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Reviews of New IR Albums
Submitted by DFers.


All times in EDT/EST +9:30/10:30 for IST.
Discussion Thread on IR's new albums
Old Reviews


Pithamagan
Ilayaraja

Reviewed by sureshkumar (@ 203.129.195.138) on: Fri Nov 14 06:05:22 EST 2003


to read my review on pithamagan album
click here
http://www.mouthshut.com/readreview/46502-1.html


Ten best songs of illayaraja
Ilayaraja

Reviewed by sureshkumar (@ 210.210.64.113) on: Mon Nov 17 23:15:51 EST 2003


cilck here
http://www.mouthshut.com/readreview/46790-1.html


Virumandi
Ilayaraja

Reviewed by sureshkumar (@ 203.129.195.138) on: Tue Dec 9 23:55:18 EST 2003


http://www.mouthshut.com/readreview/48209-1.html


KONJI PESALAM
Ilayaraja

Reviewed by Vel (@ 61.11.46.224) on: Tue Dec 30 04:01:41 EST 2003



Before starting, let me tell you...post pithamagan, the three albums that have been released viz., Konji pesalam, Ponmegalai and Virumaandi...all carry high energy..this is what i call is a higher plane of film music composing..


KONJI PESALAM

Siru Siru - Eats up "munnam seitha thavam" and "agaya thamarai" which had similar higih intensity "keeravani" usage..Unni comes off effortlesly in high pitched charanams (first few lines)..for the cracking tune and rendition by the singer - 4.5/6

Unnai thedi thedi - Raga pahadi (?) is hinduthani relative of raga mohanam. Loved the way the charanams rise up and melt back into the pallavi - Sadhana emotes well, but sounds strained in the first lines of the charanams- for the "down to earth & simple but yet so effective" tune - 5/6

Yezhu vannam - listen to the charanams...sudden twist to bring a folkish taste (or innocent sounding portions of the song), in contrast to the pop"ish pallavi..Lyrics could have been better - 3/6

Adhara surudhi - the charanams, the first two lines - my word, its a blinder..IR catches u totally unawares...no percussions, a mystic environment is created...then karthik starts of "mottu ondru en ullathil", and the percussions pitch in...massive effect. Thats IR's wizardy for u - song uses both natabhairavi & keeravani - karthik does a good job, sadhana is adequate - but pallavi could have had less synth in the recipe - 5.5/6

Idhuvarai Naan - the full meals time from IR...remember "azhagu malar aada" in turbulent sounding raga chandrakouns..this is no less a composition...Tippu bowled me over with his classy rendition - for the picture perfect tune and the classy rendition - 6/6

Kasthuri pottu - "Yerikara poongaatre" from thooral ninnu pochu is a similar song where shankarabharanam raga was used for a folkish flavour - same here. Cool again, from Tippu - the area which i liked about tippu is his ability to give "folk" tinge to the singing...thats what u call "emoting" while u sing...good number - 4/6

Bottomline - As always, worth every penny !!!

[* Indications of ragas used are my own judgements. Scrutiny and further discussions welcome]


VIRUMAANDI
Ilayaraja

Reviewed by Vel (@ 219.65.119.56) on: Thu Feb 5 21:16:31 EST 2004


VIRUMAANDI REVIEW

Before going to the review per se, let us see some basic challenges to maestro ilaiyaraja while he had to compose songs for this movie..

There are two narrations in first half, one by Pasupathy and one by Kamal….Now there might be some situations wherein for a same situation, due to twin versions of a same story, there needed to be,

1) a slightly modified tunes suiting these two versions …or
2) a single tune that would suit both versions of the story…the former is relatively easy, while latter is tough…IR succeeds in both…


Here are some of those situations

a) Kombula poova suthi – it comes only in pasupathy’s version, not in Kamal’s version (so when Pasupathy narrates, the music director has the liberty of being really “eve teasing” kind to the core, since Pasupathy would naturally relate it as if Kamal were a wicked bully and were resorting to eve teasing Abirami]
b) Two versions of Madavilake – A “formality-like” Village’s oppari in pasupathy’s version Versus really pathos flavoured song in Kamal’s version
c) Andha Kandamani / Garbagraham - two versions, one for saami thiruvizha and another for the thrilling climax – this is really a tough ask

