Thursday, September 29, 2016

Music Review (Tamil): Adhagapattadhu Magajanangaley

Music Review (Tamil): Adhagapattadhu Magajanangaley
Music Composer: Imman

        Yaenadi's sprightly rhythm reminds of the Enthaara Enthaara from  Thirumanam Ennum Nikkah while Imman throws the pleasant arrangements brimming with engaging strings and violin solos effectually. Shreya Goshal oozes her flair in vocals along with ever reliable Karthik accompanying her behind the mic. Yugabharathi's simple lyrics elevate the beauty of melody in Imman's orchestration as always.Yaenadi's reprise version has the laid back soft jazz orchestration dominated by the grand piano sounds and interludes evoking the memories of Ilayaraja score while Shreya Goshal's competitive singing once again makes this shorter version  extremely enjoyable.

       Andha Pulla Manasu is once again confined to the Imman's forte melody where slide guitar along with subdued Konnakol bits is the highlight of the orchestration. The rhythmic folksky Kanjira background and passable tune sung effortlessly by Haricharan saves this otherwise routine affair from the composer. The rock digression in the second interlude sounds like an incongruous piece when compared to the overall flow of the song.Idhukkuthane Aasapattaen's haunting prelude is the red herring when compared to the tune of the song and though pallavi sounds staid, Imman spruces up the proceedings in the Ilayaraja'esque charanam portions. Vandana Srinivasan's vocals are appealing while Shankar Mahadevan's vocals are not utilised up to his potential except for the classical sargam's in the second interlude. Double Ok is the album's weakest song and the pedestrian EDM track with filler lyrics is annoying and the processed vocals of Rahul Pandey is strictly functional. Overall, the song can be easily skipped.

Verdict: Imman continues to churn out his trademark melodies with aplomb consistency and the melodies remain easily accessible turns out to be his strength.

My Rating: 7/10

Pick of the Album: Yaenadi, Idhukkuthane Aasapattaen, Andha Pulla Manasu

P.S You can listen to the songs in Saavn.

Monday, September 26, 2016

Music Review (Tamil): Rekka

Music Review (Tamil): Rekka
Music Composer: Imman

       The song which has been already released as a single and the track has very minimal appealing factor. The title hook is annoying even though it lasts for brief duration.Imman's arrangements are the hodgepodge of composer's trademark sounds. Jithin Raj alone unable to salvage this underwhelming track.Kanna kaattu podhum is a minimum guarantee track which is adequately pleasant in the mesmerising vocals of Shreya Goshal. However the warmed up soundscape for Imman- Shreya Goshal combination is of little concern. The arrangements are strictly confined to the Imman's forte with generous usage of strings and the lovely Verna in the second interlude.

        It's delight to listen Nandini Srikar vocals in Tamil after Nerungi Vaa Muthamidadhe and Yuvan's Moondru per Moondru kadhal. She aces in kannamma also with excellent improvisations throughout the track. Imman complements the tune and vocals with neat arrangements employing fabulous Nadhaswaram, keys and slide guitar in the first interlude. Pollapaiya gains a lot from the singing prowess of Shwetha Mohan and Haricharan while the background arrangements and rhythm are tried and tested umpteen times by the composer itself. The English lyrics and rock guitar mix in the first interlude is incongruous with the overall flow of the tune. The furious wings theme is adequately thumping and grungy enough, however the theme song stays in the strictly functional level without any awestruck moments in the two and half minute instrumental duration.

Verdict: Rekka is an another typical Imman album filled with stock tunes of the composer and the tracks benefit from the superlative vocals throughout the album.

My rating : 7/10

Pick of the Album: Kannamma,  Kanna Kaatu Podhum, Pollapaiya

P.S You can listen to the songs in Saavn.


