Leili Nahary (Night and Day)Amr DiabThe king of Arabic pop is back, sport- ing dark tank tops, blonde highlights in his hair and grabbing a 1960s stand-up mike in his new promotional posters. His latest release is another in a string of quality productions, and the crisp sound of Nadir Hamdy’s arrangement is impressive a telltale sign of the London studios where finishing touches were applied.

The album is a lively, upbeat, sing-along venture. The title track “Leili Nahary” is an instant classic, setting the pace of pumping energy that never lets up throughout the album. Ballads including “Wahashtini” (I Missed You) are up-tempo, and “Khad Alby Ma’ah” (He Took My Heart Away) has a vigor that conjures up images of forceful strutting on the dance floor. Even those who don’t usually have a taste for this indomitable singer will have a tough time not tapping their feet or nodding their heads to the closing track “Rihet El Habayib” (Memories of the Beloved).

At 43, Diab can still carry a tune like no other and doesn’t pass up a chance to flash the power of his vocal chords as he mellifluously rolls notes into each other. This is most evident in the beautifully melodic “Qusad Einy” (In Front of My Eyes), a contemporary pop ballad of the highest caliber.

In fact, no song falls into the miserable abyss of the ‘just-another-album-track’ category. Even the most forgettable are still enjoyable. The whole album moves along swiftly and is over before you know it. Hardcore fans will be left pleased but almost certainly hungry for more.

Whether or not you think Diab is the king of Arabic pop, he certainly continues to deliver the goods, and is obviously far from his swan song. He may just be a true treasure of a vocalist.

Final verdict: The season’s most-anticipated album is out, it’s good and worth a buy.

Amr Diab

****

Esmak Eih? (What’s Your Name)Ehab TawfikEhab Tawfik has built his reputation on being the industry’s pundit. What he lacks in glitz and glamour (though still a worthy candidate for the capital city’s best-dressed list), he makes up for in scholarly knowledge of music. His voice may not be the most melodic, but he sings well and (technically) accurately.

It’s now impossible to miss the billboard for his newest album, which is as sizable as they come. Yes, it’s good to be produced by Rotana. He’s also managed to succeed in carving a niche for himself in that tricky limbo between pop and shaabi music the material he belts out targets the working layman, without alienating the upmarket audience or evoking the irate snobbery of his contemporaries. “Esmak Eih?” sticks close to this formula.

The album itself, while a commendable effort, is lackluster. It’s the sort of generic music you hear blasting out of an engine-powered felluca, complete with blinking lights and belly dancing 12-year-olds on a Thursday night, or blaring in your run-of-the-mill beach party in Marina.

Though there’s a conscious effort to sidestep monotony, Ehab puts in the proverbial ballad, the tempo-tweaked dance/disco track, and even a song punctuated with Indian sitar-based samples. There are no hit singles here, though. Even the title track congeals with the rest of the album to form the sort of background din suitable for family outings.

Maria

Laudable if you’re a fan; take-it-or-leave-it if you’re not.

***

El’ab (Play)MariaIf you’re familiar with her video, then you’ve seen Maria (the newest Lebanese import on the block) lasciviously licking a lollipop half the size of her face, not to mention her in a big bowl of coca puffs as milk descends from the heavens on her seemingly naked body. So you get the picture.

Her debut album, El’ab is an invitation to well, you know play. It appears the only question worth asking about this ‘performer’ is if she’s real competition for our beloved Lebanese prima donna Nancy Agram or Ruby, our very own sultry vixen.

The answer is no, she isn’t. Many forget that the music is actually a factor in the music video game, and the songs on this album are simply appalling. They’re perky, but weak and trite. There’s “Andak Shei” (There’s Something about You), a song where she recognizes there’s something about her new crush, except she’s not sure what; “Betekdeb Alay” (You’re Lying To Me), about him sidling up to another girl on the dance floor; and finally “Bahebbak Ad Eih” (How Much Do I love You), where she reminds him that he’s actually wrapped around her pinky.

Haytham Shaker

The lyricists were apparently so pressed for originality they wrote a track called “Eh Wala” (Either Or), a worn-out refrain used in a whole spate of recent songs.

But let’s not underestimate the schoolgirl act; Maria may continue to win more hearts, and let’s face it loins, by continuing to act 12. My advice: don’t encourage this woman by buying her music. It’s best to leave her be and allow the inescapable forces of natural selection to take their toll.

**

Khaleek Gamby (Stay Close)Haytham Shaker Step aside, Hossam Habib and all you other imposters: word on da street is that the only young singer worth listening to these days is Haytham Shaker. The man who sold me the tape assured me: Teenyboppers faint on a regular basis when his songs are played at discotheques.

His recent concert in Alex was also a hit, and he’s managed to generate a lot of interest and hype in the local industry. Seasoned composer-singer Hamid El-Sha’ery oversaw the production of this entire album and digitally mastered and distributed it himself. Poet Rafik Refaat also collaborated on the track “Matgeesh” (Don’t Come).

So is the buzz on this kid’s voice for real? Hard to say yet. His crooning is a bit effete, and even borders on whining. He has yet to tap into the true power of his vocal chords.

In an album of typical dirge, however, you can’t miss the fact that he’s working. He makes an effort to explore his range and find the shades and tones in the structure of the music. The result is quite admirable given the army of poseurs assaulting our media and demanding celebrity.

Time will tell if he’s durable, but for now, hats off to industriousness.