Two years after his debut album Nights in Shining Karma, Zero guitarist Warren Mendonsa is out with The New Album Yes, that’s what it’s named). Like the previous one, this one too is up for download, completely free of cost. What I felt about the album was that it could be divided into two parts, the first being pre Newness, which features compositions familiar to most Warren fans and post Newness (including it), where the songs involve a more evolved style of playing.

The album starts out with The Happy Billi Song, a delightfully light and well-composed tune. Aptly named happy, Warren’s simple yet elegant soloing on the major scales makes for an extremely good listen. The track carries an instant, joyful appeal that very few ears can ignore. Lullabyebye is a mellow track, which starts out slowly and takes over beautifully. Cowboys and Indians is the next track, featuring some masterful pedal steel playing by Janek Croydon. I only wish the track had been fleshed out, instead of the premature end it currently comes too. There was certainly scope for a longer composition. Newness is a track that not all people will like, for its experimental nature. The song features Pt. Bonjonum on the pakhawaj (the Hindustani counterpart of the mridangam) and certainly takes more than a single listen to grow on you. The track adds a whole new dimension to the album, and echoes of a David Gilmour influence. Another Sun is a vocal track, and Johnny Barker’s voice lends...

a certain mystical quality to the song and makes it an extremely memorable track.

Ode to a Rainy Day brings out Warren’s strength, i.e phrasing. The song hooked me immediately, especially the main riff and the bass lines. Another aspect in BSB songs is that they evoke the same images in front of your eyes as their name. As in NISK, most will agree that after listening to Bombay Rain, one could vividly picture the Bombay monsoon scenes in front of one’s eyes. The same holds true for Ode to a Rainy Day. Emma Walter joins in on Older, Wise and Grey to handle vocal duties. The song played repeatedly in my head for quite a long time, and Emma’s soulful voice makes the song a must listen. Last, but certainly not the least is what I’ve decided to call the magnum opus of the album, with a mammoth 10 minutes of sublime guitar-playing. I’m talking about Ode to a Sunny Day, which is one of Warren’s best compositions ever. The track has a simple and melodious main riff, and it is this simplicity that makes the track stand out.

The album features live drums (unlike NISK) and is a well-produced one. Warren’s tone has evolved a lot, and the crunchiness that was heard on NISK has paved way for a smoother, more fluid tone. While NISK included a variety of styles (traditional 12 bar blues on Blues for Gary, the merry The Cat and the Fiddle, the romantic A Weekend with...

You), this album is more specific in what it offers. And for that reason alone, there might be some who don’t quite catch onto it as quickly as NISK. Overall, a splendid end product, and for free too!

When is the CD coming out, Warren?