Saturday, September 24, 2016

Music Review (Telugu): Hyper

Music Review (Telugu): Hyper
Music Composer: Ghibran

Come back Come back starts off in a pretty functional with instantly catchy hook and the song can be easily associated to DSP if not for the credits. Anudeep and Yazin sounds apt in delivering this peppy upbeat song with Srimani's colloquial lyrics fit the mood of the song. The song turns out to be much better with the tinge of haunting tune in the second half which makes this one enjoyable till it lasts. Baby Doll is another song in the album without any Ghibran's enticing touches and the song sounds pretty staid and join in the list of stock tunes in Telugu. Anurag Kulkarni and Sahiti Chaganti's processed vocals also unable to elevate the level of the song from mediocre. Ghibran's brief sitar in the first interlude is the notable highlight in this song.

Ompula Dhaniya starts off promisingly with lovely however brief folk violin and turns out to be pretty foot tapping percussion dominated song. Though, the song is sub-standard when compared to Ghibran's earlier works, the tune is enticing enough to clasp the listeners.Dhanunjay, Simha and Lipsika's sprightly vocals makes this one listenable. Naalo Nenenaa's incongruous chorus aside, the underlying melody is beautiful and fabulously sung by Sameera Bharadwaj. Srimani's beautiful lyrics and female singer's pleasant vocals makes this one enjoyable and the only grouse being the song is of just two minute duration.Hypare is the mandatory Telugu Kuthu and Ghibran also unable to give new flavour to the disappointing jaded kuthu songs churned out by the Telugu music industry. Dhanunjay, Geetha Madhuri and Lipsika sung with enough verve and the only solace being that percussion is not dominated to give enough punch for the song.


Verdict: Ghibran turns full on commercial for Hyper and the album sounds bland without any of the composer's exquisite touches apart from occassional sparks in few songs.

My Rating:7/10

Pick of the Album: Naalo Nenenaa, Come back, Ompula Dhaniya




Thursday, September 22, 2016

Music Review (Hindi): Rock On2

Music Review (Hindi): Rock On2
Music Composer: Shankar Ehsaan Loy  

     Jaago's highly spirited tune and effective drums cum bass line are mauled by Farhan Akhtar's vocals while Siddharth Mahadevan considerably elevates the song with the energetic hook line. The guitar base is adequately engaging throughout the song. SEL ends the song in a spectacular manner with the arrangements reaching the crescendo. Shraddha shines in the soft electronic rock Udja Re and although Shankar Mahadevan's vocals are subdued in the background, the overlay in the vocals add the brilliant touch to the song. The rock flavour is done pretty neat and also in an equally enticing manner by the composer trio. 

     You know what i mean starts off in a blissful note until Farhan Akhtar's restrained vocal sweeps in, However composer trio engages the listener with the brilliant guitar riffs and absolutely foot tapping drum sections ably supported by the chorus. Manzar Naya's brilliant melody and the breezy guitar strums throughout the track is wrecked by Farhan Akhtar's incompetent vocals. The better professional singer could have made this one instantly likeable track in the album. Shraddha effectually handles the Tere Mera dil's buoyant sounds and the arrangements by SEL once again breezy enough to clasp the listeners till the songs lasts. Woh Jahaan shines with the trio's superlative tune and fabulous arrangements especially inclusion of sarod and the guitar solos towards the end. Shraddha Kapoor and Farhan Akhtar vocals ably support the tune. Hoi Kiw is the most interesting song in the album where trio mixed exotic sounds with the absolutely endearing rock layer wher Usha Uthup aces the foot tapping tune effortlessly while Pynsuklin Syiemiong and Kit Shangpliang ably supports her. Ishq Mastan is the only song which deviates from the main sound of the album not withstanding few brilliant guitar riffs in the interludes amidst the Punjabi dhols and the trio's tune is captivating while Shankar Mahadevan and Digvijay Singh elevates the typical song with their vocal prowess.

Verdict: Farhan Akhtar's vocals is the only factor which bog down the listener's enthusiasm in an otherwise brilliant show by the composer trio after the stupendous Mirzya.

My Rating: 8/10

Pick of the Album: Hoi Kiw, Udja Re, Woh Jahaan, Manzar Naya

P.S You can listen to the songs in Saavn.


