Music for Crocodiles
by Shusheela Raman
www.narada.com

Have you ever experimented with unusual combinations of food and came up with a surprisingly delicious and nutritious meal, a concoction you wish you could repeat again and again? Well, this is how Susheela Raman's music is for me, except she does the cooking, and I do mean cooking! Her music has come out of years of experimentation and travel/living around many cultures, and now with the help of incredible musicians and world class mixing, she presents her third album, Music for Crocodiles. She blends classical Indian music (Carnatic) with modern jazz-pop, african rhythms, occasional psychedelic guitars, a sultry flowing voice, great lyrics, and many other influences — and brings us a sound that is uniquely hers. Her lyrics, very sensual on most tracks, are also deeply spiritual, usually about relationships and love, experiences of both connection to God and rootlessness, always encouraging the listener to live deeply and give full attention to the moment.

Here are sample lyrics from "”Light Years”: “the light's short journey / from your eyes to mine / turned my world upside down / night was endless then / your smile cracked dawn wide open…” And from “Leela”: “it's all under self-reflection / take a chance to dance with the tip of your tongue / run rings round the sun / ellipse, orbiting ball, eclipse, fit in it all / swirl around a world of sound / drunk on funk / in otherwords you're found / effervescent essence of a pleasant affair.” Raman's lyrics flow like musical instruments as in “Music for Crocodiles”: “cross the veiny map / all roads lead home to your heart / on the slippery bank / we clamber like crocodiles / skin friction, rough traded jewels / teeth right behind the smiles / your hands are bandits in ten directions / wood, skin, tuned up, tuned right / metal, tuned in, skin tight.”

Born in London to Tamil parents and raised in Australia, Raman explores cultural identify with talented collaborators from around the globe — bassist Hilaire Penda, percussionist Djanuno Dabo, guitarist Sam Mills, tabla player Aref Durvesh, Check Tdjen Seck on Hammond organ, and several gifted young Carnatic musicians who were recorded during sessions in Madras.

Half the songs are sung in Indian, half in English, and one in French. For me the music is very danceable, especially if the dancer will abandon oneself into the creative rhythms, the variable ebbs and flows, and move willingly into new forms and feelings. It may require some repeated listening to the music and words to then feel an upswell of inspiration and movement that comes from within. Music for Crocodiles is great for listening meditatively, sharing with a friend or lover, and for movement practice such as yoga, tai chi, continuum, aerobic workout, or practicing tennis. Turn up the volume when you can; the sound quality and musicianship is phenomenal.

I highly recommend all works of Susheela Raman. Her first album was Salt Rain, and then came Love Trap. You can find out more about her music and sample tracks at www.susheelaraman.com

~ Reviewed by Ron Rudin

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