New Release: Nader Meschi - “Shaaye-e”

Two year ago I wrote in my blog that the Mansour-sound alike Nader Meschi’s second album “Shahye-e” is to be released. Now it has, after two years of postponing by Ershaad! I have given it a few spins and really like it, especially the songs “Omri Be Paat Neshastam” and “Daaram Fekr Mikonam”!

Rajabpour: My style of management is Western!

Mohsen Rajabpour, Arian and Benyamin’s outgoing and publicity-loving manager, says when he started in the business he couldn’t find a role-model for himself! Thats why he started to study the Western way and tradition of artist management in order to become the fair and functional manager that he is known to be today. He says that of 120 registered managers and producers in the country only 15 are active since there is no support for the private sector from the government, at the same time music academies are being closed down and POP establishment is being discriminated against by location owners! All these lead to a vacuum where the undergrounders are taking over what the legal market should be covering, Rajabpour claims.

Hami: should I sing “shaad” songs?

Hami sang a rather “shaad” and upbeat song called “Khaste Shodi” at his Fajr performance and asked the audience to let him know through their applauds whether they wish him to add this song to his future album or not! Since he has been advised by many in the business not to sing upbeat and uplifting songs, but needs the people’s help to deicide.

Yeganeh: There is no excuse for covers!

Mohsen Yeganeh recently said in an interview that there is no excuse for an artist to turn to covering and remaking! In particular remaking foreign songs into Persian, since there are notes enough to compose new pieces for performance. Yeganeh seems to have forgotten that he himself has covered a Greek song into Persian as “Cheshmaaye Khise Man”! I guess for some the standards change when the status changes!

New Release: Shahram & Shahrouz - “Effe Nayaa”

A new pair of brothers, twins if I’m not mistaking, have entered the Iranian market! Shahram and Shahrouz look alike and sound alike! Their debut album is the work of Babak Rouzbeh and Bobby S whose work we recently heard in Kaiser’s album.
http://musicboxla.com/shshefna.html
The cover of the album reminds of Modern Talking’s “Back For Good”, by the way!

http://www.bia2.com/review/MTBack.jpg

A hot duet in cold blood!

Two years ago I had the privilege of hearing the first demo from Kamran Delan’s upcoming album “24:00″, a goosebumps experience which I shared with you guys in this blog. The song called “Khoonsard” which was also the working-title of the album back then, sounded like the old-school songs which Kamran Delan used to write for Andy back in the days! An energetic song about “cold blood” which pumps the adrenline through your blood! Today, two years later, the same song has turned into a duet with none other than Andy!! So, if you are a fan of the style and sound that I’m talking about here then for God’s sake! whatever you do, don’t miss the video which will come your way very soon!

A Fajr preformer’s response to Lohrasebi

A preformer in Fajr by the anme of Alamshahi (not Behnam), in a reply to Lohrasebi’s urge to keep out uneducated musicians from the festival said it doesn’t take education to become a good creator, but rather talent and emotions!

Ershaad: the government acknowledges POP music!

Imani Khoshkhoo of Ershaad said in his speech at Fajr festival that he is proud of the president Ahmadinejad and the 9th IRI government’s achievements when it comes to dealing with music! He said that its a fact that POP music has a growing base out there in the society and while recognizing its need to be legalised the government managed to organize this previously unmanageable genre with a big help from the Fajr arrangers.

Askari: I’ll be singing for Ali Daei!

Hamid Askari is about to perform his concert at the AZADI stadium in Tehran and the reason for the choice of location is the game between Piroozi and Azadi! He says that by performing there he aims to show the national football team his appreciation and pay a tribute to his idol Ali Daei.

Gone Beardy Gone!

I just shaved off my majestic beard!! Yep, you heard right! hehe! I’ve always been very liberal and experimental with my facial hair, have had all kinds of linear and geometrical designs you can imagine!lol But its the first time in five years that my chizzled chin isn’t graced with some kind of facial hair and now that I come to think of it you have never seen my face beardless before! So here is a new pic (not really clean-shaved to be honest, but rather with a 5 o’clock shadow), also guest starring my brand new headwear for the 2009: A tweed cap, 30’s style!

New Release: Dariush - “Mojezeye Khamoosh”

You’ve seen Dariush’s first video from the highly anticipated album “Mojezeye Khamoosh” in HD on Bia2! The album is now up for pre-order on dariush2000.com and soon also on the Bia2 music store. Stay tuned for more video premiers from the album!

Khajeamiri: I’m not a POP singer!

Ehsan Khajeamiri recently told the press that even though he has decided to perform in the POP category of Fajr festival, his music cant be filed under POP! He says that he loves electronic technology and Iranian musicality the same and likes to call what he does an “updated” version of the classic Iranian music, which is not afraid of transcending.

20 Men in Black but no Black Shirt!

Reza Sadeghi got to perform with his 19 piece band called Meshki Pooshan or “men in black” at Fajr festival, after two years of absence from the stages. He said that’s its important to wash off POP music’s bad reputation in this festival, so that the reasonable Muslim nations reconsider their prejudices when it comes to the genre! However despite having been printed in the program and repeatedly requested by the public Sadeghi refused to sing his HIT “Pirhane Meshki” that night!

Hami: its not the presence of POP that is important

Hamid Hami said in an interview with ISCA that he was never interested in a Fajr performance prior to this, because the quality never met his standard! This year, however, he has been assured by the arrangers that things have improved and that’s why he has reconsidered his decision. Hami further stresses that its not the mere presence of POP that is important in the festival, but rather the quality of it!

Sahraee: Bayat and I have over 50 unperformed songs!

The Iran-based lyricist Babak Sahraee, whose lyrics have also been preformed by LA-based artists, claims that there are currently 50-60 pieces of his and late Babak Bayat’s collaboration ready to be preformed! However since the Bayat family own the rights to most of these songs and has put a 5.000.000 Toman price tag on each song he doubts that more than a handful will be performed in the next fifty years! He rather sees them being preformed by artists who have personally collaborated with Bayat in the past. Sahraie also announced that the plans to turn Babak Bayat’s residence to a museum (read) is now scrapped after two years of trying but not being able to fund the project! The family has therefore decided to sell the house and move on.

Laleh’s Naive New Album

Its been two years since Laleh’s last album came out and at the moment she in the studio recording and preparing the new album which is to be released next year! Followed by a release tour around Sweden. We dont know much else about the album but the teaser-poster promises a very clever concept and a “naivistic” artwork which narratively portrays the “character” of the artist! Simply artistic!

Lohrasebi: Fajr festival legalises POP

Ali Lohrasebi who is scheduled for a solo performance at Fajr says that in a way the festival legalises POP music! Something which he is happy about. However he is critical of those he claims not being able to read and write music yet allowed to play at the festival! Lohrasebi says that the arrangers should considers musical education a criterion in order to prevent the music form spoiling.

New Release: Solatis, Kiosk & Carlo Venti

The Solati siblings have simultaneously released their new albums with covers so horribly designed! Those letterings alone send shivers down my spine! burrrrr!!!!
http://musicboxla.com/shsopa.html
http://musicboxla.com/shohrehinlove.html
Kiosk’s 3rd album with an exact opposite design is out called “Global Zoo”:
http://musicboxla.com/kioskglobalzoo.html
And another Iranian singer with an unexplainable Latin stage-name has released his debut:
http://musicboxla.com/cavebakon.html

Biggest names of the festival

According to official source Ali Lohrasbi, Mohsen Yeganeh and Hami are to perform individual concerts at the Fajr festival. In the absence of the ARIAN and Hamid Askari these artists are the biggest names of the festival.