Rock legends make comeback for tsunami victims
M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Several rock legends have recorded new material for an album that will be sold to raise funds for the survivors of the tsunami in Aceh.
Singer Ahmad Albar and guitarist Ian Antono from veteran prog- rock outfit God Bless, Eki Lamoh, the vocalist of heavy metal group EdanE, singer-guitarist Mus Mujiono and female rockers Ita Purnamasari and Mel Shandy recently went into a studio and recorded 12 songs for the album Kedamaian (Peace), which was released on Tuesday.
Albar said the album was an effort on the part of the musicians to assist the people in Aceh.
"This is the least we can do to help the tsunami victims. I hope it will have some meaning," he said during the album's launch at the Hard Rock Cafe Jakarta.
Albar's band, the now-defunct God Bless, was one of the country's biggest rock acts in its day. The band, a cross between Van Halen, Yes and Genesis, made its name with hits like Huma di Atas Bukit (House on the Hill) and Semut Semut Hitam (Black Ants). Antono helped shape the band's sound with his histrionic guitar playing.
The producer of Kedamaian, Reynold S. of 803FR production, said a portion of the album's sales would be donated to tsunami survivors in Aceh.
He said the album was sure to be a hit with music fans eager to hear new material from these rock legends. "They are more mature musicians and that is an added value."
Released by Warner Music Indonesia, the album is packed with middle-of-the-road rock songs and a couple of harder rocking tunes that stand out in a market saturated with three-chord rock songs with squeaky clean production.
The songs composed by Antono, soulful rock ballads backed by impressive guitar work, are among the highlights of the album. The opening track, Adakah Kedamaian (Will There Be Peace), captures the anguish felt by disaster victims with its wailing guitar line and weeping piano.
The second track, Gelombang Tsunami (Tsunami Wave), also composed by Antono, features an angelic choir that will give you goose bumps.
Lyricist Nugroho Suksmanto penned all the lyrics for the album, which were later given to individual artist to work with. Although the tsunami provided the impetus for the album, Nugroho explored other issues such as corruption, environmental degradation and terrorism.
The performers were then given the freedom to interpret the lyrics, consisting mostly of pompous and sloganistic statements.
If not for the superb arrangements by Antono, the album could simply fall into the category of muzak in the accompaniment of a public service announcement.