing, but this isn't how it should be done. The best thing is honestly to just have people listen to this type of music without thinking about it too much. He goes too much out of his way to try and get people to like this music, and in my opinion this doesn't work. He also goes in to far too much detail about music theory and explains all the technicalities of scales and what all the instruments do. I can't speak for everyone, but all that stuff just goes completely over my head. Music is about feeling and emotion, and having a connection to it. Not about maths or theory. In fact, people placing too much importance on letting music theory decide whether they like a piece of music is one of my biggest pet peeves.

no world, 欣赏不来

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

This album did zero for me!

Enjoyable in the right frame of mind

Can’t wait for the Mel bay cd on the new version of the list

The weird spoken word intro didn't help endear me to this. There's obviously something going on here but I can't tell one track from the next. I can't imagine a situation where I'd want to sit down and listen to this.

I can appreciate the historical significance of Ravi Shankar's music, particularly when considered in combination with his influence on various rock/pop artists in the 60s, but The Sounds Of India is definitely more of a historical curiosity than an enjoyable album experience. I'll start with the pros. Shankar's sitar playing is fantastic. The tabla is also clearly being played skilfully, and the result is a smooth, dextrous journey wrapped in a reasonably neat 53-minute package. A little long, sure, but there are very few actual records with this genre of music, and it's good to have it out there. I also enjoy Shankar's brief spoken-word explanations of the musical theory behind each track. Now for the cons. 53 minutes is a passable runtime for records in general, but classical Indian instruments have an issue: the tanpura. Its one-note drone is fine in small doses or as atmospheric background music, but for almost an hour of close listening, it gets stale really quickly. Inclusion of a tanpura also insists upon commitment to a single key for the entire album, even if the musical modes change every ten minutes or so. (Relatedly: a small nitpick about Shankar's spoken word. He says in the first track that Indian music doesn't use modes – at least, not in the Western sense – but then uses four or five standard Western modes, including Lydian, Mixolydian, and Phrygian, in the album's tracks. What gives?) The album is a bit of a darg, lacking much in the way of textural variation, harmony (aside from the one chord), dynamic changes, or melody. Really, the whole thing is a sitar solo. Props to Shankar, I guess – but it's not really for me. 2/5 Key tracks: Dádrá

Nice to have some Indian representation, but it all sounds like the same sound. It bothered me that the artist was doing a music lesson, it didn't add anything for me.

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.

I love how Shankar is not only a musician on this album, he's also a teacher. His insightful introductions really helped a listener like me. The music is mind-expnading. It's mellow at times and frenetic at others. I loved the pairing and minimalism of the sitar with the tabla. This was so sonically enjoyable.

While I can certainly get down with some sitar on occasion, this was actively giving me a headache to listen to. Perhaps with repeated exposure I would develop a better understanding, but without familiar structures this became pretty taxing background music. This is not to say that the sounds aren't interesting -- they are. But unfortunately not something I can listen to and derive enjoyment from. Probably my loss, but from an enjoyment perspective this is a 2 for me.

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 liked how he explained the musical techniques at the beginning of each song. But those songs were way too long and repetitive and honestly this type of music hurts my head after a while

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.

My opinion: Ravi Shankar is the best musician of any genre ever.

I kinda liked the music, but I didn't care for all the talking. Between the accent, speaking volume, and content, I didn't really understand much of it and it detracted from the flow of the music itself. 2.5/5

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.

Interesting. Definitely creates an atmosphere, a mood. Not an album I’m apt to pop on at home just for like an everyday listen, but in the right situation it’s nice.

I feel sorry for those dimwits on here who can't manage to listen to an introduction to Indian classical sitar from the acknowledged master.

It was kind of Ravi to introduce me to the music of India. Unfortunately, it’s just not my taste.

I like how he explained the albums before so I could really not understand the appeal to the music.

Ravi Shankar was obviously influential on western pop music but i just can’t bear the sound!

Indian music. I enjoyed this, mostly because it was novel. I liked the little bits of music theory thrown in, to kind of explain what he was playing.

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.

As revered as he is…Not my cup of tea.

Historically interesting but not my bag.

Already reviewed

Wtf is blud yapping about

The Sitar is an interesting instrument but only sitar for a whole album is just not enjoyable as an album for me. Its cool to make a tutorial for the instrument and the music but i wouldn't consider it a album i need to hear tbh. I guess i am a huge fan of harmony in music.