Keeping in mind these factors, now on the review of the songs [sorry for that long prelude ;-)]

1) Onna Vida – Moonlight can be artificially created through lights..that’s what has been probably created for the song…but then, can you conjure up moonlight through your sounds and music?….Well, this song has proved it can be done….Take my word, it is just impossible to picturize this tune in broad day light…PERIOD …note the drowsiness in the tune and the interludes..this song musically creates effect and the moonlight touch….for those touching interludes and the sheer simplicity of the song - 6/6

2) Sandiyare sandiyare / Annalaxmi Kannasacha – Sudha saveri raga is it not? Oru folk situation’kku anaayaasamaga vandhu vizhum raga prayogangal patri ennatha solla…(In solla marandha kadhai, he used Thilang raga casually for a pukka folk number, namely “kaatula thalaiyaatura sinna aavaram poove) …but IMHO, a regulation raja duet otherwise – 4/6

3) Nethiyila pottu vai – oh my…brief but so stimulating !! Namba orru pakkam irukirra vaathiyangallukku, manadhai thulla seiyyum thiran undu…aanal adhai use panna therinjavanga venum..IR knows how to use it and where to use it…How I longed if the song were a bit more lengthy – 5/6

4) Magarasi manna vitu – oppari paatu (in pasupathy’s version)…I don’t know if it were Kamal’s idea or IR’s idea, but the way theni kunjaramma misses the rhythm/tempo completely, and sings out of tempo, has just added to the “natural” flavour of the song…4/6

5) Karumathur kattu kulle – This is the typical “koothu paatu” relating the story of “virumaandi” saami and the traditional reason/folklore behind why this lord is being offered a padaiyal in “aadi velli/uchchi poosai”…it takes guts to include such a full length folk number in this era of techno sounds…for selecting real life singers and for having totally stuck to the exact koothu paatu style - 5/6

6) Andha Gandamani – this is a tough one…ukkira saami’kku uchi poosai matrum padaiyal..but this song will also have to be applicable for the gory / racy climax..what u basically need is IR and also IR in some good mood …well he must have been in good mood then…he has satisfied both the situations given to him..the gusty percussion rolls are not merely for the “ear-pleasure-seekers”..it was meant to suit the climax situation as well..That “viru viru maandi” chorus was out of synch with the overall folk flavour of the number – Anyways, for the thinking that has gone into the song - 5/6

7) Maada vilakke – Vakulabharanam ragam…he has used this raga mostly for erotic situations (thanni konjam of julie ganapathy) and rarely for pathos (“aarum adhu azham illa” and “kadha kelu kadha kelu” of MMKrajan)..this is another addition to the pathos list…For the emotion packed tune and Kamal’s emotional rendition – 6/6

8) Kombula poova suthi – how whacky can IR’s music get? We all have seen peppy numbers before, but this song will stay for some years, in its own class …with all trumpets, the mocking chorus and a joyous tune that never lets you free, the song is a delightful “foot-tapping” treat for the year…6/6

9) Garbagraham vittu – That “daang”-“daang” sound of gandamani is now used as BGM for iron-doors banging against each other for the climax…that is clever thinking…very very clever…due credits to lyricist Muthulingam too…5/6


Bottomline – too much effort for a film album :- ) …One for ur collection, for a long long time to come…


Aytha Ezuthu
Ilayaraja

Reviewed by sureshkumar (@ 203.129.195.138) on: Wed Mar 24 06:36:43 EST 2004


click here to read my review
http://www.mouthshut.com/readreview/52552-1.html

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Sections: Home - TFM Magazine - Forum - Wiki - POW - oPod - Lyrics - Pictures - Music Notes -  
Forums: Current Topics - Ilayaraja Albums - A.R. Rahman Albums - TFM Oldies - Fun & Games
Ilaiyaraja: Releases - News - Share Music - AR Rahman: Releases - News - AOTW - Tweets -
Discussions: MSV - YSR - GVP - Song Requests - Song stats - Raga of songs - Copying - Tweets
Database: Main - Singers - Music Director's - Lyricists   Fun: PP - EKB - Relay - Satires - Quiz