CATERPILLARS HAVE TWO lives — at first, they act like slowpokes, who move about very self-consciously, and the next thing you know, they are ready to fly and explore the world. “We follow the same philosophy — that each day is a new beginning in itself and there is always a better tomorrow awaiting you,” says Amrit Mukherjee, the lead vocalist of Shnuopoka. The band recently launched its debut album Shnuopoka1, on all digital platforms, and they're all set to release a new single in August.
It is hard to classify the genre of this band, which has a soft rock number like Jol Chokhe, a hard rock one called Ami Devdas Noi, a country song like Dushtu Phagun Mash, and the title track, Shnuopoka, which is a reggae number. It was the same title track that brought them some well-deserved recognition at the 24 Ghanta Band Carnival in 2015.
“You could say that our journey as a band started from there. We never expected to win the competition — the final round got us the exposure we needed, as the performance of the final three bands in the competition were selected for a television broadcast a week later,” says Nilanjan, the lyricist and vocalist of the outfit.
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Shnuopoka is not the typical Bengali rock band, because they cite Rabindra sangeet, Blink 182, The Beatles and Gulzar as their major influences. One can feel
the difference in their execution and theme of songs like Ami Devdas Noi, which is a disavowal of the famous romantic trope of Devdas; while Jol Chokhe is again a soft romantic number, yearning for someone’s arrival.
“We all grew up listening to Chandrabindoo and Fossils. But rather than using music to express our anger, depression, and frustration, we celebrate it. Optimism is the driving philosophy behind all our songs and our lyrics are positive,” informs Amrit.
“We observe the life around us, as life itself inspires us to create original songs. So, the lyrics come naturally. You will never find our songs repeating themselves, as we believe in attempting different genres every time. The musical arrangement
depends on the lyrics, whether the song is aggressive or has a soft personal
touch,” he reveals.
The eight-member band will soon be releasing a politically charged revolutionary song called Kola Bang Shona Bang next month. “It’s a punk rock number which talks about the misuse of power and equates the timely croaking of a frog with the political voices, which can be heard only in season and for a reason. We plan to release it around Independence Day,” informs Nilanjan.
Another single in the offing is Chhuti Tor. “The song is different because it talks about enjoying the rain, and though we associate rains with a romantic interlude, this song hints at a self-sufficient state of mind,” he adds.