Maestro Ilaiyaraja New Albums 2011 - Hello Jaihind / Sri Rama Rajyam

[raagas]

I am having great time with Ponnar Shankar songs. Bavani Varugira, Kannai Padithen, Malar Villilae are most listened songs for me. Thedi Vantha comes next and Annamar Kathai comes last (although it is an out and out IR folk song).

[KV]

Count me in folks! Incessant Ponnar Shankar-ing today! Bhavani, Annamaar and Malarvillile top my list. The two romantic duets come in next (the 1st song is non-existant for me). The length of the songs is another welcome change in this album.

My mind can now automatically sound-engineer and fade-out the out-of-place synth, ganjaphlow, madhu balakrishnan, stock loops, etc, and bring to the fore, dheivakuralazhagi Shreya and those rocking native percussions. Most of us get so sucked into the sythbharavi gloom that we tend to overlook the power-packed thavil, urumi, thappu,etc in the songs.

Shreya, undoubtedly, is the crown jewel of the package. Beautiful, absolutely beautiful singing and hassle-free job in the pronunciation front as well (yuvan & co, you guys can only hang your heads in shame I guess? Other non-thamizh imports, here’s your role model!).

Hendrix, had he heard this girl, would’ve probably made a ‘folksy lady’ for her!

[Sureshs65]

KV,

Well said and that has been my stand as well. The ears filter out the synth and only take in the idea!!! And the ideas are superb. And of course, Shreya is the queen of this album no doubt. Wonderful voice and a nice diction.

V_S: Yes the chorus is back but it was present in songs of 'Jaganmohini' as well.

[Sureshs65]

While it is indeed synth, just observe the accompaniment during the last two lines of the charanam of 'kannai padithen'. Whatay louly, as P_R would say. Similarly I have no complaints on the synth violins in the interlude. Wonderful Hamsadhwani. The interludes in this song are class, synth or no synth.

[Sureshs65]

Another trend which I am watching in Raja is taking some old Hindi melody and giving it a totally different shape. Can't figure out which is the original melody but you can clearly hear the old world charm in them. Examples I can think of are: 'swapnangal' (Bhagyadevatha), 'yaaro paadunnu doori' (Katha Thudarunnu), 'poovakaelu' (ASK) and 'kannai padithen' (Ponnar Shankar). I love each of these melodies. Hope the trend continues

[jaiganes]

Ahem! This has been my point since long time.... but then...

anyway, lets enjoy the album and lets await the next one too - Happi!

Ridiculous accusation. If you care to see Raaja's "Making of Thiruvaasagam" episodes, he clearly explains that loops are huge "time and money savers" for today's music production.
He explains that "though loop usage" is inevitable, music composers should use their imagination to "hide it" and amalgamate it well in their creations. He has never said "NO LOOPS" at all. He lashes out only on "ONLY LOOPS" music composers - whom according to him are just pretenders competing with the genuine composers in the market today, standing on the notes composed by some one else. He reiterates this in the BBC interview as well.
The loops used in PS are minimal and are hidden away well .

[KV]

Suresh, yes, the violins and flute interplay in kannai padithen interludes is very nice. With Padithurai and Happi round the corner, some quality melodic stuff awaits us I imagine.

Unbelievable and unlikely as it may sound, we seem to be seeing a formation of an impressive combo in the form of IR and MuKa! (some might associate Thiagarajan with Ponnar, but I think MuKa ranks much higher in the mariyadhai/gauravam prospects of a project).

Regardless of the quality of the film, IR appears to be inspired enough to give some very good music.
Uliyin Osai was a stellar album; heavy-weight category classical; a melodic, carnatic feast!
Ponnar Shankar, an ingenious amalgamation of high-voltage folk, WCM and melody; a contrasting beast!

I’m already looking forward to this combo’s next!
If only one suitcase, just a tiny one from the seemingly Himalayan heap, can make it to the project, the Budapest contingent can get some buvva and we folks, fodder for a lifetime!

[app_engine]

KV,
From what I read in the media, Thiagarajan was an official in the Polydor (audio) firm, known to be far superior to the audio firms TFM used during initial days of IR, like inreco / HMV etc. The first-ever TF album by Polydor was alaigal Oyvathillai (Thiagarajan was possibly given back the favor by being chosen to act as villain).

That, seems to be quite a long time association between IR & him. (Recall the fantastic work IR did for malayoor mambattian too).

OTOH, IR's relationship with mu-kA seems to be so-so only (e.g. semmozhi mAnAdu anthem was by ARR, none of DMK big budgets had IR, even the recent mu-kA written iLaingan was not IR).

In general, IR seems to be not aligned closely with political groups, though he had worked on a few mu-kA scripts. That way he did do a Jaya TV concert, his most famous by far. (Though there was this IR-GV row w.r.t. JJ function and some court draggings related to IR / GA properties and Sasikala goondaism.). Then there were Congress minister / Vaiko during TbI launch.

So, ponnar-shankar "extract credit" should be given to Thiagarajan, IMO.

[V_S]

I cannot listen to 'Thedi Vantha Devathai' too often just because of Shreya's singing. I get lost most of the time. When her voice breaks when she sings the lines, especially the underlined words, my heart breaks too!
un tholil saanju kattikitten parai mela ottikitten
naan aalillaatha neram paarthu kattikitten
vayasu pulla nee enda theeya vechcha
en manasukkula theriyaama kaiyya vecha
kannathai nee kanavil vanthu kadichchu vachcha kalavaniya

Beautiful when she extends and really asks a question with "Nee Enda"
oorukkelam neethane kaaval thanthe, enakku mattum Nee enda kaadhal thanthe

Is this the first song she sings in this mood? This song is totally contrasting compared to her other three songs. Also I really don't know if she really knows the meaning when she sings, I assume she will know about the overall mood of the song, not every word and line. But the way she emotes every word, I feel she is not very far from SJ. Also added to that, definitely her beautiful voice (compared to SJ) adds to the mood so easily. Amazing how she manages various kind of moods in each and every song in every language all round India, as she is the most sought after singer. Even if we take SJ, she is popular down south mainly, similarly Lata/Asha were popular in north mainly, eventhough they have sung songs outside their region (still they were not quite good in diction), but very less. Shreya in that sense is becoming versatile! Only concern is she should get good compositions to sing like SJ or Lata!

I know it's very early, but eventhough still a long way to go, I certainly feel A legend in the making!

[AravindMano]

V_S, 'majaa majaa' from 'Sillunu Oru Kadhal' is another 'mood' song, by Shreya Ghoshal. Nice song and nicely sung too.