Source: www.zirzamin.se

The new album “Shalamrood” by Abdi Behravanfar is a solid Rhythm & Blues based album delivered in Persian. Musically the album is an unyielding presentation of great guitar riffs, strong 12 bar blues R&B arrangements all delivered with raspy, rich vocal presentations that makes the listener feel that they are in a back alley, gritty, smoky blues bar. On some of songs the electric guitar is put aside for a more folk rock sound of acoustic guitar and harmonica in the spirit of the likes of Neil Young & Dylan.

 Bringing together blues, rock, folk, Jazz and the case of the last track on the album, “psychedelic rock” Abdi Behravanfar puts his mark on the ever growing Iranian alternative music scene. While his musical style is not “Alternative” in the western definition of the genre, Abdi’s blues based music is a definite and welcome alternative to the typical 6/8 Persian pop.

Abdi broke into Iranian Alternative and underground scene with the Iran based band “Mud” in the year 2000 (which included the now well recognized and respected performer / singer / song writer Mohsen Namjoo). The Mud band released a song by the name of “Vagh Vaghe Sag” and entered the song in Tehran Avenue’s 2004 online music festival (the song came in 9th place). The Mud Band eventually was put on hold when Mohsen Namjoo went solo and Abdi moved to Armenia.

 Abdi’s first solo release “Shalamrood” provides a presentation of great tunes. The album is designed to showcase the considerable and unique vocal, lyric & guitar talents of Abdi Behravanfar.

On his web site Abdi sites many influences ranging from guitar legends Hendrix & Clapton, blues greats Son House, Muddy Waters and Sunny Boy Williamson, Jazz heavies Charlie Parker and John Coltrane to folk / rock artists such as Neil Young.

 Abdi’s guitar style ranges from clean jazz / blues tones and riffs, acoustic jams to jagged, razor-like fuzz based tones that give the album a very gritty raw edge. The guitar sounds go well with Abdi’s vocal style which ranges from raspy and from the gut to avant-garde and at times lyrics delivered in comical voices.

There are quite a few stand out tracks on the album including the upbeat R&B “Toop e Toop”, the almost punk / blues “Be Saram Zad” and “Kenare Jou”, the very strange jazzy Stray Cats style strut of “Gorg e balan rideh”, the lyrically outstanding title track “Shalamrood” and the psychedelic and avant-garde last track on the album “Baghe vaba gerefteh”.

The lyrics are written through collaboration between Abdi Behravanfar & Mostafa Yavari. and provide a cynical but almost always humorous view of the harsh aspects of life (probably from experiences from within Iranwhere Abdi lived up to 2006 , before moving to Armenia).

On the song “Kenare Jou” Abdi continuous repeats the words “be saram zad (“it hit me) to the angst of a driving beat. On the song “Kargareh Bad Backht” Abdi brings to the plight and pain of the common blue collar Iranian worker to light.

On the title track “Shalamrood” Abdi gets real personal with the use of appropriately placed and heart felt profanity and tennis analogies to thrash against loneliness, isolation and injustices that exist in daily life (assuming a reflection of life in Iran, but can really apply any where in world).

The band is comprised of Abdi Behravanfar on guitar / harmonica, and the very capable and tight rhythm section of Ali Baghfar on Drums and Navid Arbabian on Bass guitar.

In summary Shalamrood is a must have CD for anyone looking for something different produced by an Iranian artist who is absolutely the “real deal”. It’s an album of songs that draws you in and makes you hit the rewind button often.

The album includes the following 10 tracks:

1. Faryade Feshordeh 2. Agha Ghazanfar 3. Toop-e-Toop 4. Shalamroud 5. Marde Sardo Garm Keshideh 6. Kargare Bad-Bakht 7. Kenare Jou 8. Be Saram Zad 9. Gorge Balan Rideh 10. Baghe Vaba Gerefteh

ALBUM CREDITS All songs by Abdi Behravanfar, Lyrics by Abdi Behravanfar & Mostafa Yavari, Drums by Ali Baghfar, Guitars by Masoud Fayaz Zadeh, Bass by Navid Arbabian, Guitars and Harmonica by Abdi Behravanfar, Mix and Mastering by Dariush Daneshnia, Label: Bamahang Productions Release Date: 5/9/2008 Time: 0:49:50