Raja's Gems - the latest one you heard...Part 3

[raj_musing]

. The recording is class, the synth inch perfect. . An absolutely satisfying album. Wish his other albums have the same synth quality and recording quality. The major surprise for me has always been the variation in the recording quality of Raja albums!!!

Suresh,
While you are enjoying raja's synth usages which according to me looks decent in Gayam-2
\\DIGRESSION1)May I request you to listen to a recent movie album - "URUMI" which is a periodic fantasy,probably in the lines of Ponnar Shankar, directed by Santhosh shivan. Now the songs are composed by Deepak Dev (who was an assistant to ARR and had worked with YSR,Vidyasagar etc). The movie and the songs are superhit and recently Maniratnam had a word of praise for the entire crew. Listen to the songs when you are free and draw your opinion...
2) Kindly listen to the musical super hit of 2010 for a movie "Anwar" which was composed by Gopi sundar,who is a big ARR follower. All the songs were sung by Shreya goshal and this album overtook "Kadha Thudarunnu" in popularity and collection. None of these songs will disappoint and listen when you get time...
//END DIGRESSION

[V_S]

As the film title suggests, the genre is obvious, tribal raja at his best.

Kandathai sollaathe Naan sonnathai sollaathe - Another tribal song with Raja's midas touch. Triple bango (??) when Janaki starts singing pallavi and charanams. Guitar chords during the first few lines of pallavi is just nostalgic. The male, female chorus is pulsating. While we are listening to the grand orchestration, that flute sneaks through our soul. It's amazing how this song got transformed to 'Unmela Oru Kannu' in Naan Mahan Alla.

Ponnaana Neram Raja - Please don't miss this one. Absolute cracker of a song and obviously my pick! Raja has gone crazy in preludes and interludes, watch the guitar chord progression in the prelude. Top class stuff! Not one second he allows us to breath in this song. But SJ does not gasp for breath, sings casually unlike today's singers where they sometime could not cope up with the tempo. Tremendous singing from the legend S Janaki. Most of all, it is not that Maestro has concentrated just on orchestration, hear the melody, that's where he stands tall. But this song does not fit into tribal category, seems to be fall in erotic mood, need to see how it's picturized.

Kandene Kandene - Prelude is just beautiful. Breezy SPS humming. I don't know how many times Raja would have used flute and violin in interludes, but as always it's different. When MV arrives after first charanam, we know what should happen and it happens. The tone of the song changes completely. Second interlude has some excellent violin counterpoints with guitar chords, just amazing! Just when you start realizing that another charanam is around the corner, Maestro finishes the song cleverly!

http://www.raaga.com/channels/tamil/...p?mid=t0002755

[Sureshs65]

Thanks RM for the reco. Will definitely listen to those songs soon.

[KV]

V_S, thanks a ton for re-discovering Kanni Theevu! (Columbus range’ku pointinga saar!). A wild blast of an opening any boring Monday could ask for!
Amazing instrumentation in all songs. Like App said once, one just has to utter the magic word ‘tribal’ to Raaja to bring out the wild beast in its deadliest form! (applicable even currently, as seen in Ambum kumbum). Janaki and Raaja seem to share some kind of extra-worldly bonding! Alas, I don’t have Raaga access now and Thiraipaadal has only 4 songs (the 1st one on your list is not to be seen here). But Ponnaana neram, whoa! My pick as well. The structuring, like you said, is done very interestingly; unexpected entry of melody while the instruments and other lines are progressing with such energy. The sangathis that come in the charanams are spell-binding!

Jaiganes, thanks for bringing up Vietnam Colony; nice writeup on Markazhi masam. While most of us thought this was the time (1994) when IR was least innovative, look at how many little wonder like these have slipped through silently. Couple of duets that I can think of in the same variety, from the same time period, are Oru Kootil (Kolangal) and Unna Nenachu Urugum (Raasayaa) (Thirapaadal credits this song to Preethi Uttamsingh and SPB; I think it’s Chitra and Mano actually)

Rajkumarc, lovely pick there in Thaamtha Theemtha (Pagalil Or Iravu). Such freshness, innocence and tenderness, despite the gymnastics in tune (and that darned chorus); this one’s a mesmerizing song.

[V_S]

Thanks KV. Sorry I confused everyone with Kandathai Sollaathe. Actually it starts with 'Ithu Oru Puthu Vitha' which is available both in raaga and thiraipaadal. Please listen.

[jaiganes]

http://www.thiraipaadal.com/tpplayer...721%27&lang=en

Was adding this as a footnote to venki's review on 180 in song of the open road.
This song is from an obscure movie called "konji pesalam" - this is thippu special song. when I heard this song I proclaimed
here comes "thippu - a contender to MV's throne". because I had heard thippu croon to soft Harris jayaraj songs and some
energetic Vidhyasagar kuththu songs. here he owns a song that is right up there in malaysia annan's alley - semi classical with
some heavy singing in the higher and lower pitches, thippu pulls this song off well and Raaja had created some special sangadhis for him in
the higher octaves. the interludes are stand out - heavily context laden - a very nice song with poignant lyrics too..

[jaiganes]

I am stuck with this album...
http://www.thiraipaadal.com/album.php?ALBID=ALBIRR00306
on loop from morning..

[V_S]

http://www.thiraipaadal.com/tpplayer...721%27&lang=en

Was adding this as a footnote to venki's review on 180 in song of the open road.
This song is from an obscure movie called "konji pesalam" - this is thippu special song. when I heard this song I proclaimed
here comes "thippu - a contender to MV's throne". because I had heard thippu croon to soft Harris jayaraj songs and some
energetic Vidhyasagar kuththu songs. here he owns a song that is right up there in malaysia annan's alley - semi classical with
some heavy singing in the higher and lower pitches, thippu pulls this song off well and Raaja had created some special sangadhis for him in
the higher octaves. the interludes are stand out - heavily context laden - a very nice song with poignant lyrics too..

Beautiful song Jai. Not given much thought about this album, but now listening, four beautiful songs. Tippu's briiliant show and we haven't known Tippu for this, and thanks to Raja for bringing the best out of him and to you for bringing this song up here.

BTW, nice to see Nayakan through your avatar

[Querida]

Jaiganes, an album with loopy credentials indeed for sharing!!

"Ithuvarai" is certainly a treat with Tippu, certainly the pick of the album.

the more and more I hear of Karthik, the more I am becoming a fan of his voice
especially nice to hear him in "Aathara Sruthi Illatha"

I expect no less from Unnikrishnan, he has such a charming voice, and the skill and training
very happy to say, quite taken with his "Siru Siru Siragugal"

[tvsankar]

Jaiganes,
my choice is - Unnai thedi thedi.. sadhana.

Female Feelings in expressions ku - He is the KING..................