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Rahman vs INXS or Biddu, IR vs. Guitar Prasanna or Eric Johnson, MSV vs. Dr. L SUbramaniam

Topic started by Gyan (@ 68.75.56.79) on Sat Oct 16 21:30:59 EDT 2004.
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

We talk great stuff about our film composers. But, let us say we compare them to global fusion stalwarts, how much do our composers not stand out. This is comparing apples and Oranges, but i tell you something I would say talented Rahman did something like INXS insteady of copying INXS rhythms or compose nursey rhymes or broadway type tunes most of the time. Even Biddu did beyond Rahman with just 3 famous world class hit in his own inimitable and orginal style (KungFu Fighting, Dance Little Lady Dance, Aap Jaisa Koi) So I prefer Rehman went the style of INXS or Biddu and not make a tired art form look dull with false loops and hopes.

But, when it comes to amazing recordings of Prasanna or Eric Johnson (some of Prasanna' composition follow Eric Johnson' patterns or style) or if it is Dr. L Subramaniam over MSV, I say each are outstanding and each deserve all music fans attention.

I mean, isn't it time Rahman stopped that monotone turtle crawl preludes and grandmother drawl for a pallavi like I thought Swades was all about? Can't this complacent composer just show some energy for a change, man instead of putting it all on the fanaa loop?

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Responses:

• From: Guess Me (@ 202.83.32.203) on: Sat Oct 16 22:13:47 EDT 2004
  
  Gyan:
  "I mean, isn't it time Rahman stopped that monotone turtle crawl preludes and grandmother drawl for a pallavi like I thought Swades was all about?"
  
  Are you mad or something? The name of the movie is Swades and a vast major part of the story happens in an Indian village and you need high speed preludes and "youthish" drawl?
  
  You can't appreciate good music mainly because of your ignorance. Thankfully only very very few people are like you. Check the top 10 songs of any countdown run by sensible people and Swades will be within the 1st 3 positions.
  
  
• From: vijay (@ 68.51.134.219) on: Sat Oct 16 23:35:46 EDT 2004
  
  Gyan, do you get drunk when you start threads like these?
  
  
• From: Kum (@ 24.200.38.165) on: Sun Oct 17 00:21:19 EDT 2004
  
  No! He start the thread and then get drunk and then come to see the responses! right Gyan-ji?!
  
  
• From: Gyan (@ 68.75.56.79) on: Mon Oct 18 18:51:31 EDT 2004
  
  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article_print.php?id=522
  
  
  
• From: Gyan (@ 68.75.56.79) on: Mon Oct 18 18:59:33 EDT 2004
  
  i am just saying Rahman has brought no damn innovation in Indian music scene. The age and spirit of Indian film music is long gone, people like Rahman n others are just beating a dead horse. especially without originality, lacking any energy, no decent prelude interlude ideas, Indian film music is now looking as plain as crap. If there is something left not done in Indian film music is pop as in Western pop, atleast do that decently instead of looping it out from western artists.
  
  Energy fellas, spirited drinks is what does it. take it or leave it, Kum
  
  
  By the way, while also telling that Swades crap is the main reason for me to open the thread, all of you gotta check out Guitar Prasanna albums, mind blowing sir. Ithu film songsulley potta soda vachchu samalichikalam.
  
  
• From: k (@ 192.138.150.249) on: Mon Oct 18 21:03:50 EDT 2004
  
  Gyan,
  To be fair to ARR, I think, he is innovative in the way he makes the songs or composes the song. He is getting acknowledged with impressive commercial success mainly because, he is able to provide the wine, albeit SOMETIMES old wine, in a new bottle. He does not compose like the other MDs using the raagams or traditional scales as a starting point. He only loosely follows them. While other MDs orchestrated around the main tune strictly. He uses more like a jazz kind of approach, by adding few phrases here and there leisurely at his own pace. The main thing about film music as a genre is that it requires one to have a good balance of everything - tune, rhythm and harmony and not to mention decent lyrics. ARR gives all these in spades but not necessarily the best in each category.
  
  The kind of details IR puts in is not necessarily appreciated by the lay audience. He was either appreciated for the tune or just a new rhythm. That is why we have so many listening to even Deva (even before ARR).
  
  For eg. oru kanam oru yugamaga in nAdOdi thenRal. The song starts a drone in the backgroud, with the female singer humming, immediately it gets complicated but gets simpler once the singer starts singing. The charanam is mainly carried by the vocals plus the strings in the background and a bassy drum. The interlude starts simple but again gets very complex in the later part. Once IR starts singing, you can see he has written a bass line for his singing accompanied not by the same bassy drum but by a higher pitch tabla which makes the bass line stick out. The strings accompany as well. This song is not necessarily complex by IR standards, but look at the amount of thought that goes into it.
  BTW, which album of Prasanna are you referring to ?
  Also, check out Silk Road by Yo-yo-ma. Track #4 has an indian raaga like tune in it, sounds almost like some IR film song. Yo-yo-ma adds some harmony layers to traditional singing. IR's complex string arrangments for a serious main tune would find good audience in the West. I am hoping TIS will make it happen.
  
  
  
• From: vijay (@ 68.51.134.219) on: Mon Oct 18 23:40:20 EDT 2004
  
  Gyan, very few would share your opinion that Swades is "crap". Rahman has been doing lots of stuff in HFM of late. In Tehzeeb he has set 18th century poetry to music in contemporary ambience with a Madan-Mohan feel to the songs.Anyways I didnt know that your ulterior motive in opening this thread with a funny title was to bash Swadesh :-) Listen to "Yenge enadhu kavidhai" or "Uyirum neeye" or many other songs before deciding he is all pop.
  
  
  
• From: vijay (@ 68.51.134.219) on: Mon Oct 18 23:45:10 EDT 2004
  
  "Once IR starts singing, you can see he has written a bass line for his singing accompanied not by the same bassy drum but by a higher pitch tabla which makes the bass line stick out. The strings accompany as well. This song is not necessarily complex by IR standards, but look at the amount of thought that goes into it.
  "
  
  Once IR starts singing the song goes down the drain. Nadodi thendral was a good album spoilt a little only due to bad choice of singers, like Mano for Maniye manikuyile etc. Oru kaNam is a very ordinary tune in an oft-used scale(albeit with decent orchestration). The rhythm is pretty standard.
  
  

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