No other band in Pakistan has seen the highs and lows that Jal has seen in its career graph as a pop rock band. The band gained massive success with Aadat, a number that changed the landscape of the Pakistani music industry in the mid-2000s.
However, after losing two lead singers in Atif Aslam and Farhan Saeed back-to-back, Jal is once again struggling to regain past glory. While its former band members are climbing the ladder of success, Jal is desperately hoping to stay relevant.
Goher Mumtaz and Shazi’s latest single Dil Haari is the first track from Jal’s third album Pyaas. The composition is not catchy and can best be described as a ‘filler’ Bollywood song in a B-grade movie. A band that has been famous for its melodious riffs, choruses and alaaps, now failed to offer anything in this slow, semi-classical pop ballad. The video weakens the whole package, not only in terms of production and quality, but also because it lacks a concept. Goher is seen serenading an attractive girl who is lounging about the house. As she looks at him coyly, flirts and teases, the couple does have some chemistry, but the message or impact of the video is not felt. Such poor work was not expected from a band that came up with big-budget and impactful videos like Sajni and Teri Yaad. Dull and repetitive lyrics such as “Koi ote-ote se ore-ore kheenche mujhe; Jaise koi saaya door se jhaanke mujhe; Kai aahatein aayein mujhe tere hone ki; Rab se hai maanga maine tanhaai mein tujhe” make you want to stop listening or change the channel.
Dil Haari is an outcome of Goher’s weak vocals and composition and the band’s inability of staying up to date with an industry which has evolved since the good old days of private channels Indus Music and The Musik. It won’t be wrong to say that since lead vocalist Goher is busy with his some television projects — including a drama serial and OSTs (original sound tracks) — the rock star in him is suffering a great deal.
Apart from a major slump in the band’s popularity, Jal also lost a lot of its female fans — a major portion of their fan following — after Farhan’s exit and Goher’s engagement with Islooite Anam Ahmad. What adds to the dismal situation is the awkward on-screen chemistry of Goher and Shazi, which is unsettling.
It is disappointing to see Jal make these half-hearted attempts to stay in the scene, especially since it has gained fame and recognition across the border and has also featured in Coke Studio. It really makes one wonder who is advising the band, since their decisions are haphazard, jumping between television projects and the release of singles.
After an unimpressive rendition like Dil Haari, Gohar and Shazi need to rediscover the band’s lost charm and establish an identity in order to retain their fans.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 14th, 2013.
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