Mukul Deora released his latest album What Heart with a live performance at the Blue Frog recently. We were there.

Notes

1. Page 3 indie in the vein of Anushka Manchanda, Ankur Tewari, etc is fast emerging as Indian indie’s club foot.
2. Mukul Deora’s been there or thereabouts the Daddy Windsong talent pool indulgences since the release of his debut album Stray.
3. He has however managed to sufficiently distance himself from this paternalism over the past couple of years by having a slightly more international multimedia persona, arty affectations, and hey, his last name is Deora.
4. This dissociation from that scene is visible in his live show as well; Deora is fidgety, far more reserved than his camera/press friendly comrades, and mumbles his way through an act.
5. While What Heart owes great debts to the work of trip hop pros like Massive Attack and Morcheeba, in its live avatar its weakest link is Deora’s lethargic, almost listless vocal delivery.
6. Deora trudges a thin line between sincerity and pretentiousness; while he seems to do his darndest to get in his own way, he falls squarely on the right side.

We took a bunch of pictures at the gig. Here are a few.