When two eminent artistes like Jagjit Singh and Javed Akhtar get together, you expect great stuff. But frankly, Soz disappoints. From the maker of Sarakti jaati hai rukh se nakab ahista ahista and Jhuki jhuki si nazar, one expects greater stuff than what Soz dishes out.

Jagjit is in tune, but where is that trembling quality of dard in his compositions? Has he burnt himself out? The songs sound monotonous, sadly similar. And there's a tremendous tiredness in Jagjit's silken voice.

In the opening song, poet Javed voices the age-old sentiment of how the world would change once love came into one's life in the song tamanna phir machal jaye. Javed does manage to come up with some interesting lyrics like in the song, Ab agar aao to jane ke liye mat aana, Sirf ehsaan jatane keliye mat aana... The song proceeds with the lines - Pyar ki aag mein zanzire pighal sakti hai,..tum ho bebas yeh batane ke liye mat aana.

The only number on Side A, which is strong in melody and Soz (pathos) is the last song Shaam hone ko hai. The background music makes liberal use of violins and reaches a climax. This entire album has better background music than tunes

Side B starts with another mediocre number, Aaj maine aapna phir sauda kiya. It's a wonder how such a strong emotion of selling one's soul evokes such poor quality of both poetry and melody from two of our great contemporary artistes.

This is where the pathos of the cassette lies. The next song Kyon dare zindagi mein kya hoga, Kuch na hoga to tajurba hoga hammers the old statement - experience is what you get when you don't get what you want. You have the mandatory ‘drinking song' in Pyas ki kaise laye taab koie, Nahin dariya to hai sarab koi.

If there is one song that lifts up this album, it's the concluding number, Ek pal gamon ka dariya, ek pal khushi ka dariya, Rukta nahi kahin bhi, yeh zindagi ka dariya. Javed touches upon the essential continuity of life and the essential connection between all forms of life. The distinctions blur finally so that you do not know whether kirnon mein hai yeh lehre, ya lehron mein hai kirne or Dariya ki chandni hai, ya chandni ka dariya.

All in all, if you are looking for music that will just soothe your frazzled nerves, you can pick up Soz. But if you are waiting to be stirred, moved and shaken, then Soz is not recommended.