Anoushka Appreciation Post
This woman has talent.
I've had a deep interest in the country of India since I was very young, which I've referenced on this blog from time to time. Earlier this year, I decided I wanted to start exploring Indian music. And my search led me to Anoushka Shankar. Her compositions are brilliant and her sitar playing is breathtakingly beautiful. Yes, she is the daughter of the famous Ravi Shankar.* However, I actually enjoy her music more than her father's. Perhaps it's easier for me to listen to, as Anoushka, having been raised in the UK, skillfully blends together elements of the Eastern and Western musical traditions along with new inventions that are entirely her own. Still, her music is unapologetically Indian, and I love it for that.
I thought, as a token of my affection for Ms. Shankar, I would present my personal ranking of her albums from "skippable" to "must-listen."
Breathing Under Water (feat. Karsh Kale)
It feels almost unfair to include this album on my list. Due to its collaborative nature, it's extremely different from Ms. Shankar's other work. It's quite good for what it is-- contemporary electro-new age instrumental-- but at the same time, that genre isn't quite what I normally look for when I listen to Anoushka.
Standout track: Ghost Story
Rise
Similarly, there's really nothing wrong with Rise. It's just not of the same caliber as the rest of the albums. I enjoy it, but I don't love it or find myself returning to it very often.
Standout track: Red Sun
Anoushka
We're in the "land of gold" now, so to speak. Any of the following albums could easily contend for the title of Ms. Shankar's best album. Anoushka is my least favorite of the albums that are "straight" Indian classical without as much of a contemporary twist. And that's saying something because it's excellent, beautiful music.
Standout track: Kirwani
Traveller
This album's uniqueness is both a selling point and a drawback. It feature's a blend of Ms. Shankar's typical Indian sound with classical guitar and other Spanish touches. While the combination is done skillfully, the combination of this multicultural music with traditionally Indian-sounding pieces leaves the album as a whole feeling a bit incoherent.
Standout track: Boy Meets Girl
Home
Home might well be the most classical of Ms. Shankar's albums. It consists of just four Ragas, each around ten minutes long. These fully-developed pieces call to mind her father's music, in which a single piece might be as long as forty minutes! However, their relatively short runtime makes them more accessible for western listeners-- and their remarkable beauty leaves you longing for more.
Standout track: Guru: Raga Jogeshwari-- Jod, Jhala
Traces of You
It pains me to rank Traces of You below anything because I love it so much. The only reason for it being third is because in spite of its greatness, the other two albums are even greater. Traces of You has a more new-age, fusion feel to its music, incorporating piano and western-sounding melodies in some of the songs. As such, it reveals Ms. Shankar's versatility as a composer. The three tracks featuring her half-sister, Norah Jones, are particularly beautiful and artistic.
Standout track: Lasya
Anourag
My favorite of Ms. Shankar's classical albums, Anourag is a pure delight. I feel inadequate to describe how special it is, especially as I'm regularly ignorant about the intricacies of Indian music. So instead, I'll just say-- Anourag is beautiful. Anourag is brilliant. Listen to it.
Standout track: Hamsadhwani Tabla Duet
Land of Gold
And now we come to what is not just my favorite Anoushka Shankar album, but one of my favorite albums from any artist or genre. The more I listen to this concept album that narrates the refugee experience, the more remarkable it seems. It's so unique, so empathetic, so incredibly artistic. It encompasses the whole of human emotion, from the torment of "Crossing the Rubicon" to the quiet anxiety of the title track to the tenderness of "Say Your Prayers" to the joy of "Reunion." It really is a tour de force. It would almost be perfect, if it weren't for the inclusion of the odd track "Jump In (Cross the Line)." That piece feels jarring and out of the place on the album, and I automatically skip it on every listen through. I assume Ms. Shankar had her reasons for including it, but I have yet to understand them. Still, the riches of the rest are more than sufficient to compensate for a solitary flaw.
Standout track: Remain the Sea
*Ravi Shankar is famous not only for his own music, but for teaching George Harrison sitar, which means that Anoushka Shankar is connected to the Beatles. Believe it or not, I was ignorant of this association when I first started listening to her music.