Tuesday, September 20, 2016

Music Review (Telugu): Premam

Music Review (Telugu): Premam
Music Composer: Rajesh Murugesan and Gopi Sundar

         Malare song which was almost the youth anthem in 2015 returns as Evare in the Telugu version of Premam and the euphonious melody sounds soothing and fresh as in the original. Vijay Yesudas who crooned the original one aces this version also with his effortless rendition and Rajesh Murugesan's brilliant violin solos are blissful to hear. Sreemani deserves special mention for penning beautiful lyrics which complements the underlying dreamy melody. Agarothula's retro synthesised tune sounds apt for the Malayalam version as the percussion, synth beats and tune fit the ambience perfectly. However as a standalone track, the song has decent tune, likeable arrangements and Naresh Iyer sounds perfect when compared to the singing in the original version. Premam's Telugu version included Chinna Chinna as Ninna Leni with the album itself unlike as background score in the original version. The playful tune is rendered fabulously by an ever-reliable singer Karthik. Rajesh Murugesan's lovely arrangements starting with whistles, wonderful violin solos and keys are delight to hear.

        Prema Pusene's tune is not an instantly appealing one as a standalone track, However neat arrangements dominated by synthesised sounds and Karthik's rendition makes this one enjoyable till it lasts. Overall, faithful reconstruction from the original Kaalam Kettu Poyi. Gopi Sundar marks his entry in the album with bang bang, where the techno sounds are pretty functional, however composer makes up for the EDM with the fabulous sax solo in the interlude. Haricharan easily breezes through the ordinary tune effectually. Gopi Sundar maintains the upbeat sprightly feel throughout the song. Enno Saarlu also has ordinary tune with passable arrangements salvaged by Sachin Warrier's vocals and Gopi Sundar's trademark melody. The song offers nothing exceptionally and also the tune sails through without much hindrance. In Evadu Evadu, Gopi Sundar utilises the familiar sound loop of Rockaan kuthu and although Gopi's track follows the soundscape similar to the original, Telugu version sounds better due to Ranjith vocals when compared with the Anirudh's in the original. Overall, album ends with the fitting match to the original soundtrack.

Verdict: Chandoo Mondeti plays safe by retaining lovable Rajesh Murugesan tracks as in the original, though Telugu version misses the playful Aluva Puzha and angsty Kalippu while Gopi Sundar's new tracks didn't add much value to the album.

My Rating: 7.25/10

Pick of the Album: Evare, Ninna Leni, Evadu Evadu

P.S You can listen to the songs in Youtube.

Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Music Review (Tamil): Aandavan Kattalai

Music Review (Tamil): Aandavan Kattalai
Music Composer: K

The ambience of the Vazhkai Oru Ottagam is optimistic and the buoyant Brass instruments by Babu Irudhyaraj and Cold City Horns gives the pleasant feel to the song. K gives the enjoying flavour for the retro tune with the spirited bass line and Benny Dayal breezes through the tune effortlessly. Although the song is ordinary without much novel factor, the simple tune and neat arrangements make this one work. Elandha Pazham has an easily accessible tune while K adorned it with brilliant Jazzy touches in the background with march past drums and catchy piano touches. Yogisekar sounds apt and makes his presence felt in the short less than two-minute song. Imsai Rani has the sweet yesteryear throwback with respect to melody and the brilliant string sections evoke the memories of Ilayaraja songs. Karthik is fabulous with his vocals and the tune is the cakewalk for the singer. The rhythm and whistle lend the fantastic support to the easily catchy song in the album.

In Vaadagai Veedu, Ilayaraja'esque tune is adorned by Santosh Narayanan like arrangements dominated by Spanish styled guitar, wonderful percussion and engaging rhythm. S Gnanakaravel lyrics is an absolute delight to listen. Overall, an enjoyable quirky number from K.Karmegakuzhali is another song with jazz inclination in the arrangements and Jananie S V is impeccable with her rendition which gels well with the breezy tone given by the composer in terms of arrangements. 108 Thenga is also an astounding composition where modern Jazz meets rustic folk in the arrangements highlighted by Avinash Jayakumar's ethnic percussions. The song reminds easily Sean Roldan's various compositions along this genre. The vocals are handled by the composer itself and he sounds apt for the orchestration. Gandhi Thatha is another funky composition by K and although the rap portions didn't come out well, K nails totally in the arrangements especially the usage of trumpet  and the rhythm structure which makes the listeners clasp to the song till it lasts. The quirkiness in the album continues with Polambing song also and the laziness in the jazzy arrangements as well as in the K's vocals work to the song's favour. This short song may work well with visuals.Yaaro Petha Pillai is quite fun to hear especially for its Gnanakaravel's amusing as well as thought provoking lyrics and Antony Dassan aces it with his idiosyncratic vocals. K's arrangements are rich replete with enjoyable Jazz drums by Jaishankar Iyer and the undeniable highlight is violin solos with the classical inclination by Kalyan.

