Pichal Pairee The reinvention of Overload

November 1, 2009

The band is back and it’s louder than ever before.

Overload

“I can guarantee that whoever comes to our concerts will leave dancing,” said Overload drummer and band leader, Farhad Humayun once. One doesn’t find that hard to believe. Even when the Lahore-based band is performing in a city like Karachi where audiences in comparison tend to be a tad more inhibited, one has seen people get up and shake their backsides to Overload’s performances.

The band created its big bang when it came on our screens a couple of years ago with a music video for the track Cursed which featured the likes of Pappu Saieen and co. Since then, the largely percussion-based band has been making waves doing the kind of music they do (a fusion of eastern and western percussions supported by almost tranquil piano work by Sheraz) and have managed to amass quite a fan following. Back then Farhad once stated, “The people of this country are more attuned to songs with lyrical content in them, they need to have the song’s meaning spelled out to them. We’re out to change that notion.” And they did precisely that.

In an environment in which the sheer structure of the music industry is undergoing a change because of rapid digital online distribution of media and the world wide web making media not only instantly accessible to users but also providing them with a direct link to the artiste, Overload chose to go the way paved by Radiohead: they released their second album online on their website www.overloadbeats.com for free. The album titled Pichal Pairee has been downloaded by thousands of users not only from Pakistan but also from abroad. They’re perhaps one of the few mainstream artistes who completely own their material as well since they chose the riskier path of not signing up with a record label, relying on them for promotion or release. “Make music and just put it out there,” commented Farhad, “what are you waiting for? We’re already working on new material.”

The band has an additional member in the form of Meesha Shafi, model/actress/artist who has been exercising her vocal talents with the band in their performances both in India and in Pakistan. Hasan Mohyuddin, who used to play the tumkinari in the band, is currently pursuing a degree in the UK and had to make an exit although he contributed creatively to the title track. Meesha adds a whole new dimension to the band and her unique vocal tone at times reminds one of Amy Winehouse (especially in the song Pichal Pairee) and at times of the eccentric, but incredibly talented Icelandic-singer Björk, case in point, the track titled Amjad Khan.

Although some of the tracks still feature the popular dhol, it is not the main focus in the album. The band has fused their signature use of percussions with electronica in a majority of the tracks, and in some, has played around this new element with traditional western instruments, thereby adding a whole new dimension to their music.

After listening to the album several times, one believes that it was meant to be heard in one go, all at once. The mood of the album changes as you progress through it, beginning from being uplifting (Dig Dag, Dhol Bajay Ga – a song that is getting a lot of airplay on local radio channels, Pichal Pairee – which doesn’t even sound ‘desi’ and Amjad Khan). It moves to a more mellow, almost intimately thoughtful tone in Vichar Gaye and a track titled A Thousand Miracles (although when downloaded it displays the title as 50 Years). Mela Kariyay is basically the track Cursed from Overload’s first self-titled album with Meesha’s vocals over it. Kaykra and Saat Mein which close the album bring the pace of the album up again.

How do you articulate an almost abstract sense (in this case sound) accurately into words? That was the dilemma faced when reviewing the album since a most of it is largely focused on the music element of it. The album Pichal Pairee is a reinvention of the band although it does not serve to completely redefine it: we see the band experimenting with their music and are introduced to new facets of their work and abilities. The introduction of Meesha adds a whole new feel to the band as her tone and manner of singing is not only uniquely different from the rest of the female pop vocalists dominating the local music scene but also embodies a certain independence from them. One is looking forward to seeing what facets of her abilities are uncovered as she journeys with the band, but having said that, the rest of the band members embody a strong presence in the album as well.

By Madeeha Syed

Source: DAWN.COM | Images