Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Music Review (Telugu) :Paathshala

Music Review (Telugu) :Paathshala
Composer: Rahul Raj

Friendship Anthem, templatized drums and guitar dominated rocky tune adeptly supported by Sooraj Santosh and Don Raja Elvis. Merise Merise starts off similar to Alochane vasthane from Oh My friend, nevertheless instantly likeable melody and Rahul did well in vocals without any malayalam slang. Suryodhayam begins with flute and guitar prelude and Nazim sounds good but tune is lacking wit fails to captivate.Freedom Song is another rocky arrangement with pace alters throughout the song and is comparatively better than Friendhip anthem song. Shoonyamai by Nikhil Mathew is a laid-back tune with soft guitar led arrangement is an interesting listen among the other songs.

Verdict: Rahul Raj seems to be following Mickey J Meyer in this Soundtrack and the album sounds better compared to contemporaries Thaman and DSP.

My Rating:7/10

Pick of the Album: Shoonyamai, Freedom Song

You can listen to the songs here.

Monday, August 25, 2014

Music Review (Malayalam) : Mosayile Kuthira Meenukul

Music Review (Malayalam) : Mosayile Kuthira Meenukul
Composer: Prashant Pillai


Opening title is more like Islamic hymn with divine Beheja hook and Prashant Pillai goes with minimal guitar riffs at the background but the song came to an end before we completely savour it. Another reprise version of the song starts with ambient sounds along with Preeti Pillai vocals is also enticing. The highlight of this very short soundtrack is Aikbareesa.This song is in the line with Solamanum soshnayum from Amen with minimal enticing sounds at the background. Preeti Pillai handles this capella like melody dextrously. The picturisation of this song also done in aesthetic way. Illahi, comes with two version, one is Alex Chases Aikbar with puchy percussion and rocky guitary orchestration and another is Aikbaar escapes with Prakash sontake in vocals is also almost sounds same. But the concern is again track is very short.

Verdict : Prashant Pillai, marks his presence with melodies in the album but very less number of songs in the album makes us to crave for a lot. Waiting for the solid album like Amen from him.

My rating: 7.5/10

Pick of the Album: All songs nevertheless only 3.



Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Music Review: Finding Fanny

Music Review (Hindi): Finding Fanny
Composer: Mathias Duplessy and Sachin Jigar

Fanny re, with its trippy guitar led arrangement along with accordion towards the end and lovely first interlude is an interesting listen.The vocals by Mathias Duplessy and Mukthiyar Ali is equally good for this upbeat tune. Mahi ve is an another version of Fanny re with exactly same orchestration except replacing fanny re with Mahi ve. Ding Dong, again dominated by stringed instruments and composer itself behind the mic carrying the english verses in European flavoured tune wonderfully. Then enter Sachin-Jigar with wacky lyrics (Guessing by the name of the song, Shake your bootiya) and tempting orchestration is the clean winner in the short crispy soundtrack.

Verdict: Mathias Duplessy and Sachin Jigar delivers the world class music for this whimsical movie (Trailer looks like that) for this short soundtrack.

Pick of the album: All songs

My rating:7.5/10

Monday, August 18, 2014

Music Review (Tamil) - Kaaviya Thalaivan

Music Review (Tamil) - Kaaviya Thalaivan
Composer -Rahman

Aye Mr. Minor, Rahman takes us to Iruvar days, wonderful retro styled tune, with impeccable singing by Haricharan and Shashaa Tripati. Loved the usage of Mandolin and very soothing arrangement. Sandi Kuthirai, Rahman spruces up with quirky sounds throughout the song and Haricharan excelled in vocals with exuberant singing matches with the arrangement. This song seems to be tribute to yesteryear classical songs. Rahman garnishes the arrangement with occasional cartoonish sounds, trumpet and intermittant laughs. Arresting listen. Sollividu sollividu, starts with dark themed, frenetic sounds and Mukesh shows his diversity in singing be it pathos singing to stop the war at the end or energetic singing in the first half, he pulls off with ease. Thirupugazh, its Vani Jayaram's show throughout the song, she nails the classical rendition for the Arunagirinathar's verses and Rahman goes minimal in orchestration.

