Chena Jogot

Weekends are a great time to catch up on music, films or reading. While exploring for new material to watch, listen to or read can be fun, it's equally rewarding to go back a few notches and revisit something from the yesteryears. “Chena Jogot”, the debut (and only) album of now-defunct Bangladeshi rock band Vibe could be a great option for that.
When it was released in October 2007, the listeners were no stranger to them, particularly through their track “Durey Durey” (released in mixed album Agontuk in 2003). However, they took a lot of people by surprise, with the punch they packed in it. Despite being predominantly prog-rock (which is why some said they sounded a lot like Artcell), the album was balanced with generous portions of melody and emotions, causing for its success. It stood out for its intricate yet neat, and most importantly catchy instrumental sound, coupled with a vocal (Shuddho Fuad Sadi) who did equal justice to the heavy numbers to the entirely-acoustic soft tracks and lyrics rich in imagery and poetic expressions.
The first two tracks, “Shopnodeb” and “Shesher Opashe” pump up the listener with typical triplet-heavy drumming and dark lyrics, before “Bidhatar Ronge Aaka” switches to an entirely different mode, featuring fantastic keyboard work and the lyrics talking of a misty moonlit night. Title track “Chena Jogot” is once again typically energy-infusing, including a catchy chorus, followed by one of the most popular songs of the album, a ballad titled “Odhora”, and another sweet, melodic number “Mone Pore”. “Asha'r Prodip Jwele” is next, another song that displays the band's tightness as an instrumental unit. Next track “Urey Chole Jai”, is a sequel to “Durey Durey”, starting off from where the first song left off and taking it to a much happier and upbeat note. “Amar Shongbidhan”, the next track, is one of the standouts of the album, in terms of lyrics, vocal throwing and composition.
“Obak Shob Shopno”, at the far end of the album, comes as an example of the band's versatility. The depressing, soft song sung almost entirely on a plucked acoustic guitar reflects regrets, frustration and a deep sense of loss inside. The track ends with “Nostalgia” (credited as a Bonus Track), a lovely song in uncharacteristically simple words (it's written by the father of Shuddho Fuad Sadi, the vocal) that narrates an expatriates longing to come back to the country as he reminisces the happy, carefree days before going abroad.
Shuddho does not only provide excellent vocal, but is also the riff guitarist and plays some awesome pieces all across the album. Saleh Hasan Oni on lead guitars (who went on to play for Warfaze later) is also absolutely brilliant, as is Sabbir Hasan Turjo on drums, Saber Ahmed Khan on bass guitar and Wali Md Akbar on keys.
In essence, the album reflects the best of Bangla rock music; it has melody, great lyrics, ample energy and some very fine, technical instrument playing that -- when it falls in place -- can make for very pleasurable listening.