Voice of God
First time reviewer | Duluth, Georgia, USA | 05/28/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Having grown up with Led Zeppelin, the Who and being a fan of modern artists like Bruce Springsteen and Co., I was somewhat surprised when a rock obsessed friend of mine gave me Shahen-Shah to listen to in September 2005. His words were "man this is freaky". Thinking it was some middle eastern music of a large man I put this CD into my CD player and well, what can I say? I have listened to Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan in some form or another for the last 9 months every day.
Make no mistake. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan (the Shahen-Shah himself)is the best vocalist of the 20th century and were it not for his untimely, tragic death in 1997, he would be revered all around the world today. How different the world would be post 9/11 etc with this man around to sing and make it all better. If God (whoever he is) could choose someone to sing on his behalf, I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that Nusrat would be it.
Traditional Qawwali is raw, repetitive, rythmnic and long. "Shahen-Shan" provides a perfect snapshot into this genre of music (for those who are novice listeners) and also the deep spirituality that is associated wth hearing NFAK sing. And then there is the Nusrat factor itself. How scary it must have been to see this musical monument sing live. It is the greatest regret in my life that I discovered him too late. His improvisations, voice, control and charisma that is evident just by listening to him is amazing.
If there were more than five stars, I'd give it more. Nusrat is the best ever. If you haven't heard him, you are missing out."
Can't Be Beat!
Puneet S. Lamba | Boston, MA | 12/28/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I bought this MP3 CD after reading the reviews here and am happy to report that I am not one bit disappointed. Nusrat CDs are particularly hard to buy because many of the CDs simply recycle previously released material and yet others list the songs with fictitious anglicized names that make the qawwalis unrecognizable. This CD is for the connoisseur. Nusrat is at his peak here. The performances are raw and the sound quality is top notch. Since Nusrat achieved growing fame later in life, many of his later CDs actually contain material that was recorded when he was past his prime. Not so on this CD. For those who are looking for a lighter introduction to the qawwali genre or to Nusrat himself, I suggest the highly-produced (perhaps even over-produced) Mustt Mustt or Ecstacy (remixed rather well by Bally Sagoo)."
Bought this album 3 times. Three. Worth every penny.
Lucky Randy | USA | 03/22/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"If you've never heard Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan sing before, or aren't sure what to think about this kind of music, all I can say is: BUY THIS RECORD.
I'm a pretty average American. I don't play an instrument, don't speak a foreign language, don't spend my days living an exotic lifestyle.
And I've purchased this album 3 times. The first time I picked it up in a bargain bin on a whim. When I lost that one, I purchased a used copy for $35.00 from a guy in Canada. When that one became too scratched, I purchased this digital version.
Absolutely, without a doubt, worth every penny.
Yes, it' "world" music. Yes, they sing in a language that isn't English. Yes, they use non-western instruments that sound kind of different. Yes, the songs are really long.
And Yes, YES, this album is one of the most amazing listening experiences I've ever had. I don't know how many times I've listened to it, but it must be in the hundreds by now.
It's difficult to describe what listening to this album is like, especially if you're unfamiliar. But for me, it was like listening to Muddy Waters for the first time. Till then I had listened mostly to the radio. Top 40, classic rock, hard rock, RnB. Whatever. But when I listened to Muddy, it was like finding a sunlit plaza after spending a long time in a room lit by flourescent lights. It was heartfelt. It was raw, simple, powerful. And you had no doubt it was performed by someone who lived and breathed music, and who made performing it a way of life.
That's what this album is like.
Give it a chance. You won't be disappointed."
Track Listings (6) - Disc #1