Vaanga Makka vanga, welcome song for nadaga sabha sang brilliantly by Haricharan and Dr. Narayanan. Rahman packed the song with mainly percussion instruments like Thavil, miridangam and Morsing sound along with brilliant veena in the first interlude. Next comes Yaarumilla with clarinet prelude and arrangement dominated by Tabla along wonderful chorus in the second interlude. Nonetheless Shwetha Mohan steals the show with her flawless rendition. Finally, Alli Arjuna 10 minutes long compilation of bit tracks with lyrics penned by Vaali and singing by Haricharan and Bela shende is mostly situational drama on marriage between Alli and Arjuna. Loved the nadhaswaram in Vandhanam and folky tune in Alli varugiral. Then songs turns heavy with percussions in Naan Annathooviyil and finally ends with gettimelam and drums dominating Nenju Porukudhillaye.


My Pick of the album: Sanda Kuthirai, Aye Mr. Minor, Yaarumilla

My Rating :8.5/10

Verdict: Rahman delivers the period album in deftly manner like the only way he can and ably supported by all singers. Hope songs will be visual treat in the movie.

You can listen to the songs here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idZ-5amTsHA&list=PLR4czbB8dznwb6GmKME6Yg9qewDyiARKw

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Music Review (Telugu): Geethanjali

Music Review (Telugu): Geethanjali
Composer : Praveen Lakkaraju

Coffee song starts like devotional song and enters into usual telugu rhythmic fast beat pattern results in an run of the mill tune nevertheless vocals by Ramya behra and Srikrishna is good. Naa manasuni thaake by Harini and Haricharan rehashes the familiar tune along with some classical touches especially flute in orchestration.  Raghuvamsha sudha  is a fusion of carnatic portions handled by Pranavi along with Megharaj and Rap portions by Rahul. The arrangements limited to EDM framework number but classical tune makes this an engaging listen. Saitaan Raj, Baba Sehgal voice spoiled in a ho-hum tune. Pranavi’s vocals and Brahmanandam dialogues stand apart in this mediocre song. Vishwaroopam with its middling tune even Shankar Mahadevan unable to hold us with his sprightly singing.

Verdict: Unimpressive debut by Praveen Lakka raju, Pranavi vocals being the only solace in this average album


My rating: 6/10

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

TV Dinners Music Review


Music Review (English Pop Album) : TV dinners
Composer: Mikey Mcleary


Chase every dream, a soft rock track meddled with soothing Anushka manchanda voice traverse over the standard template for this genre and the composer retains the original voice in the Levi's curve ID.Next Composer enters into the foray of hard rock dominated by the engaging guitary riffs and composer itself get behind the mic for I don't know where I'm going results in an engaging listen. The original ad features Katrina kaif for Titan Ad. Again composer came behind the mic for the soft bluesy kind of song, If I go mad (Original Aamir Khan's Titan HTSE Ad) with nifty guitar bits along with techno sounds especially loved the guitar sound in the second half. 

Next comes If you feel(Original Audi A6 india campaign) in Monica dogra's whispery voice amidst the heavy adrenaline exuding techno arrangements.My personal favourite among the all songs is Shalmali Kolgade's Just a little crush(Original Lakme fruit blast face wash). Truly the lady aced the vocals portion especially in love with the way she shows variation in pronouncing crush and the arrangements also in line with the teenage girl pop song. Shalmali's next song You got me also a retro pop song along with Sax and guitar combination in arrangement is also an interesting listen. Little things you do for me works mainly because of the sweet voice by Anushka Manchanda and the usage of keys and laid-back guitary notes is an asset to this track. Oh I feel wonderful (Original version) has eclecltic instruments usage but nonetheless Mikey Mcleary style of singing didn't excite much. Open book (original Vodafone jingle) opens with nice Piano notes along with mellifluous Mauli Dave's voice. True highlight of the song is the combination of piano and strings in the orchestration.Mikey Mcleary nails  the vocal section along with Saxy and brass led orchestration in world is our playground.

