Girl at the Rock Shows

I fell in love when I shared the new video from “Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva” from Prabir Trio. The track not only filled me with a sense of joy, but it also filled me with a sense of excitement. Although it was a familiar beat, some of the tones and compositions that I got from that song were intriguing and almost unfamiliar, so I was excited to jump into their album as a whole. I’ll be honest; it has taken me a bit of time to find the actual time to do so, but I finally found it now, and I can’t wait to go on the journey that is ‘Long After The Empire’ from Prabir Trio.

“Om” is this album’s first track, and I feel like it does a great job of ushering you into Prabir Trio’s unique world. The influence from frontman Prabir Mehta’s Indian heritage comes through loud and clear in this introduction, but you also get a glimpse at the flawless nature of his voice and the way he and the rest of Prabir Trio can create a complete soundscape by using lush layers of beauty, instrumentation, and vocals to create a truly complete sound. This intro track leads into “Sabarmati River” so perfectly. You continue to feel and hear all of the layers of this group but also get an infectious indie-pop attitude with it. I love that you can feel the two rivers that flow through Prabir’s world in this song. You have the traditional Sabarmati River in India, but you also get glimpses of the James River in Virginia in this song. This back and forth between two worlds, two sounds lays the groundwork for the amazing journey of ‘Long After The Empire.’

Although just as infectious with the heavy beat that drives “I Will Be There” forward, this third track comes off as a bit more tender, a bit less jangly. This track is actually a touching tribute to Prabir’s wife, and you can feel his love and admiration for his wife with every note that passes. You also get a hearty taste of the pure musicianship that comes with this group. Many instrumental breaks throughout this track give you a super unique flavor of the America meets India style that Prabir Trio does flawlessly and organically.

Speaking of the instrumental genius of this album, “Gujarat Calling” is just that– an instrumental song full of genius and talent. Although I’ve never been to India (and never really thought about that being a place that I really want to go to for some reason), this song transported me there. Unique and mysterious sounds took over my house and my heart in such a perfect way, and although this song only lasted for forty-one seconds, I feel like it was a full-body kind of experience that I haven’t gotten from an instrumental track in a very long way.

The transition into “You Can’t Drink In Ahmedabad” is almost jarring with the way it hits like a punch after the tranquil beauty of “Gujarat Calling,” but that creates a sense of magic as you hear Prabir Trio launch into an almost Americana-inspired rock sock. The anthemic nature of this track caught me off guard at first, but I quickly warmed up to it, and this song became a favorite of mine. I really like the storytelling in this song. It’s playful, and there’s plenty of chuckle-worthy content in this song that had me smiling from ear to ear and, by the end of the three-and-a-half-minute song, dancing around my house like a complete fool. “You Can’t Drink In Ahmedabad” is one of those songs you will want to listen to repeatedly before diving into “Viramgam.”

The anthemic nature of “You Can’t Drink in Ahmedabad” continues into this sixth song, but there feels to be a bit more depth in the vocals of this track. It’s not only in the word choice but also in how the vocals are placed in this song. They are placed throughout the song with a sense of care but also a sense of fire. When you really dig into this song, you catch onto how personal it really is, but if you’re like me and not in the mood to get all lost in your feelings right now, this is another song that will just get you moving and grooving to the infectious and unique beat of Prabir Trio.

I’ve already written a full review of “Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva,” so I won’t get super into it, but this seventh track on this album is definitely another one that is worth a listen or twelve. With a retro beat and an infectious energy that makes it absolutely impossible to just sit still and listen to it, there’s a reason that this was one of the first singles to be featured on this album.

I really love the layout of this album as a whole. After “Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva,” I felt like I needed a slight break, a slight breather, and that’s precisely what Prabir Trio gives you with “On The Road To Haridwar.” Another super short instrumental track like “Gujarat Calling,” I loved the moment of peace these thirty seconds gave me before being plunged back into Prabir Trio’s world with “Rishikesh.”

Although definitely not a ballad or even a super slow and tender song, something about “Rishikesh” hit me, and it hit me hard. I was taken over by a wave of emotion about halfway through this song. “If you won’t look/ then you’ll never find/ a moment that could open your mind.” Something about that line, in particular, with the way that it seems to be a never-ending crescendo without being aggressive, really hit me like a ton of bricks. I also really love how after that triumphant moment, the mood slows and comes down in conjunction with the word “down”. Okay, you think I’m losing it, and that’s fair, but, truly, listen to this song and just get lost in how the band plays with notes and words to match the message behind the song. It’s truly something stunning and exquisite.

The guitar work that starts off “Anyway You Want Me” has an almost southern vibe that caught me off guard a bit, but, at this point, I love that every song on this album has brought a new element to light. This tenth song, also written for his wife, shows a sense of swagger I hadn’t gotten thus far in this album, and I wanted so much more from it. Although there’s definitely a tenderness in this song, there’s that playful vibe that I felt in “Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva.” With only one song left on the album, I love that I’m starting to hear all of the amazing elements that make Prabir Trio what they are being combined to create harmonious magic.

Just when I thought I had heard it all from Prabir Trio, they hit me with the 70’s psychedelic-inspired track “Prayer Song.” I could smell the nag champa around me as this final track played through, leaving me completely breathless yet energized. Although not the most upbeat or party-like track on the album, I thoroughly loved how Prabir Trio refused to go out with a whisper and, instead, leaves you with a truly unforgettable track, much like this album as a whole.

Okay, ugly American here. I love Indian food and know the sitar from pop culture, but beyond that, I feel like I haven’t really dived into the world of traditional Indian music. It has always felt just a bit too foreign, a bit too much of a stretch for me. I love how Prabir Trio brought the sound to me. They made it accessible, fun, and intriguing. Whether or not that’s the element you want to focus on when it comes to this genius album, I promise that you will find at least five new favorite songs on this album that you will want to have on repeat for the foreseeable future.

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