Idian songs

3+

Appreciate the education on Indian music, but it didn't do much for me.

Never heard this before. I understand that it is an influential album, so I'm okay with it being on this list. But I don't plan on listening to it again.

Informative

Good album. Very nice to read to - shit helps you lock in so well. Best Track: Bhimpalasi Worst Track: Sindi-Bhairavi

Ravi Shankarn't do no wrong

Muy interesante pero no lo pude terminar de escuchar. No es para mi

bueno pero no el mejor de ravi shankar

La influencia de este disco en la historia de la musica no se puede medir

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.

I mean he's clearly very skilled and The Beatles clearly utilized this style a lot. I am however not really big on citar and don't have much knowledge in this type of music. It was ok I guess but I was quite bored by the end. Strong 2 star (feels a bit harsh though).

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

Gorgeous. Whether it was released in 1968, 1957 or 1960 as variously claimed here.

Quite hypnotic, really, and I didn't object to a bit of explaining as we went along. Twingly twangly good stuff.

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.

Despite Ravi’s patient lessons at the start of each track, I can’t consider myself enough of an expert on Indian music to discern if this album is a particularly proficient or exceptional example of the genre. I can only go on feel, and my feeling is that I was neither calmed, nor entranced by this in the same way I have been with other sitar-heavy records that have appeared on this list. There’s probably a time and place where it would click more for me, but it’s not right here or right now.

The best that I can say about this album, is that it is incredibly intricate and detailed. Not having any experience listening to this genre, I did enjoy as much as I could. Would I go out of my way to listen to it again? I don't think I would. Does that mean, that I am not a cultured person...maybe?

Not for me.

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.

Very hard to access this really and it all sounds very similar I’m sure it’s virtuoso playing but not for me in the slightest

The second album in a row that my review is just one word. Awful!! This is not an album, its a history lesson in indian music and culture.

Most people don't know much of Indian music so it's good that Shankar gives an intro here how it works. What follows is accessible music and usually not the parts of a long song you hear to illustrate a weed smoking scene in a film. It's great and atmospheric yet not too much.

Ravi Shankar is a legend and his talent is proven on this album. Explaining the fundamentals of Indian classical while still making in completely original. I’m a bit stingy when it comes to instrumentals, though, but I find it otherwise perfect. The production, writing, arrangement; all beautiful. 4/5

Eine sehr gute Einführung in die indische Musik. Hat was Meditatives. Ganz nett und sehr gut produziert.

I'm always complaining about the 1001 list being so US/UK-centered, and to my surprise, the last two weeks have been quite diverse in terms of the music from other countries delivered to me. It was necessary to wait for more than 900 albums, but it happened. For this album itself, I was totally not expecting a class about Indian music given by a sitar virtuoso musician, but the best things in life are those we didn't ask for.

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

I recognize that this is excellent representation of sitar music and culture. Great explanations and tutorial. 5 stars for that. But not for me.

This would be great in an introduction to music class. Did not enjoy as background music. 2/5

Eh. Not my kind of music

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.

Clearly quality but not my thing at all

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.

Definitely music you can get lost in. I don't know enough about this kind of music to know if it's comparatively good, but I did enjoy it.

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.

well this was a change from the usual. 53 minutes of sitar noodling from the 50s definitely wasn't on my bingo card. this had some cool moments, but overall just felt like a fun little 4-minute intro song and then a 49-minute block of the same thing. no vocals other than ravi's voiceover and nothing to really break it up. this is a 2.5 for me but i don't see myself ever listening to any of these songs again, so I'm gonna have to round down. sorry ravi favorites: an introduction to indian music

A classic from college.

Education is a good thing.

- Es war nicht schlecht aber einfach zu situationsbedingt. - Und dafür, dass es einen Einblick in die indische FOlklore bieten soll, war es erschreckend einseitig 2/5

- Mischung aus hypnotisierend und mal nervig gewesen - fand ich als "Erlebnis" ganz cool, würde es aber wahrscheinlich nicht wieder hören

Not my vibe

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

Can't deny his influence in India and worldwide, especially when you take into account the Beatles and his daughter, Norah Jones

Not for me at all.

After listening to this once I'm confident that what ever I manage to play on the Sitar is great and deserves to be on a "psychedelic rock" album. -Me in 1967 In reality I need to listen to this again as there's so much going on yet it's so simple but it's definitely not.