Verdict: Mikey Mcleary inventive idea of making full songs out of his famous jingles is an winsome one and he pulls off the idea nicely. Hope many composers follow the trend.

My rating:8.5/10

Pick of the album: I don't know where I'm going, Just a little crush, Open book, If you feel

You can listen to the songs here
https://soundcloud.com/mikey-mccleary/sets/tv-dinners

Saturday, August 9, 2014

Music Review: Sigaram Thodu

Music Review (Tamil) : Sigaram Thodu
Composer: D Imman

Anbulla appa, average tune powered by the sonorous evergreen voice of K J Yesudas with interesting violin in the interludes. Pidikuthe, melodious tune handled well by Jithin raj and Shreya goshal who nails these song at ease but again there is nothing extraordinary regarding the arrangement wise or flow of tune.Takku takku, quirky song with its hilarious lyrics by karky is an interesting listen. Antony daasan and Varun parandhaman vocals tandem with the mood of the song. Scenu Scenu, starts with Imman's usual sound, but  tune didn't hold the listener till the end. Sigaram thodu, title song is again barely interesting except for its nadaswaram bit in the middle.

My rating: 6.5/10

Verdict: Imman seems to be lost his touch quite early, hope he will come back to his form in his future albums.

Pick of the album: Takku Takku, Anbulla appa

Sunday, August 3, 2014

Music Review : Kadavul Paadhi Mirugam Paadhi

Music Review (Tamil): Kadavul Paadhi Mirugam Paadhi
Composer: Rahul Raj

Naan Indri Naan dhaana with its groovy guitary tune along with Sooraj Santosh energetic singing makes this song interesting listen. Soundtrack's best comes with the vocals of Gayathri Suresh's Enathu ulagil, an engaging tune well supported by arrangements by Rahul raj especially flute portions in the prelude and first interlude. Rahul Raj got the kuthu elements right along with Suchitra in Meenama Meenama, who usually nails these kind of songs at ease. Only the lyrics irks a lot. Beast rock apt to its name rides high on the rocky tune with sprightly done rap portions by Arjun Sasi is also an engaging listen. The dark Theme is a haunting instrumental piece dominated by strings and Piano with spooky vocals and chorus portions.

Verdict : Malayalam film composer Rahul Raj's  tamil debut is not at its best but surely Enathu ulagil and Naan Indri Naan dhaana stays in the charts for long time.

My rating: 7.5/10

Pick of the album: Enathu ulagil, Naan Indri Naan Dhaana

Music review -Thirundhuda Kadhal Thiruda

Music Review (Tamil) - Thirundhudaa Kaadhal Thiruda
Composer : Ranjith Melepatt

Oliyin, beautifully crafted tune with power backing vocals by Karthik and Chinmayi. Composer handled the orchestration also very well especially violin bits in second interlude and song ending along with Karthick showing carnatic prowess. Salaigal is purely V.V.Prasanna show with amazing ghazal oriented songs, ably supported by ambient instruments like tabla dominating throughout the song along with flute, veena and harmonium makes this song best in lines of yen uyirey from Maalai pozhudhin mayakathiley.In Sudumanal parappil, Ranjith goes for the raw village folk by multiple singers with instruments inclined to typical hindustani songs especially tabla. Loved the nadhaswaram bits by the way and in some places due to lyrics feels like malayalam songs. Finally Aravind meets Aparna (theme song) is a engaging instrumental piece, with Veena, flute, Tabla and magical violin along with carnatic touches.Truly mindblowing. Reminds me of 90's Rahman sound. Fabulous ending to the wonderful album.



Verdict: Truly Commendable debut by Ranjith Melepatt. Album showcases his classically oriented talent which i always like. Hope he continues his best in the future albums, surely one of the best debut in recent times.

My rating: 8.5/10

Pick of the album: Salaigal, Oliyin, Aravind meets Aparna (Theme)