First as a director and now as an actor and singer, Farhan Akhtar seems determined to push the boundaries of his creativity as far as he can. He has always dared to do the unexpected, and dared to be different. The three films that he has directed so far are evidence of that. Now, he takes a new direction as he makes his acting as well as singing debut with debutant director Abhishek Kapoor's film Rock On. The music of the film has been composed by Shankar Ehsaan Loy and the lyrics have of course been written by father Javed Akhtar. The film's music is naturally rock, and the composers have done a fairly good job in the album. The surprise element is, of course, Farhan, who reveals a different side to him altogether. He may not be the best of singers, but he displays talent and passion in the manner in which he renders the numbers. Out of a total of nine numbers in the album, five of them have been sung by him.
The opening number of the album is a number called 'Socha Hai' which has been rendered by Farhan. It is a typical rock number, which opens with the sound of the electronic guitar. The song's words are simple and yet very catchy. The music of this number too is very catchy and racey. It is very easy on the ears and is bound to catch on with repeated hearings. Farhan sings it very well indeed.
The second number of the album, 'Pichle Saat Dinon Mein', comes in two versions, one of which is a live version. This is Farhan's second song in the album and this too begins with the sound of the guitar. Again, what really works for the song are its lyrics, which again reveal Javedsaab's genius in being able to write words for every kind of genre. The song has lazy, laidback style and mood to it, which is enhanced by Farhan's style of singing. The number has some very good work on the guitar. The refrain of 'na na na na' after every stanza, makes the song very catchy. Its 'live version' has a few added elements to it. The experience of hearing this song is bound to be further enhanced by the manner in which it has been picturised in the film. It begins with the refrain of 'na na na na'. Farhan appears like quite a pro with this number.
The title track, 'Rock On' is up next, again sung solo by Farhan. The rock mood continues. This number seems to lack the punch that the previous two numbers had. Farhan does a good job but the song lacks a distinctive attitude. Hence, despite being very well written, it does not have the required impact. Next comes one of the best songs of the album, which is a number called 'Ye Tumhari Meri Baatein' sung by Dominque Cerejo. It is a soft rock number, with a romantic feel to it. Carejo sings it with feeling and her soft, husky vocals work very well for the song.
Suraj Jaggan's Zehreelay is the weakest number in the album. It is an out and out rock number, with pumped up vocals and high voltage music, but it just doesn't work. Suraj has a very good voice and gives the song his all, but cannot salvage the number. Farhan's 'Tum Ho' makes its appearance in the album right after Zehreelay and the singer has really excelled in this number. This is also a very romantic number, with very simply, yet touching lyrics. It keeps the rock mood alive but with a softer touch. A very good effort by Farhan and the composers.
The next song has a very unusual title, 'Sinbad The Sailor'. The number sees Raman Mahadevan join Farhan behind the mike. It celebrates the spirit of an adventurer and salutes the pioneering spirit with the similie of Sinbad, the sailor. Again, a simple yet moving lyrics by Javedsaab. Both the singers jam well and come up with a very catchy number.
The album ends with Caralisa Monteiro's 'Phir Dekhiye'. This is another slow number. She gets a great opportunity to display her histrionic behind the mike as the song is rendered with just a guitar being strummed in the background. It is pleasing and soothing on the ears.
For those who are expecting more of the same from Shankar Ehsaan and Loy, this will be a disappointing outing. But for the discerning listener, this album has enough gems to make for a great listening experience. The film is, after all, about a rock band, hence that is the kind of music which has been composed by the music directors. Of course, one is not sure about how many takers there are for that kind of music. But it has to be said that most of the songs in this album are easy on the ears, simple, and sung very well indeed. It's a great attempt by the composers and the singers.