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If Chris McCoy is preaching the gospel, then brothers and sisters…I’m a believer. His 2006 CD Colder Chicago Sept. Hymns (Beachhouse Records, 2006) is a testament to his abilities as a lyricist and musician. I first heard samples from the album on McCoy’s MySpace page and was immediately reminded of Frank Black’s first solo album…and yes, you’d better believe that is a compliment. The comparison extends beyond songwriting and musicianship into the ethereal smoothness of Chris McCoy’s vocals. Truth be told, somewhere in there you might also hear a latent edge in his singing that is reminiscent of Live’s Ed Kowalczyk.
All of my quasi-esoteric comparisons aside, one of the best compliments I can bestow upon Colder Chicago is that it’s the kind of album that I’d love to fall asleep to. It’s a strange thing to say about a record for sure, but I have an unusual tendency to at least partially gauge an album on what kind of dreams it might evoke when I doze to it. It’s a paradox of sorts as the music of Colder Chicago makes it relatively easy to fade blissfully away while simultaneously bidding me to pay close attention for what the artist might offer up next. McCoy & Co. lay down some surreal tracks in which shimmering guitar work features rather prominently. All this "dreaminess" is not to say that I haven’t given Colder Chicago an attentive listen during my waking hours, mind you. The CD has actually become a staple in my listening repertoire these days. Here’s a side note to all that: The first time I listened to the disc I was driving around with my 6 year-old daughter and it wasn’t long before she was singing along with one of the songs. I don’t think she really nailed the lyrics though, because I distinctly remember her singing about cookies at one point. But she did like what she was hearing, I’m sure of that.
Colder Chicago kicks off with "Awake & Under" which effectively communicates to the first-time listener the great things that lie ahead on this album. The underlying guitar riff has a triumphant feel that seems to unwittingly channel the ghost of Phil Ochs (from some of Phil’s more upbeat tunes). The song features a well-timed break of feedback that would make Thurston Moore proud, splitting the track into a distinctly acoustic introduction and a triumphantly symphonic finish. No doubt this is a fantastic way to start an album as it brilliantly sets the tone for the remaining set. Subsequent tracks like "XXVI” and "No Devil" capture something of a post-Pixies vibe with a pleasant blend of strong, clear leads that are complimented nicely with subtle effects and background melodies.
"Tonight, This All Is Over" is a particularly intriguing track which is built around a tango-like piano ostinato and a gently driven backbeat. It fits well in the overall tapestry of the album while standing out as a unique gem unto itself. Had McCoy and The Gospel released singles for Colder Chicago, "Tonight" would’ve been a nice follow up to "Awake & Under."
"Take Me Home" and "Westgate" round out the collection of 9 tracks on the album and in some respects it’s actually difficult for me to think of these as anything but two distinct parts to one tremendous song. The hypnotic organ/keyboard melody in "Take Me Home" comes to a fitting end as the loop careens into a brief yet noisy coda. Call me crazy but it really does remind me of the "Star Gate" sequence in 2001: A Space Odyssey with "Westgate" representing the other side of an otherworldly journey.
All in all, Colder Chicago Sept. Hymns is an evocative and enjoyable listening experience. With so much to offer, it’s my sincere hope that Chris McCoy and The Gospel will embark on a revival someday soon and add a few more chapters to their scripture of sound.
Purchase individual songs or the complete album through CD Baby.
My interest in Indian cinema was recently rekindled when I found that an Indian/Pakistani grocery store opened less than a mile from our home. Only minutes into my first visit there, I landed an inexpensive DVD of the 1994 movie Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! (Who Am I to You?) which was a terrific find as I had wanted to see the film for years. I first became interested in the movie after hearing the song "Maye Ni Maye" on a CD of Lata Mangeshkar's playback hits. The song is, of course, from the Hum Aapke Hain Koun soundtrack and although I had no information regarding the lyrics or context of the song, I have always enjoyed it a great deal. As Hum Aapke Hain Koun remains one of the most successful Bollywood films of all time, I have been curious about it for some time but it's proven difficult to find an affordable copy in years past.
I watched the DVD over the course of three or four nights. It's a very long film (200 minutes) and it's not always easy for me to commit my full attention to reading subtitles for long stretches of time. It's hard to say that my expectations weren't high considering that this film is considered by so many to be a modern-day classic but I usually prefer politically-themed dramas or historical pieces to romantic comedies and this particular movie was certainly the latter.
