Friday, June 30, 2006

Mahmood Fahim - Nischup Protifolon (Quiet Reflection)

Hear The Track Here

Last track out the bag this month is yet another track that came in AFTER the list had closed. Take careful note that this is absolutely the last month I pick up any strays... So, like the other couple of tracks that did this, the reason I let this slip through has to do with geography. Over the past year, year and a half I have heard some dazzling music from the Indian subcontinent; acts as diverse as Prash, Omnisine, Sunil Thakkar and others. All of them specialising in some form of western rock with the slightest nod to their own culture. What's more they are suprisingly good at it and both Prash and Omnisine have done extremely well out of it.

Mahmood Fahim is from Dhaka, Bangladesh and there is only one track on his page (this one) along with a cryptic comment that this is his 'solo side project' Oh yeah? One wonders what his main project is then... Musically Mahmood follows the same kind of path pursued by the names I mentioned above - western rock, although in this case with a decidely MOR feel to it. Whether that feel is coming just from the material or is attributable to the factory sounds being used on this track. I have to assume that Mahmood is a guitarist seeing as his influences happen to be Joe Satriani, Vinnie Moore et al, and the track is undoubtedly a vehicle for some deft axework.

To my ears there's much more of a Roy Buchanan resemblence than any of the artists he cites as influences. If you know anything about this late, great American guitarist you may even understand that I have just paid Mahmood a very high compliment, and he justly deserves it. Although this kind of music is definitely not my cup of tea there is no doubt that this is a serious, sophisticated musician whose playing style is fluid, deft and to the point. Of course it will appeal to other guitarists more than anybody else but if you like a MOR tinged guitar ballad, this will do the trick.

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