Tuesday, August 20, 2013

The First Review Of Amr Diab's New 2013 Album "Al Leila" Two Thumbs Up



This might be his best album in more than a decade. He knew his last album was a bust, and if he wasn't able to give something perfect, he would have been a joke--once again. But Amr Diab is the smartest entertainer and he has the experience of what works and what does not. Amr Diab found a lot more romantic songs this time around, which is a welcome change form his crazy club mix albums he has been releasing for the past ten years. We like him for his dance songs, and also for his romance songs.

01 - El-Leila, the title song where dance is in the center. This is a happy pop songs where energy is high and emotions are low. But there is wisdom in the lyrics, this resembles the older songs of Amr Diab--the ones that are now considered classics. A clever song with good music, the only criticism I have heard is the music arrangement could have been better.

02 - Garaly Eah, this is an upbeat song where once can dance and cry at the same time. A personal song where someone trying to figure themselves out. Amr Diab's voice is the most recognizable here, he hits the high and low notes and it feels good. Toward the end the song becomes a Euro electric club mix and loses steam.

03 - Andy Soaal, melinia will be in love with this song, the music is meant for them, the lyrics reach my heart. It's a dialogue song about a man who is thinking out loud or having an imaginary conversation with a real and true love. I love the flow and the way the music changes paces throughout the track. This song is like walking on a rainbow, there is so much optimism and love.

04 - Habeet Ya Alby, Spanish guitar Amr Diab is back, it's a slow song but you really won't be able to slow dance to it as the lyrics are on the dark side of an early love. I do not feel this is a hit song, but toward the Middle it gets complex as more music layers are revealed. I got bored for a bit, the only thing that's going well for this song is Amr's voice.

05 - Foo2 Mil Enta Feeh, a slower song where romance and what could have been is the topic. I like the melody and the realism. Wake up, and do something before it's too late. The lyrics are poetic and naturally passionate. The song says, it's within your hand to stay as my loved one or to exist my life. I have not heard Amri Diab deliver a song with this level of sweetness as he has here.

06 - 3addet El Ayam, the sweet voice and vulnerable gentleman is back and he is in full-throttle. The lovable Amr Diab is at exhibit here. The music is a perfect vehicle for the lyricist. Being alone, and as the years pass by is somersetting we wish upon no one, Amr Diab captured these emotions in this sentimental performance about not being able to replace true love.

07 - Khleena L wa7dena, If you want to run a race or drive a really fast car, you want this track. This is a good dance floor songs that DJ s will play over and over or they would play when the feel they crowd is dead. Its dreamy lyrics will agree with many of ladies who re giddy about love. I like the music arrangement and the way the song feels. Amr Diab has another winner that only he can release.

08 - Lafeteha Blad, this is the very old Amr Diab style, it sounded pretty much like his work in the late eighties. The song is a flirty song for the Arab ladies whom Amr could not find substitute for I think this is his most intellectual song, most Arab guys living back home are mean to them ladies, this song by their icon tells them to shut up and know what they have. I love the beat, and I know this song will be a popular live song in his concerts to promote this album. They have magic, Arab ladies says the song, and I would add Amr Diab's album has this magic too.

09 - Mafeesh Minnak, a song a guy should sing if he wants to serenade his lady. A sweet romantic gesture from the guy who defined cool for the past three decades.I like his Amr Diab, again he glows happiness and joy when he is in love. Amr Diab sounds like a warm cinnamon roll, you cannot have enough of. This is a track you would want to play more than once. There are a million reason why Amr is a popular artist, this song gives you one more reason to believe his might.

10 - Sebt Faragh, the confessional love song, a man cannot move past a relationship. you left a giant hole in my life once you walked away form me. It' takes  a real man to perform this song, the music saves the song as the lyrics can cause a heart attack. That means, if the lyrics were sang on a blues music, one might break a tear. But the music keeps the excitement even in the hour of emotional vacuum.

11 - We Heya Zekriaat, the nostalgic romantic will find a safe heaven and a shelter from the good old love days. Poetry is how this song feels, like reading a well-crafted poem from someone who is on his death bed and has nothing to fear. No one should apologize for love--lust is a different thing. This is the wisdom of the old, I hope people will learn something for this delicate song.



12 - Ya Albaha, I feel I have moved somewhere in Latin America, and walking down the street as this song starts. The song is about someone's heart. A song that ladies love for guys to be like. a helpless romantic who is too shy to speak yet takes the chance. He is in love and he does not care who finds out. Again, this is a song a father or a mother would want to hear in the mind an heart of the guy who proposes to their daughter. 

3 comments:

  1. Sorry, bro, I have to disagree. This record is one giant "meh" for me. I judge the success of an album by how many songs I want to immediately listen to again, and this had zero for me. It's pleasant enough, but kind of bland and background-y, compared to some of the amazing music Amr has done in the past.

    So what's the deal with Amr taking so many composer credits on this record? Is he actually writing all of those songs, and if so, why doesn't he stop and go back to hiring Amro Mostafa to compose for him? Couldn't AM squeeze in some time to write a couple of tunes for the old friend who put him on the map in between telling anyone who'll listen whatever's the Arabic equivalent of "I tried to warn you. Better the devil you know than the devil you don't"?

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  2. I agree with half of what you said, he needs Amro Mostafa...tell me you did not like track number 3 Andy Soal? It's kind of fresh from Amr and not too clubby! This is a better album that he has given us for the past ten years. It's hard to beat the oldies...but these songs will be oldies to some new fans in few years

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  3. LOL, to tell you the truth, I've listened to the whole album twice, and I had to go back and click through everything again to remember which song "Andy so'al" was! I can certainly get where you're saying that some of these tracks are reminiscent of "classic Amr," but now that I've refreshed my memory, I remember thinking the other day that "Mafish menak" sounded like Amr must have found a box of leftover tapes from the "Leili nahari" sessions in the back of his closet. I guess I'd pick "Lafeteha blad" and "Habeet ya albi" as my favorite songs here, but I don't know that I'm excited enough about them to want to own them.

    So what happened to Sheriff Tag? He was another of Amr's go-to songwriters, and he's not on the album, either.

    I still say Amr should do a retro album--maybe not a full "Great Egyptian Songbook" record, since the great songs are: (1) too long for today's attention spans and (2) going to invite comparisons to the incomparable, so maybe a "Pretty Good Egyptian Songbook" album of covers from guys like Karim Mahmoud and Kamal Hosni?

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