IR New Albums - Old responses (5 Aug 2006)

I am yet to recover from the hallucinations that "Indha Ulagil" from Madhu created. Why is it not up in coolgoose yet??

Madhu ..not fresh. No song registered in my mind. Technically might be sound, but emotionally it did not ring a bell. To me the tune is important, it has to be fresh. Then comes other things - like chords, fills, counterpoints etc. I am not even particular about different arrangements. Just plain tabla is okay with me.
Yesterday, I managed to catch avathaaram:thenRal vandhu theendum pOthu on SunTV (which otherwise seems to broadcast mostly crap) .Well, that is a song ..that is a masterpiece. Probably one of the best in the last decade by IR. Nothing, even faintly comparable to that, in this album.

"Immathoondu manasu" is a good fun song with nice orchestration (lots of classic IR touches). Liked the trumpet sound after every line in the charanam! With good picturisation/dance movements, this song may become popular. Although Malathi has sung well, I did not like her overblown voice in few places! - 4.5/5

First interlude of "Indha Ulagil" is a good one...reminds us of old IR! Although this song reminds us of "Niram Pirithu" song...this tune does not match up that tune. However this song will stay in my library because of the music. Especially for the strings magic from the last portion of 2nd charanam! I feel Shalini (is she the pop singer??) has sung it well...only in some places its a little nasal. - 3.5/5

When IR starts "Ketkavillaiya", I got reminded about IR's voice in TIS album. The tune starts very ordinary...but transforms into a better tune. The first interlude is a decent one with a typical IR twist in it! The second interlude is again simple and ok. Is that guitar in the second interlude. Both IR & Manjari has sung well. - 3/5

I have a strong feeling that I have heard the starting music of "Nilavai Chutri" (is the music inspired from one of the songs by "Barbie girl" singer?) . Again the tune sounds a bit ordinary. IR is back to synth stuff in the interludes. The flute kind of sound sounds good in the 2nd interlude. Sung well by Tippu. - 1.5/5

"Dum Irundha" starts well and is catchy, but I doubt if it will keep up with the current trend! I dont like the way the tune changes when they sing "Eri Erangi nee poga"...heard quite a lot like that from IR. Song pace itself keeps Eri Erangify like that in portions! Guitar insertions are good. Sung well by the singers. - 3/5.

On the whole an ok effort. I will treasure the first two songs from this album. Good thing is, the synth usage has gone down.

BTW, I heard it in good quality mp3's. My colleagues had it.

thanks,

Krishnan

kiru,

avatharam was a masterpiece from IR which almost went unnoticed at that time. Other gems from that film were:

1. aridharatha poosi kolla aasai
2. chandhirarum sooriyarum

Even the song "oru kundu maNi kulunguthadi" was fresh with typical "grAmiya maNam".

Its indeed a mystery why IR has resorted to synth stuff !!

avatharam is indeed a masterpiece - the music and the movie.

The way 'thendral vanthu theendum pothu' is picturised is also classic stuff. I think that song picturisation influenced the lyrics and picturisation of Maniratnam/Vairamuthu's 'pachchai nirame'

I watched 'athu oru kanaa kalam' on DVD last weekend and loved it. Raja has ruled the roost all along the movie. Especially the song, 'kaattu vazhi kaal nadaya'.

....later

Sometimes we miss celebrating IR songs when they come out. A recent example is songs from the movie "Karagattakari". 5 of the 6 songs are very good.

Th best song is "Enga Ooru Laila". Infact, when you see many of the MDs strain to give fast paced songs ( recent examples in Adhi), you have to listen to this song to feel how IR can create such songs with such ease and mastery

Krish and Kiru: Maybe listening too much ARR and Harris have confused your hearing senses. If Indha Ulagil is not a good song, I don't know what is!

Kr,

I did not like karagattakari in the first listen..and set aside the CD for a while ..I picked it up this week and liked 2 -3 songs very much ..My pick is sada maada petchukellam sari pattu... Amazing melody and such a smooth flow.. I did not recognize the female singer on this .. Manjari or Mahathi...someone like that.. not bad..

Enga Ooru Laila is OK, but did not think it was that fast paced.. compare to Aattamaa Therottamma, Maala Karukalile from Enga ooru Kaavakaran ( P.Suseela )..

Cheers
MSK

Add one more to good songs list in Karagaattakaari. That is "Kotti Vecha Muthae". The only blemish in the song is the lack of SJanaki. Put her in and you have a great song. Simple, melancholic and beautiful.

"Enga ooru laila laila" may not be a typical fast number, but a nice catchy, peppy tune in the forgotten scale by many MDs ie MMG.