How can I begin to review this album? I'll start by saying that "Bandit Queen" is one of my all-time favorite CDs. I can listen to this album anytime, anywhere, and it reshapes itself to become the perfect soundtrack for any mood or activity.

This album is the soundtrack to the movie "Bandit Queen," which is based on the true story of Phoolan Devi, the bandit queen who was in prison from '83-'94 in India. During that time, the Indian media remade her into a sort of "Robin Hood" to the Indian people. It's nice to know this brief background because the music seems to carry more depth with the knowledge of the story.

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan is hugely popular for fusing Indian Classical and Indian Folk music, which he does masterfully on this album. The tracks flow seamlessly together to form a continuous musical story. He also performs haunting vocals that span a wide range to create an unearthly sound.

I'm not familiar with vocabulary to describe Indian music, but I want to provide a detailed review for people who do know about Indian music, so I found a quote by a reviewer from New Delhi, India, who writes the following:
"The extensive use of Ragas Des, Mand and Khamaj lends to the haunting sound which recreates the haunting ravines of the Chambal Valley. The chants and the clamour also recreate rural india for the listeners. The percussion is easy on the ear, though consisting of complex Sufi rhythms." - Ashish Chatterjee

The amazing thing about this album is how deeply you become involved in the music, just by listening. It actually pulls you in, so that you experience the music with more senses than just your ears. Hence the title of my review - "A Musical Ocean of Undertow and Tidepools." Listening to this album is like visiting the ocean. It can be huge and overwhelming, engulfing you on all sides with wave after wave of sound, and pulling you under with the raw emotion and unexpected sounds. It can also be small and detailed and still, like a tidepool with delicate single sounds that combine to form a perfect harmony.

A side note for newbies on a first foray into Indian music: If you like jumping into the deep end, then this is an excellent album to start you on your journey through Indian music. Don't let it overwhelm you the first time you listen; just let the sound wash over you and take it in slowly. It's a fantastic adventure to hear how this album unfolds more each time you listen.
However, if you're feeling a little timid, this is probably not the best first album. I'm not familiar with a lot of other Indian music, but once I find a good "first Indian music album" recommendation, I'll update this review. And even if you don't get this album as your first one, I certainly recommend that you come back and buy it once you're more familiar with the genre. It would be a shame to pass it up.

I hope I've helped you learn more about this album, and I hope also that you'll give it a try. You won't be disappointed.

(And if you like this album, check out other Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan albums as well.)

Recommended: Yes

Great Music to Play While: Waking up