Hum Aapke Hain Koun is undeniably fun in many respects. The musical numbers are particularly well-staged and entertaining and I was not disappointed to finally see the performance of "Maye Ni Maye" in its entirety. I especially enjoy the percussion and choral arrangements in the song. The segment of the film that features the song "Mausam Ka Jaadu" features some wonderful scenes of what appears to be an agricultural festival set against some rolling fields and a magnificent landscape. Another of my favorite scenes from the movie is part in which the main characters gather in a courtyard to play a game similar to "musical chairs" in which people sit in a circle and pitch a pillow around from person to person while music plays. When the music stops, the person holding the pillow is "out" and he or she has to sing a song or recite dialogue from a famous film to entertain the other players. In this scene, the actors perform scenes from Mughal-E-Azam and Sholay (and possibly a few others).
The movie doesn't require a lot of thought and it's not an emotionally trying or taxing experience to endure…at least not for the first two hours, anyway. The better part of the film is basically a celebration of the new marriage of characters Rajesh and Pooja as a romance between Pooja's younger sister Nisha and Rajesh's younger brother Prem simultaneously unfolds. The character development is slow yet steady and it's complimented well by wonderfully orchestrated and choreographed musical interludes.
The main plot twist comes well into the film with the sudden demise of Pooja. I had not read much about the actual plot of the film immediately before watching it, so this development came as a complete shock to me and while it did succeed in grabbing my attention, I was also a bit distracted with the question of why it took so long for such a major development to occur. Pooja's accident and her death happen with less than one hour to go in a film which runs nearly three hours. For this reason, the drive to the film's climax seems unnecessarily rushed and this provides an unfortunate distraction from an otherwise intriguing storyline.
I think there are some cultural differences which also made the film fall slightly short from my perspective. The main thing to remember with this story is that arranged marriages are still an accepted tradition in some parts of the world, including North India which is the setting for Hum Aapke Hain Koun. The marriage between Rajesh and Pooja is arranged but this is tempered with what appears a genuine and mutual appreciation between the two individuals. But later in the film when it is Prem's turn to find a wife, he is asked by Pooja whether or not he prefers to have an arranged marriage or one based on love. His answer is something to the effect that he wants an arranged marriage that is based on love. Again, it seems the filmmakers are trying to put the best face on a multifaceted and relatively controversial issue.
There are some real incidents of overacting throughout the movie (such as some silly, "comedic relief" type segments) that were difficult for me to get used to and I am surprised that there was so much of this in such a highly successful, modern piece of cinema. I am also surprised that with such a large cast, the films soundtrack is basically limited to the performances of two playback singers (Lata Mangeshkar and S.P. Balasubrahmanyam). Despite the greatness of a talent such as Lata, it just seems a like a lot to ask of viewers to accept that with so many actors and actresses performing, their "singing voices" are those of the same two people, over and over again. Finally, with respect to the aforementioned plot twist (note that I have been careful as to not provide too much "spoiler" details in case anyone reading this actually wants to watch the film for himself or herself), it's something of an abrupt deus ex machina which involves Krisna working through the family dog Tuffy to bring everything to a peaceful and happy ending. For the characters, it's all good but from my perspective, I couldn't help but feel a little…unfulfilled. It would have been nicer to see the characters work things out on their own without having to rely upon on divine intervention. That's true for real life too, I suppose.
Hum Aapke Hain Koun is surely a "must see" for anyone who truly enjoys Indian films. It's not perfect by any stretch of the imagination and it's not really comparable to most of the Golden Age Bollywood classics. The movie does have a charm all its own, though, and I'm glad I finally got to see what all the fuss was about.
"Maye Ni Maye" from the film Hum Aapke Hain Kaun..!
If Chris McCoy is preaching the gospel, then brothers and sisters…I’m a believer. His 2006 CD Colder Chicago Sept. Hymns (Beachhouse Records, 2006) is a testament to his abilities as a lyricist and musician. I first heard samples from the album on McCoy’s MySpace page and was immediately reminded of Frank Black’s first solo album…and yes, you’d better believe that is a compliment. The comparison extends beyond songwriting and musicianship into the ethereal smoothness of Chris McCoy’s vocals. Truth be told, somewhere in there you might also hear a latent edge in his singing that is reminiscent of Live’s Ed Kowalczyk.
My interest in Indian cinema was recently rekindled when I found that an Indian/Pakistani grocery store opened less than a mile from our home. Only minutes into my first visit there, I landed an inexpensive DVD of the 1994 movie 