Verdict: K follows the Santosh Narayanan's musical style with relishable quirky touches to the songs and the end result is absolutely gratifying Jazz loaded tracks in Aandavan Kattalai.

My Rating:8/10

Pick of the Album: Elandha Pazham, Imsai Rani, Yaaro Petha Pillai, Vaadagai Veedu

P.S You can listen to the songs in Saavn.



Music Review (Tamil): Chennai 2 Singapore

Music Review (Tamil): Chennai 2 Singapore
Music Composer: Ghibran

Vaadi Vaadi is an immensely ear-worm material and the rock layer by Ghibran is an adequately engaging one which hooks the listener till it lasts. The backing vocals by Yazin Nizar gives quite an international feel to the album while lead singer Rajan Chelliah's mangled Tamil aside, the vocals fit the tone of the song perfectly. Poda's hyper fast Rap by RJ Balaji and Abishek is passable while Ghibran easily scores in the background rhythm and the tune turns into kuthu in the middle, however, the foot tapping rhythm programming and screechy electric guitar usage in the song makes this one engaging till it lasts.

Pogadhe rides on the enticing melody and the tune is accentuated by the minimal piano dominated orchestration while Rajan Chelliah croons the second song in the album and the singer effortlessly breezes through the high-pitched portions of the tune which makes it up for his questionable Tamil diction. Ghibran's string solo and Jazzy background are phenomenal in the first and second interlude respectively. Pogadhe's female version is also equally effective with the tinge of folk touch in the arrangements and Suthasini's vocal suits the immersive tune and the main highlight of the song is undeniably wonderful violin solos by Balaji which are bliss to hear.Gun Inbam is another highly imaginative track from Ghibran where the composer effectively utilized Sharanya Gopinath's vocal prowess with fabulous support from Emcee Jesz, Abbas Akbar, and Shabir. Ghibran's mysterious arrangements especially prelude sounds is exceptionally done and Ghibran ends the song in high octane kuthu.Ghibran unleashed his potential with another hyper-imaginative track Texas Pogiren where Narrow Smith's unconventional vocals mixed with Sharanya Gopinath's trendy vocals make this one highly engaging one. Ghibran kept the orchestration subtle and allowed singers to take front stage and though the final string section is nicely done, sounds incongruous to the overall tone of the song.Ro Ro Roshini is the most conventional song in the album with the whiff of heard before feel in the tune, however, Nivas's vocals and Ghibran's arrangements make the listeners overlook for the minor grouses in the Deja-vu flavor of the tune. Ghibran adorned the tune with an immersive piano and jazz sounds in the arrangements.

Verdict: Ghibran continues to push boundaries in term of musical quality irrespective of the scope of the project and Chennai 2 Singapore is not different. Overall, another winning album from one of the highly talented however under-recognized composer in the Tamil industry.

My Rating: 8.25/10

Pick of the Album: Pogadhe (both versions), Vaadi Vaadi, Texas Pogiren

P.S You can listen to the songs in Saavn.




