Dig Out Your Soul

Oasis released thier seventh studio album Dig Out Your Soul last October. Although its a bit late, but here is my review.

1) Bag It Up: - Instant classic. Various magazines touted it as next to Columbia from Definitely Maybe. But I didnt find any similarity betwwen any of them. The only thing both the songs share is that they are the most energetic songs in the respecive albums. Apart from that both are completely different. 9/10

2) The Turning: - Good song. will give 7/10

3) Waiting for the Rapture: - Penned and sung by Noel. Love the fast pace and very heavy guitars. Also the falsetto by Noel. 8/10

4) The Shock of the Lightning: - Great song as the first single for the album. No guitar solo but surprisingly a drum solo. Damn fast song. My fav on the album 10/10

5) I'm Outta Time: - Penned and sung by Liam. As Noel says this one is for ladies. Though I didnt understand why he included lines by John Lennon at the end. Anyways a good ballad and again one of my fav from album. 9/10

6) (Get Off Your) High Horse Lady:- Worst song of the album. I just dont know how it made to the album. This song may justify the lower sales of the album. 3/10

7) Falling Down: - Another one sung by Noel. Good song overall. Somehow it doesnt feel as Oasis to me. Its as if Oasis tyring to imitate some other band. But still it gets 7/10

8) To Be Where There's Life: -Gem Archer at work. Album name is taken from a part of lyric of this song. The sitar reminds me of George Harrison. And that's why its again one of my fav on the album. 8/10

9) Ain't Got Nothing: - A silly song with silly lyrics. Liam at work here. But still the song manages to grip you thanks to its short duration. Length is just 2:14. So it becomes bearable. 5/10

10) The Nature of Reality: - Andy Bell at work here. Nothing exceptional in the song. It gets 6/10

11) Soldier On: - Liam closes album with this brilliant song. Has a kind off psychedalic feeling which reminds me of Gas Panic!! 8/10

 

So the total album gets :- 80/110 i.e. approx. 8 stars out of 10.

Tapola (Mini Kashmir) Ride

Bladerunnerzzz, my corporate biking club sent a mail citing that next trip would be to Tapola which is often cited as Mini-Kashmir of Maharashtra. I was up and ready for yet another ride. After my Nagpur trip, I really never went to any decent ride.
On Sunday 18th Jan, I picked up my cousin from Swargate, as she also wanted a break from her college routine. She was pretty much excited to hear that she would be going for a 300 km trip.

After much of delay, we finally started from the Katraj by-pass. In all, there were 5 bikes and 6 people. After some pet-puja in the way, we reached Panchgani at Harrison Folly. This point is famous for its paragliding. But as it was not scheduled in our trip, we just shot some snaps and were off towards Tapola via Mahabaleshwar.

On the way, I again saw the marker on board saying Tapola(Mini Kashmir) some 40 kms away. I have never been to Kashmir and all I have seen is what Bollywood has shown to me. So I was kind off excited to see a replica of the Earth's Heaven pretty soon. But as we reached Tapola, our excitement soon died down. The place was so hopeless that we just wanted to leave that place right away. Although after some discussion, we decided to atleast have some photo shoots at this place as this was the prime destination for our ride. (What the heck!!!) The surrounding topography can be termed similar to Kashmir with a serene river surrounded by hills and small boats seen moving along water.The restaurants had a setup like Kashmir too. I mean when we were seated on the porch, all we could see around us was water...............

but........

-the hills that surrounded river were not at all green.. they were yellowish with all the grass dried down
-the boats were as hopeless as any boat can be
-the restaurants were small tapris which were just extended with the help of a porch just to be above water.
A thorough disappointment.

This spot is supposed to visited in monsoon. Maybe we will try again I am really that how can someone name this place as mini kashmir???

My second ride when I came to a place at wrong point of time in the year.

On our way back, we stopped at a strawberry farm and picked up fresh strawberries from the farm itself. The farmer was happy to share with us the information as to how the strawberry farming was done.

We headed back to Mahabaleshwar where we did some boating. I got a chance to row a boat for the first time in my life. Again some pet puja at highly bragged Mapro's restaurant before Panchgani. The place is too costly although I love the hot-chocolate brownie that they serve.

Now the only good part of this ride. I was approx 140 kms from Swargate. I covered that distane almost in 2 hours (maybe 5 mins late). Those 140 kms included 20 kms of Mahabaleshwar ghat and again 15-20 kms of hopeless Pune evening traffic. One helluva ride back which saw me taking my bike to extreme limits for a first time with a pillion. My cousin Preshu was a silent spectator, she didnt chose to speak much until we reached her home. In the end, but she confessed that it was exhilirating for her cruising at triple digits. I think girls make really good pillions instead of guys.


