When I saw the cover of this EP the alarm bells in my head were deafening. Mixing eastern mysticism with western rock is fraught with danger. Get it right and you create perfect psychedelic pop like ‘Mantra’ by The Lovetones – but get it wrong and you create faux spiritualism like ‘Who Feels Love?’ by Oasis. I needn’t have worried though. Ohad Rein (aka Old Man River) knows exactly what he’s doing. He’ll employ Indian instrumentation and even Hindi language when the occasion requires it. But he’s equally happy working within traditional rock arrangements.
The title track contains a simple sentiment so Rein keeps the music relatively simple. Guitars, drums, bass and piano lead the way in a song of reconciliation, propelled by a wave of harmonies and violins. In the wrong hands, this could sound sickly sweet; but there’s undeniable charm at the heart of this. The same can be said of the folk song ‘Sailing’, which features a choir and a sentimental lyric without ever being syrupy.
The eastern influence is more apparent in the words of ‘Be The Change’ and in the music of ‘Shanti Aaye’. The latter features the gorgeous vocal talents of Hamsika Iyer alongside Indian strings and percussion. It also sees Luke Steele on remix duty and - surprisingly - he resists the temptation to get carried away (there’s a first time for everything). In his hands the song gains a spring in its step while retaining its roots.
Harmony is possible when East meets West. This EP is proof.
By Andy McLean
Original article published in The Brag, Sydney. July 2010
The You're On My Mind EP is available through LaLaLa Music/Stop Start/EMI
** More Old Man River articles will follow in the next few weeks so stay tuned to this blog.
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