Saturday, September 10, 2016

Music review(Hindi): Mirzya

Music review( Hindi): Mirzya
Music composer : Shankar Eshaan Loy, Daler Mehendi

          The title track has an enticing sound mixing with horse foot stomping sounds and thumping enchanting percussions by Taufiq Quereshi. The orchestral brilliance aside, the sing has a fantastic support in the form of vocal powerhouses Daler Mahendra, Sain Zahoor and Nooran Sisters. Naveen ends the track with stunning flute piece. Teen Gawah's melody is amped up by lovely salvation singer chorus and Siddharth Mahadevan handles the tune effortlessly with his vocals while Abhay Rumde and Loy provides support with Dimdi and bass respectively. Sain Zahoor lends rustic touch with his brief portions. In Chakora, SEL churns out a winner with the impressive techno sounds mixed with rural synthesised sounds and once again the singers prop up the song to fantastic level especially Mame Khan and Schusismita Das. Aave Ra Hitchki is SEL's response to Coke Studio kind of songs and the fabulous vocals of Shankar Mahadevan and Mame's  is accompanied by phenomenal arrangements topped by Neil Mukherjee's splendid Guitar work and mighty packaging of assorted ear pleasing sounds in the background.
          
Hota Hai is foot tapping song with absolutely stunning sarangi mix and Nooran Sisters incredibly punchy vocals and the chorus mix followed by the engaging beats in the second half is the highlight. Ek Nadi Thi offers another musical high in the album and the song features once again engrossing vocals from Nooran Sisters and Mohan while SEL adorned the soothing tune with lovely guitars. SEL pushes the boundaries further in Doli re Doli where the trio mixes the beautiful time with the jazzy background touches with standout solos from Victor's Trumpet and Shankar's melodica. Shankar Mahadevan handles the tune like a pro. The trio ends the musical extravaganza with truly grand symphonic brilliance Kaaga and it's delight to listen Kaushiki Chakraborty's classically rich vocals and absolutely loved the way her classical sargams are followed by similar sounding string sessions. The song could have been made as a full-fledged one. The thematic pieces composed by Daler Mehendi featuring the vocals of  the composer himself elevate the grandness of the soundtrack.

Verdict: Shankar Eshaan Loy delivers the sheer variety of songs for Mehra's Mirzya and the soundtrack is undeniably best one released thus far this year with rich folk orchestration and awesome line of singers in vocal front.

My rating: 9/10

Pick of the album: Just listen whole album you won't regret.

P.S You can listen to the songs in Saavn.


Monday, September 5, 2016

Music Review (Tamil): Remo

Music Review (Tamil): Remo
Music Composer: Anirudh

Remo Nee Kadhalan rides on the repetitive title hook and "Iva Ava than" loop recurrently while Nadhaswaram and trumpet cues got subdued behind the vocals and Vignesh Vasudevan's lyrics are pedestrian at best. Overall average track from Anirudh and would have been fared better with neat vocal and orchestration arrangements.Senjitaley has an easily accessible tune and Anirudh did a neat job as a composer rather than as a singer. The mild tabla rhythm beat occasionally coupled with the casual singing of the catchy Vignesh Vasudevan's lyrics prods the song to the further level.Anirudh roped in Bollywood singer Arjun Kanungo to croon Sirikkathey, the pleasant melody with minimal catchy orchestration dominated by uber cool guitar strums and synth sounds. Anirudh and Srinidhi Venkatesh gives fabulous support in the vocal front. Vignesh Vasudevan's lyrics is apt for the romantic melody which is sure to stay on the charts for a long time. The reprise version of the song by Inno Genga is also enticing one mainly due to Anirudh's alluring orchestration with guitars and Inno Genga's involved rendition.

Meesa Beauty is another mediocre track where both Richard's vocals and lyrics are pedestrian one and the tune sounds recklessly composed with few arrangements especially the second interlude and pop sound hooks the listener till the song lasts. The middle kuthu digression sounds incongruous to the flow of the song.Daavuya has its quirky gaana base tune while Santosh Narayanan sounds like contemporary Deva and he croons the song with absolute finesse and swag. Anirudh props up the tune with the melange of synth sounds and the kuthu is enjoyable as well as easy to the ears. Vaadi en TamilSelvi is another passable track where Anirudh's synthesized EDM sounds alone unable to salvage the song from the NakashAziz's Tamil diction and the mediocre tune. The song turns enticing route in the charanam portions, however as a whole this one is the underwhelming song in the album partly due to functional lyrics.Remo theme is the rework of Remo Nee Kadhalan and the one-minute version of the song fails to create much impact due to uninteresting tune,

Verdict: Anirudh delivers another fun filled album which is sure to satiate the fans and though devoid of standout experimental tracks, the feel of the album is vibrant enough to elevate the overall mood of the movie.

