IlayaRaja's New Albums 2013-15 - Mahendran film/Thaarai thappattai/Mythri

[KV]

Sureshji, interesting writeup. The rhythm is interesting, no doubt and kinda tricky too (complex nu solla mudiyaadhu). These are little tweaks in the rhythm arrangements that the man generally does to add to the beauty of the compositions. In this song though, I still have my tiny reservations (will 'grow' nu nenakkaren, lets see!)

Reg the guitaring in this song, are they two separate guitars playing, as in, a rhythm and a bass? To me it sounded like one acoustic guitar playing both the rhythm riffs and rounding them off with the bass notes (the bend notes). There's quite surely no electric bass guitar sound in the song from what I can hear. Whaddya guys think?

So, this will classify under blues eh? hmmm... To me this song is more like the acoustic version of a song like Kizhakkumala Kammallitta (from Kadha Thodarunnu).

skr, thanks for the info. Again, the song's pretty good, but similar 'issue' like in the VP song!

[MumbaiRamki]

Sureshji, interesting writeup. The rhythm is interesting, no doubt and kinda tricky too (complex nu solla mudiyaadhu). These are little tweaks in the rhythm arrangements that the man generally does to add to the beauty of the compositions. In this song though, I still have my tiny reservations (will 'grow' nu nenakkaren, lets see!)

Reg the guitaring in this song, are they two separate guitars playing, as in, a rhythm and a bass? To me it sounded like one acoustic guitar playing both the rhythm riffs and rounding them off with the bass notes (the bend notes). There's quite surely no electric bass guitar sound in the song from what I can hear. Whaddya guys think?

So, this will classify under blues eh? hmmm... To me this song is more like the acoustic version of a song like Kizhakkumala Kammallitta (from Kadha Thodarunnu).

skr, thanks for the info. Again, the song's pretty good, but similar 'issue' like in the VP song!

In the LIVE , there were two guitars

[rooky]

Completely floored by dhoni. Thavi thavi, Vilayatta, Chinna kannilae,.. beatiful lineup there.
Thavi Thavi my favorite, cos it has Raja singing for a wonderful unparalleled composition

[jaiganes]

thaavi thaavi - when maestro sings "karagosham" - there is a bittersweet feeling that is evoked - that is raaja signature that is unmistakable and underscoring a moment or emotion in the story beautifully (padam paarthaal thaan theriyum).. This is his trademark minimalism. Love this guy and his music...

[rajkumarc]

Nice to see good reviews for Dhoni. Haven't listened to it yet. However, I have been listening to Mayilu for the last few days and I will say it's a highly addictive album with truly wonderful songs. Enna Kutham, Yathe, Aadhi Sokka are in the loop more often than the other numbers.

Bavathaarini is totally unrecognizable in Yathe and has rendered it very well, SriramP is OK but Bavathaarini's rendition is more authentic folk. I'm liking Reeta's rendition as well and the way she emotes in Adhi Sokka esp in the charanams is wonderful. Enna Kutham - No words to say, just

[AravindMano]

no! nevaire! marka kEttuppArunga boss. no auto business and all (if any elec voice modulation, it could be that thamnana chorus in the beginning). She's probably sung it with a nasal tinge to give it that folk 'feel' and her emotions in the song are spot on, me thinks, no saccharine sweetness and all. (no, no.. sathyama no vasyam)

maRukkA kEttu pAththEn. ...thannOda vazhiyellAm thannathaviRa thuNaiyuNdo and the next line and all.. konjam doubt-AvE irukku.

regarding emotions... I liked Hariharan's rendition more. His is perfect, methinks.

[AravindMano]

That would still be meettaadha oru veenai.

Ah, yeah.

[AravindMano]

viLaiyAttA padagOtti is extraordinary. As much as I think this and Chinna kaNNilE meander in Vidyasagar territory (who himself channels Raja mostly), some of the progressions in the tune are just not SO Raja, but something that he only can do. This song is a classic.

And that moment when violins, I mean real violins, gush in flooding the first interlude of Chinna kaNNilE, is SO surreal. Why would one find it so surprising in a Raja song. Sad, all the synth stuff he is giving us.

And the interludes in vAngum paNaththukkum are fantastic!

[ravinat]

Suresh, nice write up. What SPB tries is a loose form of scat singing. Nothing on the lines of 'Pudhu Maapillaikku' from Aboorva Sagadarargal. However, I like his 'Dum Bum Bum' in the last pallavi - perfect syncopation that only he is capable of. Remember his famous Abinandana song where he demonstrates his syncopation mastery? Contrary to some comments here, the tabla play in this song is complicated and there are several places, where the beat is a single beat skipping time in a clever way. I was reminded a little bit of Ila Nenje Vaa and its crazy flute fillers. At least the first 8 bars of the charanam have this tabla challenge. Did anyone observe how this was performed live during the audio launch.

In all, another orchestration milestone.

[Sureshs65]

Ravi,

Thanks for confirming it. I don't know too much about scat singing so was unsure. And yes, the last 'Dum Bum Bum' is perfect and the way Raja ensures that the instruments do it the next round around is terrific.

I am still to get a hold on exactly what pattern that single tabla beat comes in!! Need to keep count of time and check it out. Raja does a lot of complicated rhythmical exercise is something we know but making the beat asynchronous and showing it clearly to us is a recent one I think. Earlier some rhythm instruments would keep the beat and others would play off the beat in a subtle way. (Ravi has written a series of articles on Raja's poly rhythm for those interested.) Whereas in the recent songs you can hear a sharp beat which is off the beat very clearly. Guess he is implementing the jazz lessons he is learning from the Hungarian