by SmilingTea

Created on: January 18, 2007   Last Updated: April 29, 2007

With a growing obsession for the un-mainstream, I've graduated from simply selecting from the Putumayo section, to scouring the shelves for specific artists. Favorites among the favorites, the creme dela creme.

One song is Sarasa from Putumayo's Music from the Chocolate Lands. Without a clue what the song was about (as it is all in Tamil), the melody is obviously Indian inspired. The voice has a distinct Indian "curlicue" that conjures up images of gold clad dancers, hands in namaste position, heads moving side to side.

I find myself singing along, picking up Indian words quite unconsciously. Now you can't go around singing something without at least having vague idea of what you are saying! The song is adapted from a traditional devotional chant:

Be my salvation
You are without equal in the arts of rule:
Persuasion, Giving, Dividing your Enemies and destroying them

That caressing voice behind it is by Indian-born, UK-based Susheela Raman. An award-winning artist, she has a multicultural band with a combination of Indian and African influences.

Snatched up her only available album (one of two copies) in my latest trip to the music bar. Recalled being a tad disappointed seeing the title Love Trap a sure sign of selling out and a commercial ploy! And all the lyrics in the liner notes were in English! But with Sarasa in the line-up, I marched to the listening section and was relieved to hear majority of the songs in Indian, with the same haunting quality of Sarasa.

Though the two English songs were somewhat cheesy attempts to appeal to a larger audience, Susheela is able to pull it off stellar-ly in her characteristic style. Not to say that songs (Love Trap and Save Me) weren't good, on the contrary, as they are both really good 70s songs.

She's been alternately described as being raga-blues, Tamil-rock ... Don't yet have any deep profound thoughts on her brand of music, but I definitely enjoy it!

Not at all disappointed in the buy. I would think her first album Salt Rain may have that untainted quality of non-commercial yet breakthrough debut albums seem to have. Will have to look up her third album Crocodile Songs which she claims to be her best album yet. Can't wait to find out!

Learn more about this author, SmilingTea.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.