Notorious - Livin It Up (Album Review)
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Record Label: Silverbak records
Release Date: May 2006
No Of Tracks: 10
The EXCLUSIVE album review of, Notorious Jatt - Livin It Up!
SimplyBhangra.com, Telling it how it is!
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Notorious Jatt, is now 5 albums old. After ‘All due respect’ blew up the dance floors in 2004 with the smash hit tune ‘Pegg’, can Notorious follow it up with another smash hit tune or was it just a fluke?
He has assembled a heavyweight line up of vocalists on this album, bringing together Kuldeep Manak’s nephews, Parget and Jagdev Khan, Preet Mahadipuria, Hardev Mahinangal, along with a whole host of others!
Notorious Jatt has certainly come along way since the days of the dodgy videos ( Jaan Jitey Ve Punjabi) and the dodgy album covers, to what I thought was a much underestimated album ‘All Due Respect’.
The hype of ‘Livin It Up’ has been growing steadily, ever since the video was aired, im sure that unless you have had your head stuck down a hole for the past month, you would not have been able to miss the video playing or ‘Aish’ blastin’ in cars up and down the country. And of course the build up of hype hasn’t been helped by the numerous delays put on the album, well it’s a Bhangra album isn’t it, it wouldn’t be the same without a delay!
Enough of the politics talk; let’s get down to seeing whether this album is worth £10, telling it how it is! Simply Bhangra style.
From the singer of ‘Pegg’, Notorious Jatt once again teams up with Preet Mahadipuria to deliver this monster tune ‘Aish’. These two have formed a deadly partnership able to destroy any dance floor! The vocals are clear, concise and powerful. Lightin’ MC does his best to hype up the track, and in my opinion does ‘alrite’, although if he wasn’t on the song it would not take anything away from it! The strings are similar to Aman Hayers, Tharthi Hildi, who played the percussion on the next track. Theres no talk about ghost production here, after Pegg he shows us that it certainly was not a fluke. This song is going to be HUGE, however only on the dance floors. The novelty factor will wear off this song, so be warned, don’t rinse it too much… but after a few drinks no one will care!
‘Marrey Dil Vaaliyan De’ sees the introduction of Kuldeep Manak’s nephew’s, Parget and Jagdev. The duo perform a collaboration here which, I can easily say will outshine anything this year, or even last. The vocals are incredible, raw, desi and folk is the best way to describe to this track. And what makes it even better is the music to this. Notorious Jatt has kept it true to the vocals and singers. Be warned if your into your watered down Bhangra, this isn’t for you. I can say, I have not heard a track like this in a long time, it demands a rewind each and everytime it finishes! I have to mention once again the quality of the vocals are immense, the two nephews have finally stepped out of the shadow from their legendary uncle. Better than Aish? You better believe it.
Highly respected folk singer Hardev Mahinangal is on hand here to provide the vocals to the melodious ‘Callage’, well after Aish and Marrey Dil Vaaliyan De, this exactly what we needed.Hardev Mahinangal is relatively unknown outside Punjab, but is highly regarded, and this track shows why. The beat is soothing and does its best to stay in the background and let the vocals do the work. Just sit back close your eyes and relax. This song wont get the recognition it deserves, although not on par with the previous two songs, it defiantly is a quality song.
So that’s 3 out of 3, can ‘Gabhru Naal Pyar Hoygeya’ carry on the success of the previous songs? Damn right it can, too many I have spoken to, its there best off the album, its hard to disagree with that opinion. The grimy hip-hop beat by J-Vybe is coupled with the vocals by Amrita Deepak. This is; Folk meets hip-hop. The vocals are your usual Punjabi female style, powerful! Think Jaspinder Narula. The rapper Lexi goes well with the song, complimenting the flow and the beat. The deep bassline is going to be popular for all you boys (or girls) and your subs! This is a hidden gem on the album, make sure you don’t miss it.
‘Aar Paar (Ride or Collide)’ links up new Punjabi vocalist Pardeep with Mc Tazzz (reppin’ East London ...Brap brap! Lol). Notorious Jatt delivers a dark and sinister track here! Pardeep does well, although I’v never heard of him before, he certainty has done nothing to ruin his small reputation. Im not too fond of Mc’s on Bhangra songs, but Tazzz adds to this song. Maybe this song will grow on me, I’m not too sure what this song intends todo for the listener.
Notorious Jatt is back on the desi/folk style which has been flowing throughout this album. ‘Punjab Nu Sambhal’, sang by Dalvinder Dialpuri. The intro is much reminiscent of a jazzy b song, and you could be forgiven for thinking that. The song is very desi, fresh from the pind as they say. The vocals are impeccable, and the music does well to compliment them. This song is defiantly no filler, hardcore desi Bhangra, just how I like it!
Another Collaboration on this album, this time bringing together, Parget Khan and Amrita Deepak, singing ‘Folk Love ‘the vocalists from the two biggest tracks combine, however after their previous songs, it is a bit of a let down. The track once again is straight outta punjab, which is how it should be! The song does tend to drag on a bit, the production is abit wayward on this one, it does not do enough to keep you interested. Well, Folk Love, it does exactly what it says on the tin!
‘Mussafir’ is one of those songs people will just skip each time and every time. However it is another hidden gem on this album, give it a proper listen, its not for the younger audience ( I still consider myself young!) Jaswant jassi provides the vocals, who does a good enough job.
Lightinin MC brings his Play-az lab crew on this one, ‘Aag Vich Paani’. This tune as far as the credits announce has been produced by Jas Panesar of the Play-az lab. The vocals are by a Jassi Commando, ( that is his name). This tune is more chilled and laid back, something you listen to when your kickin’ back with your mates. Lightinin MC is also on hand to drop a few lyrics. The production on this track is ok, its more chilled than anything, however the track feels somewhat incomplete. Although a good song overall.
‘Haan Kardey’, sees the return of Preet Mahadipuria. This song has been well produced, the vocals are ok, but Preet sticks to his one style which has seen him through Pegg and Aish. The song does nothing for me, sounds like a filler.
Onto the final song, ‘Babbar Shere’, and I love this song. This is one for all you red blooded
Punjabis out there! The lyrics are all about boosting our punjabi ego. ‘Punjab, Jiteh Sher Jamde’. The music is typically desi, dhol, dhad and algozey, what more could you ask for. The vocals by Jeet Shaan and D.Arry are perfect, giving the raw effect the lyrics needed. Another top tune! Just put this as loud as your speakers can handle!
5 albums later, from being a comical figure, Notorious Jatt has come out with this, ‘Livin It Up’, 11 tracks. And for me, its album of the year. Theres been a lot of competition with Ne Baliyeh, but I think musically, Notorious Jatt has quite simply smashed it. A producer from the UK brings out an album with the sounds of folk punjab? Well its here. Aish is your token dancefloor anthem, but there is so much more to this album than Aish.
Marrey Dil Vaaliyan De is going to absolutely huge if given the right exposure, pure folk pure desi! Throughout the album there is quality production, however the last four/five tracks do not match the quality of the first four of the album, but give me a album which does? Ne Baliyeh was made for the dancefloor; however Notorious Jatt exceeds it both in originality and musically. Notorious Jatt has delieverd one of the albums of the year, and in Aish, Marrey Dil Vaaliyan De and Gabhru Naal Pyar Hoygeya the three top tunes of the year.
7.8/10
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