On his newest album, screamer turned media lawyer turned singer songwriter, Shourya Malhotra creates a body of work that can soundtrack a busy sunny afternoon. The songs are airy and are performed & produced with lightness. Shourya however doesn’t hold back lyrically, contrasting the gentle form of the songs with his relatively heavier poetry. The overall aesthetic is reminiscent of the early 2000s, placing equal importance on both lyricism and instrumental arrangement.
It’s easy to box this album in to the singer songwriter category and while it does share commonalities with that stereotype, its also more than that. Malhotra is a gifted acoustic guitar player and succeeds to communicate his feelings on the instrument. He uses this instrument as the core, around which the song expands making it as much a story teller as the voice. Speaking of which Malhotra has created the album with help of collaborations, giving himself space to focus solely on the songwriting.
The album opens with his recently released single ‘Paws’ featuring a group of musicians including Elijah Peter on guitars and Akhil Garg on keys. It’s not only Malhotra that you hear but also the energy of multiple musicians and to that end the song does feel larger than him. The song also features Anchit Magee on bass and Sarthak Pradhan on Drums supplying a groovy rhythm section that keeps things fresh and light. The harmonies by Anupama Trivedi also add depth to Malhotra’s melodies. The song talks about his relationship with dogs and more specifically his pet dogs with whom he finds tranquility and strength. This is particularly felt in the second half of the song which chooses to veer in to a more introspective and confessional mood.
‘Still Breathing’ is a more guitar driven tune, clearly focusing on the emotional contribution of the instruments as much as the singer, and, one of the many songs that has been co written with Varun Rajput. The gentle pulse of the guitar arpeggios forms the core of the song. Once again featuring Elijah and Akhil in their respective roles, both musicians have contributed not just as session players but have played a deep compositional role as well. Drum duties have been assumed by Arko Ganguly and bass by Varun Rajput. Both instrumentalists act around the existing push of the song, allowing it to travel further. In comparison, much more somber than the opener and definitely a layer closer to Malhotra’s heart.
The title track ‘Everybody Knows, Everybody Understands’ is perfect for a lonely walk in a crowded part of town. The composition hints at his Radiohead inspiration with the chorus especially shining a light on Malhotra’s acquired sensibilities. His guitars providing drive and direction, almost being used as a wheel to steer through the song. The construction in this track is pretty visible, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Featuring Ritwik De on bass, electric guitars, keys and production and written by Malhotra, the song definitely latches on to the atmosphere created by former track. ‘Parts of Two’ bases itself on a very recognisable melancholy, in terms of the chord progression on the guitar. A more grieving number, the song is a classic love song that’s processing loss. Co-written with Varun Rajput and Elijah Peter and drums by Arko Ganguly, the song dawns a more standard stance both rhythmically and structurally.
Malhotra’s voice has a nice tone to it and his texture is soothing to hear. But it feels limiting dynamically. While the tone and texture successfully convey the tenderness and emotion of his pieces, he misses out on an anchored and open performance. It would be interesting to hear him blending his sensibilities as a screamer with his softer side for more dynamic range. ‘In Denial’ is performed by Malhotra, Ishita Singh & Charita Arora as the three of them sing in harmony throughout the length of the song. The guitars play a central role in providing bounce to the composition, akin to ‘Still Breathing’. It’s interesting to hear everything be brought down to the dynamic level of the guitar, a theme that is very noticeable throughout this album. The voices of all three performers are equally present and this gives the song its rich texture.
‘Home’ features Rohan Prasanna on the Sarod and Malhotra all other duties. Sonically, the Sarod enriches the emotional quotient of the song. Texturally also, its combination with the acoustic guitar is subtly contrasting. As compositions go however, this definitely is one of the weaker ones on the album. While the arrangement executes the song perfectly, lyrically and melodically this seems to not be at the same par as Malhotra’s other numbers. The outro section introduces a conclusive vocal line that would’ve done well if used sparingly in other sections of the song. I feel similarly about ‘For Lost Memories’, where, Malhotra’s and Rajput’s execution as guitarists is unquestionable, but, melodically leaves much to be desired. Despite the heft of his lyrics, this song doesn’t cut through like the title track.
‘For Courtyards’ is the penultimate track on the album and lightens the mood. Sonically more hopeful and a more driving arrangement, really picks up the momentum of the album right before its close. We hear Malhotra, finishing this song on a high note and the most open he’s sounded across the record. The classical detour by vocalist by Rini Rajput is soulful. Finally, the outro track is an instrumental called ‘thank you’, a more experimental palette cleanser, features crafty synth work by Malhotra. Compositionally, the tune is relatively unstructured and relies on a free flowing format. This is my favourite track of the album because the composition is fleeting and while the structure of the chords isn’t unusual, it’s openness presents an enjoyable undulation.
Overall the album is successful on multiple fronts. Malhotra together with his team have created an ambitious project. It’s refreshing to see Malhotra take the help of his peers to make this project larger than life. Melodically, Malhotra does explore relatively unorthodox ideas. Even his guitar is always placed at the centre of all his compositions. The contributions by the performing artists are thoughtful. While most singer songwriters would go the traditional route and just keep things barebones, Malhotra has done the opposite. However, he is one of the few who possess the skills and talent to fly solo, and that is something that I’m eagerly waiting for.
Listen to ‘Everybody Knows, Everybody Understands’ on Spotify and Apple Music
Buy the album on Bandcamp