Ok

Pretty neat, i liked how they explained some of the rhythms and timings of what they were playing, giving you an idea of how and why it sounds the way it is. Not something id listen to often though, but good nontheless. 2.5

Very informative

After the 'instructional' first track, this album was rather pleasant to listen to, though perhaps not something I'd play very frequently. Good extend the range of albums in this list.

Good. Not something I'd normally listen to. Can't say I'll come back to this, though.

Classic early 1950's Ravi Shankar album in his wandering style that influenced everything musically-- consider the Beatles. This is enjoyable, but the later albums have songs that I prefer as he continued to evolve.

I once had the most amazing meal at an Indian restaurant next to a gas station in Reseda. My gf and I went in the middle of a hot summer day, the restaurant was dark and we were the only customers in there. We at a lot of curry and this played overhead and we were lured into this othermindspace, in an almost out of body expereince. We were completely relaxed and enlightened. We left entranced and may have even stumbled out of the eatery then jolted back to reality when we encountered the bright 3:00 p.m. sun and LA street chaos. Traffic, people, signs, etc. It was memorable. I don't think I've ever been in that state since. I attribute it to the curry and this album. Truly transformative.

The educational parts of Ravi Shankar’s “The Sounds of India” are really interesting, and the actual sounds of India are wonderfully rich as expected. As a music album though, it's a cool representation of Indian music but the lengthy sitar ragas are just a bit too much for me.

Like a lot of jazz on this list, I can appreciate the mastery of an instrument, but ultimately this is not an album or a genre that I would return to for listening pleasure.

I have drowned in sitar. I very much appreciate Ravi Shankar’s educational approach to introducing western audiences to Indian music. I want to elevate my rating based on his passion for teaching. But ultimately, I am glad this album is over and I won’t be returning for more. Thanks for the education Mr. Shankar!

indian music yea

The tutorial concept is cool. It didn't help but I appreciate the effort

I appreciate him giving explanations for what characterizes the style of music Good music to zone out to, it was much better than expected

While I can appreciate this album, it's not one I'll be going back to listen to

Me: ah, it's like jazz Ravi: don't think of this as being like jazz Me: ... I really appreciated the intro discussion. Surprisingly those few sentences enabled me to better appreciate what was ahead. The sitar has never appealed, but this was not a bad listen. A bit too frantic at times, but overall enjoyable.

enjoyable, interesting, impressive, and actually fits the definition of an album you "should listen to before you die." probably won't be throwing it on all the time but I'm richer for having heard it

lowkey crazy move to explain what’s going on in each song to the idiots listening but it was a cool touch!! im not sure i got what Shankur hoped i’d get out of it but not a bad listen, just not gonna get me hooked on indian music

This would have been a 4 if I were new to ragas but in fact I wanted to learn more from the introduction or have expert guidance listening to a full peace. Possibly Spotify helpfully crossfaded the explanations…

I liked the explanations of the music theory, and it was fine to listen to, but I got bored after the second track. I guess I have a terrible attention span, but I gave it an extra star because it was great to have world music on the scene when this album debuted.

Wow, that was fun. And while I do enjoy the educational asides it might be distracting enough that I wouldn't throw this on anytime like I might have otherwise. But still, great album.

Bueno

I loved the explanation before each song and the music was beautiful!

I appreciate the skill, but I don't like it at all. I wish there was an option to have gifs in your reviews, because this could so much more easily be summed up by a single funny gif of a bored and frustrated looking dog or something. Maybe a dramatic eye-roll from a small child, wise beyond their years. Or maybe I could just include a static image of me lying down flat on the pavement, looking utterly defeated.

Today I'm going to do one of the most complicated album reviews I've ever had to do. The time has come to clearly separate what is good music and my personal taste. I never bothered to do this before because I'm not a music critic, just a music lover. Indian music is not one of my favorites. Obviously, as a big Beatles fan that I am, I am very familiar with the name Ravi Shankar and the sound of his sitar. The entire album felt like a hyper-extended version of Within You Without You. But the album fulfills its purpose perfectly. Just as the title of the first song announces, the entire album is like an initial experience for anyone who doesn't know Indian music, a true introductory performance. One fact I would like to highlight is that Ravi is really good at playing the sitar. Everything I knew about this instrument came from George Harrison's songs and it was an extraordinary experience to hear the sound of an expert! In the end, I ended up really liking the album, even though it's not something I'll listen to every day, I feel like this experience brought me something very positive! I will leave an honest 4 star review.