Statistics:-
Distance :- 326 kms
Route :- Pune - Mahabaleshwar - Tapola - Mahabaleshwar - Pune

Stop Crying Your Heart Out v\s The Hindu Times

Today, I am in mood to become a critic of one of my most favorite band.
OASIS (Can I hear Go Let It Out.........?)
So I am comparing 2 of the songs which are in no way related to each other. So what does this means?
It means,I have hell lot of time to kill today

Stop Crying Your Heart Out
Hold up!
Hold on
Don't be scared
You'll never change what's been and gone

May your smile (may your smile)
Shine on (shine on)
Don't be scared (don't be scared)
Your destiny may keep you warm

Cos all of the stars
Are fading away
Just try not to worry
You'll see them some day
Take what you need
And be on your way
And stop crying your heart out

Get up (get up)
Come on (come on)
Why're you scared? (I'm not scared)
never change
What's been and gone
Cos all of the stars
Are fading away
Just try not to worry
You'll see them some day
Take what you need
And be on your way
And stop crying your heart out
Cos all of the stars
Are fading away
Just try not to worry
You'll see them some day
Take what you need
And be on your way
And stop crying your heart out

We're all of us stars
We're fading away
Just try not to worry
You'll see us some day
Just take what you need
And be on your way
And stop crying your heart out
- Noel Gallagher (Oasis)

Such a wonderful song!!!! mean, look at this, such a cute but sad ballad typically for girls to keep on drooling. A typical song for heart broken ones to get up and move on and all that stuff...
But is this really Noel?

Noel is known to make some stupendous music with the help of some nonsense lyrics like the song below:-
The Hindu Times
I get up - when I'm down
I can't swim - but my soul won't drown
I do believe - I got flare
I got speed and I walk on air
Cos God gimme soul in your rock'n'roll (babe) (x2)
And I get so high I just can't feel it (x2)
In and out my brain, running' through my veins
Cos you're my sunshine you're my rain

There's a light - that shines on
Shines - on - me - and it keeps me warm
It gimme peace - I must say
I can't sleep - cos the world won't wait
Cos God gimme soul in your rock'n'roll (babe) (x2)
And I get so high I just can't feel it (x2)
In and out my brain, runnin' through my veins
Cos you're my sunshine you're my rain
- Noel Gallagher (Oasis)

What the hell?? What the South Indian leading English Newspaper Daily has got to do with swim, sunshine, rain, God and all........
And still this song went on to top the UK Singles chart....
Hmmm!! If you listen to it once you are surely gonna like it. But what the title track has to do with lyrics and by the way what lyrics are supposed to mean?? How can someone sound so stupid and still be so famous...
After listening over and over again hundreds of times(which I never regretted), I noticed some things: -
As per Noel, the main guitar riff in the song sounds like a heavily tuned Indian Sitar.. (Now the Hindu walaa thing makes some sense) Noel claims to have gotten the title from the T-shirt.
And the lyrics, if you closely have a look at them, they have optimism written all over them. In fact there is nothing negative in the song, if there is anything, its just brightness & cheerfulness.. Listening to song always makes me happy. It is kinda song which you should set as your alarm clock on your high-watt deck. Rising up in morning listening to this song surely will make a great day.. (Gosh!! I miss my stereo system lying in Nagpur..)

So The Hindu Times is a clear winner although I also love Stop Crying....

P.S. - I am listening to The Hindu Times while writing this....

Black Ice

No this is not about the black ice that we find in Ladakh in winters or as a matter of fact any frozenland.

AC/DC released their first album in Nov' 08 after a long hiatus of 8 years by the name Black Ice. I was pretty much excited when I heard in last July that AC/DC will be realeasing the album After all which rock would not like to hear another Back in Black from one of the greatest rockers of all times. And the name Black was common in the name of both albums, so I was really waiting for album to hit the stores. As soon as album released worldwide, I could see the revies on net which further increased the desire to lay my hands on the album. At last after a week, the album hit the Indian stores.
"Rock N Roll Train" An unusual name for a song. But the song rocks and rocks really damn good. I was listening to only this song for straight 2 days. Angus Young still has the power to make you headband melodiously. And no wonder why AC/DC's years without Phil Rudd were not productive. I have always liked Phil drums. They are not phenomenal but no one can fit into his shoes in AC/DC. His style is so unique and you can instantly tell its Phil on drums. He is always reciprocate to the rawness created by Young brothers on guitars.

Amongst other noticable tracks are Big Jack, Skies on Fire, Smash N Grab. Also the highlight is title track Black Ice. Rest of the songs failed to impress me. I was expecting much more good songs from a list of 15. So the verdict is that its not as good as Back in Black or I would rate Higway to Hell better than this.
Anyways, Rock N Roll Train has became one of my all time favorites.

Bullitt Mustang

I happenned to watch the movie Bullitt recently. I had heard that the car chase sequence in the movie is phenomenal. But you have to watch it before you believe it.

Man!! The car chase scene will surely blow you away. It is one of the most amazing and thrilling scene I have ever watched in any movie till today. What made it special was that the movie was made in 1968 when special effects weren't in. The villian was stunt driver himself, so he performed most of his stunts. Even the hero, Steve McQueen, had given his own stunts in the stunning 1968 Ford Mustang.

I will heavily recommend the movie because of this car chase. The rest of movie isnt that bad either. A typical thriller movie in which detective McQueen busts the bad guys. But it was one of the first movies which showcased hero as a rough n tough cop.

The 1968 Bullitt Mustang (the name it got after movie) in the foreground with GT390 Mustang in the background

P.S. :- I am a great fan of the species called Ford Mustang specially the 80s series.