-Music Videos on my Mind- Naseer & Shahab's "Za Sta Pashan Nayam"

Pakistan is the last place in the world you would identify with a grunge music revival, but that is exactly what seems to be happening, flannel shirts and all.

In a bizarre quirk of events, Pakistani pop music has gone back to the future, reluctant to accept that American alternative music circa 1991 ever went out of fashion.

Naseer and Shahab are a Pakistani - by way of Australia - rock act evoking the spirit of Eddie Vedder in their song Za Sta Pashan Nayam (I'm for Love). The duo sing in the Pushtoon language, indicating the spirit of Seattle lives on in even the most dangerous places on earth.  As there is no translation available, and frankly, even if there is then life's too short to bother seeking it out, therefore, the song has to be enjoyed for its simple anthemic qualities, demonstrating that an enjoyable tune can always transcend language barriers. (The Youtube video may offer a way to activate English subtitles but it requires too much clicking.)

It seems the Pakistani alternative scene is little more than a cottage industry, inhabited by musicians creating songs for the love of music without any misconceptions it will  ever become a way to make a fortune. There's a certain innocence to that, which is particularly striking because it comes from a place that has some really big issues to deal with.