Eh, not for me.

Pretty darned good!

interesting but not for me

This is so different than anything I listen to normally, and still it was thoroghly enjoyable. The little intro was a neat way to get into the experience.

Pretty trippy, probably good to listen to high. Nice that he explains what is going on even though it is probably too complicated for me and I don't really understand it. Nice music and the guy can really play, just not sure it is for me.

First Indian album that I heard on 1001 albums. Definitely interesting and reminds us that western music isn’t the only thing out there. I love the drumming on the songs. Also interesting that there’s explanations in the album. It’s more of a tutorial than anything

I would never have listened to this, and actually kinda vibed to it. I also found the opening song quite interesting - it's a very different way to approach music than the standard western "this is 4/4 tempo, here's middle C and a C major triad".

Enjoyed this - love the drone sound in background. Not sure which scenarios i would listen to this but definitely good fun.

Not listened to much sitar/Indian music before, but this was a great introduction! Enjoyed the demos at the start, felt like a young persons guide to the sitar a la Britten. Last song was great

A little different.

That was boring

Bastante rollo. Aunque me hacen gracias las canciones en las que cuenta.

Educational as it was it was something I could have lived without

Not my favorite

Will this be on the test.

Appreciate the instructions and context but it's still talent I don't appreciate

Loved him explaining everything and the music was very relaxing.

Good album. KInd of all blends together, but gets 4 stars for being something new and different from the rest of the list. 4/5

Requesting Dádrá next time i'm in the club

An important work without a doubt. Also a pleasant soundscape of Indian music to put on when the mood strikes.

In football terms, he missed a sitar.

an informational and detailed introduction to traditional indian music. the album is full of spoken easy-to-grasp knowledge and demonstrations of musical modes, scales, and improvisational techniques that are known across the country of india, and the meaning and feeling what it comes to how it is played, from the sitar to the tabla. i am giving it a high rating not only because of its cultural and historical significance but also its educational value.

Interesting but wouldn’t revisit. The Beatles apparently liked this guy better than I do

Very cool idea, to make an album like this that shares knowledge of the music it is portraying...

Nice indian music class!

I enjoy traditional music from all over. I appreciated the explanations since I am not super familiar with Indian music. Always liked the sitar in Paint it Black (favorite song, all time) and even Metallica used sitar in Wherever I may Roam. Cool album, appreciate the lesson and will definitely look more into traditional Indian music. It is a cool, mysterious vibe (I’m probably brainwashed from the shows and such using sitar to indicate mysterious, foreign vibes). Still cool af

What a nice surprise. Although I'm not really a fan of indian music I especially valued the explanations in the beginning coupled with the pieces. For me a discovery and one of the reasons why I am listening to all these albums here.

Educational and inspiring — words I reerely use about records on here!

uh. nahhh

Onhan tämä hyvää tykittelyä! Tosin kokoelmamainen länkkäreille tehty pläjäys. 3/5

Kunnon opastus intialaiseen impromusaan! Ei vaan kyseinen genre ehkä täysin aukea niin 3/5

Not a fan, personally.

Perfectly fine as a cultural waypoint but not really why I'm here.

This stuff hits every bit of my soul just right.

Just lovely.

Very nice but hard to pay close attention to over the full ~50 min. I got the most out of it when I was able to concentrate on the melodic runs. My powers of concentration these days seem...

Dit is het eerste album ooit met een instructie van hoe je naar het album moet luisteren. Helaas voelt het hele album daardoor ook een beetje zo: als een intro of blauwdruk van een muziekgenre in plaats van een daadwerkelijk album. De nummers zijn lang, gemiddeld een minuut of 10, en dan technisch heel ingewikkeld. Tenminste dat denk ik, mijn Sitar kennis is helaas beperkt, zelfs na de instructies. Het is wel een prima album voor op de achtergrond en de instructies zorgen bij mij tenminste op een lach. Ik waan me in India, en ik denk dat dat het hele doel was van dit album, dus ik ga het toch gewoon lekker een prima gemiddelde geven. FAVO: Dadra, Sindhi-bhairavi

This might legitimately be the most impossible album to review. I know literally nothing about Indian music. So like how should I know if this is good. It is important. I dunno 2.5