My Rating: 7.5/10

Pick of the Album: Sirikkathey, Senjitaaley, Daavuya

P.S You can listen to the songs in Saavn.









Music Review (Telugu): Majnu

Music Review (Telugu): Majnu
Music Composer: Gopi Sundar

Kallu Moosi melody is immensely enjoyable and the tune is trademark Gopi Sundar while the composer adorned the engaging tune with fabulous arrangements especially saxophone in the second interlude and violin solos. Suchith Suresan breezes through the melody effortlessly and makes this one engaging listen till it lasts.Oorikey Ala is an absolute stunner and it is evident right from the fabulous immersive 20-second prelude. Gopi Sundar gives the rock flavor to the melancholic lyrics of RamaJogayya Sastry. Haricharan fits the bill perfectly with his splendid rendition and the prowess singer matches the brilliant orchestration effectively. The solo violin in the first interlude is an easy winner among the other enticing elements in the song.

Andamaina starts like Sooraj Dhooba Hain and the tune is adequately foot tapping as well as sounds more like rhyme. Gopi Sundar props up with fabulous flute solo in the first interlude along with enjoyable Carnatic mix in the second interlude and Rahul Nambiar aces the tune with his spritely rendition. Gopi Sundar crafted the Jare Jare's tune beautifully and the melody is stunningly pleasant one while the composer's soothing minimal orchestration segues with the tune brilliantly especially lovely use of melodica and flute in the second interlude are employed well. Naresh Iyer's involved rendition makes this one undeniable winner in the album.Chinmayi's dreamy rendition in Oye Meghamla works to its favor with Gopi Sundar continues to charm the listener with his enticing background. Once again composer employed flute and Carnatic styled guitar to the brilliant usage in the arrangements front and the lovely charanam tune is an absolute delight to listen. Aadara is the mandatory kuthu and odd one out in the album filled with endearing melodies. Ranjith's verve matches the mood of the song. However this song is a let down when compared to the string of melodies and one can easily skip this track.

Verdict: Gopi Sundar's Majnu is the melodic treat from the composer and he continues to churn out quality songs in Telugu akin to Malayalam.

My Rating: 8/10

Pick of the Album: Oorikey Ala, Oye Meghmla, Jare Jare

P.S You can listen to the songs in Saavn.




Sunday, September 4, 2016

Music Review (Malayalam): Kochavva Paulo Ayyappa Coelho

Music Review (Malayalam): Kochavva Paulo Ayyappa Coelho
Music Composer: Shaan Rahman and Sooraj S Kurup

Neelakkannulla Maanea is a delightful throwback sung impeccably by Vijay Yesudas who sounds almost like his veteran father accompanied by sweet sounding Swetha Mohan. Shaan Rahman adorned the melody with fitting orchestration. Mele Mukilodum's indipop sound along with native percussion elements works partially mainly because of Job Kurian's vocals. Ethu Meghamaari's serene sounding tune sung perfectly by Hesham Abdul Wahab while Shaan does neat work in the background with fabulous violin solos and tidy rhythm structure. The tune's beauty is more apparent in the minimally orchestrated reprise version by Anne Amie. The brief classical sargams accompanied by the tabla beats is exquisitely done. Doore Dooram is adequately foot tapping material and although borders on the familiar pop template with few layering of desi beats. Shaan Rahman easily breezes through four-minute song without any hurdles. Sooraj S Kurup of Valleem Thetti Pulleem Thetti fame comes up with similar sounding Vaanam Mele and the song works mainly because of Shankar Mahadevan's effectual vocals and rhythmic background.

Verdict: Shaan Rahman's latest album has nothing extraordinary to offer, however the album has couple of pleasant composer's trademark melodies.

My rating:7/10

Pick of the Album: Ethu Meghamaari (both versions), Neelakkannulla Maanea, Vaanam Mele

P.S You can listen to the songs in Saavn.