KS Rec. Pari Zangeneh : (The series of music for young adults :) Iranian Folk Songs (IR,1976,pub.2009)**°°
When I heard the album at first I was slightly disappointed with what I heard. It sounded like nice Persian folkpop music, but then rather mainstream, especially for the first couple of tracks. It has arrangements by composer Varoujanb, which is a mixture of Persian instruments (santur) and more western typed instruments (drums, electric bass, nice flute arrangements, orchestrations, and some fine organ here and there, and a few attractive choir parts, like on the 7th or 11th track). Her voice on those tracks sounded at times rather weak with a honey fragility rather than I would call it heavenly. But then, the music grew on me, and also the later tracks are more attractive thanks to the arrangements and specific songs. The flute parts are charming, and the music arrangements reveals themselves better in moments. All the songs are of course from traditional folk song origin. As background music it surely is enjoyable from the start; the deeper inner side reveals itself only after some listens. Then I notice certain sadness in more of the songs, which is attractive as an honest expression (like in the 6th and 8th track). The tracks with background choir especially work more powerfully. But also the happier 10th folkdance track with attractive arrangement is enjoyable in its own way. It does not sound like a must for the Western collector, but I understand how it could mean a lot to the Persian listener. It surely has its own charms, a charm which grows with more listens, and which reveals itself totally when the arrangements come out best, with the inclusion of a background choir, organ and flute.
Mini-lp replica and only 500 copies.
